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and minimum flow limits are reached. Actually, the working principle of a centrifugal
compressor is increasing the kinetic energy of the fluid with a rotating impeller. The fluid is then
slowed down in a volume called the plenum, where the kinetic energy is converted into
potential energy in form of a pressure rise.
When the plenum pressure behind the compressor is higher than the compressor outlet
pressure, the fluid tends to reverse or even flow back in the compressor. As a consequence, the
plenum pressure will decrease, inlet pressure will increase and the flow reverses again. This
phenomenon, called surge, repeats and occurs in cycles with frequencies varying from 1 to 2
Hz. So, the compressor loses the ability to maintain the peak head when surge occurs and the
entire system becomes unstable. A collection of surge points during varying compressor speed
or varying inlet gas angle is fitted as surge line. In normal conditions, the compressor operates
in the right side of the surge line. However, during startup/emergency shutdown, the operating
point will move towards the surge line because flow is reduced. If conditions are such that the
operating point approaches the surge line, flow recirculation occurs in the impeller and diffuser
(Figure 1). The flow separation will eventually cause a decrease in the discharge pressure, and
flow from suction to discharge will resume. Surging can cause the compressor to overheat to
the point at which the maximum allowable temperature of the unit is exceeded. Also, surging
can cause damage to the thrust bearing due to the rotor shifting back and forth from the active
to the inactive side. This is defined as the surge cycle of the compressor.
1) Compressor polytropic head (or differential pressure) versus square of flow rate in suction
and
2) Pressure ratio versus square of flow rate in suction.
Flow through the compressor suction is equivalent to the pressure drop in orifice or venturi
installed at the inlet or outlet of compressor. Thus, pressure loss in orifice or venturi can be
calibrated as a function of compressor flow rate.
A compressor map is illustrated by superimposing both performance and system resistance
curves independent of rotational speed (Figure 3). For compressors with inlet guide vanes,
compressor map is represented by a new family of curves that do not depend on suction
conditions either. This additional coordinate could be a function of either guide vane position or
equivalent rotational speed.
5).
Figure 5: PI algorithm with step line. The controller output decays exponentially with time to a
point where the proportional plus-integral control system resumes control. Moreover, the
momentary valve position calculated by the PI algorithm is overridden by an adjustable additive
component. Anti-Surge Input Requirements
As earlier mentioned, flow rate is the main data obtained from suction or discharge. Moreover,
pressure and temperature in suction and discharge are needed to establish the operating point
on the compressor performance curve. Recommendations for the minimum input requirements
for a given system arrangement can be found in Figure 6.
The response time of a transmitter for the measurement of a process variable used by the
surge control algorithm should be less than 100 milliseconds. Moreover, the emergency
shutdown situation will require the fastest response time from the control system. The
shutdown operation does not affect the surge control algorithm because the sole function of
the controller under the shutdown operation is to fully open the control valve as quickly as
possible. In such condition, the recycle control valves should be able to move from fully closed
to fully open in less than 2.0 seconds.
Anti-Surge System layout
Figure 6 is an illustration of the Anti-Surge System layout. On centrifugal discharge, a check
valve shall be installed to prevent reverse flow and minimize surge. The check valve shall be
located as close as possible downstream of the compressor to minimize mass inventory. In
other words, a check valve at the compressor outlet will limit the downstream volume and
increase the required system response time of the surge control system. In parallel operations,
compressor units should have check valves installed to assure effective surge control of each
compressor.
In order to protect the compressor adequately from surge, the discharged flow must be
restored very quickly. For this reason the anti-surge recycle connection and anti-surge control
valve shall be located upstream of the check valve as close as practical to the compressor
discharge connection. Moreover, a cooler in the recycle line may have to be considered, to
suitably control the suction temperature and thereby prevent the compressor from going into
surge. The line-up and tie-in point of the recycle line on the suction side of the compressor shall
be at the upstream of the suction scrubber in order to prevent liquid from entering the
compressor.
If the compressor bypass control line is taken downstream of the discharge cooler (called cold
bypass line), an additional hot gas bypass line upstream of the discharge check valve is
required to protect the compressor against surge during start-up, trip and normal operation
(Figure 7).
In hot bypass lines, the suction cooler is installed after the recycle line, which is taken directly
from the discharge and recycled to the upstream of the suction cooler.