Most compressor station Gas Turbine units have a number of battery powered emergency back up dc motors driving the vent fans, lube pumps etc. which are started in the event of a mains power failure. Currently these motors are started from resistor type starters located within each compressor unit’s dc motor control centre.
At a number of compressor stations these resistor starters have overheated causing damage to the control equipment and constituting a fire risk.
It is proposed to replace these with a new dc electronic motor starter. DC electronic motor starters are not available as off the shelf products for a dc battery supply and will therefore require design and development. A prototype will be designed and tested and then a working unit will be installed at Wooler compressor station for a trial followed by the installation of the remaining 2 within the unit.
Benefits
The project success will be a successful trial of the performance of the dc electronic starter motors on a National Grid Compressor site. A successful starter design will provide a simplified motor starter with less discrete electro-mechanical components.
