Scribd
Upload
357 views5 pages

Anti Surge Controller

The document discusses surge phenomenon in centrifugal compressors and the need for anti-surge controllers. Surge occurs when the compressor flow reverses due to dropping pressure. An anti-surge controller uses a proportional-integral algorithm and fast-acting anti-surge control valve to monitor the compressor's operating point and recycle some discharge flow if needed to maintain sufficient distance from the surge limit. It analyzes signals from upstream and downstream to determine if valve actuation is necessary to keep the compressor operating along a predefined control line 10% above the surge line.

Uploaded by

Inter Tung
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
357 views5 pages

Anti Surge Controller

The document discusses surge phenomenon in centrifugal compressors and the need for anti-surge controllers. Surge occurs when the compressor flow reverses due to dropping pressure. An anti-surge controller uses a proportional-integral algorithm and fast-acting anti-surge control valve to monitor the compressor's operating point and recycle some discharge flow if needed to maintain sufficient distance from the surge limit. It analyzes signals from upstream and downstream to determine if valve actuation is necessary to keep the compressor operating along a predefined control line 10% above the surge line.

Uploaded by

Inter Tung
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

Anti Surge Controller

Surge Phenomenon and the Needs of Anti Surge Controller


The surge phenomenon in the centrifugal compressor can be understood as a
complete breakdown and reversal of the flow through the compressor.
Every centrifugal compressor has its own operating characteristic map. This
map will show us the surge line limit and the operating limit.

See below example of the compressor operating map. The surge will happen if
the compressor operates on the left side of the surge line.
The surge can’t be eliminated but it can be avoided or prevented. This surge
phenomenon can be prevented by recycling or blow off a portion of the
discharge flow to keep the compressor away from its surge limit. This
prevention in particular is done by the anti surge controller.

The anti surge controller must be able to accurately determine how close the
compressor is surging so it can maintain an adequate but not excessive recycle
flow rate.

A compressor’s surge limit is not a fix value. It is a very complex function that
depends on gas composition, suction temperature and pressure, rotational
speed and guide vane angle.

Surge protection is more complicated by the speed at which the surge develops.
It can take only a fraction of a second for a compressor to move from a relatively
healthy operating point to one in which the surge is inevitable.

Therefore it is a logic reason to have a very fast final control element which we
called an anti surge control valves.

In general application, the anti surge controller received a signal from flow
transmitter, pressure transmitter, and temperature transmitter from downstream
and upstream of the compressor. The anti surge controller is then analyzes the
entire received signal.

The surge margin (control line) usually determine as a 10% margin from the
known compressor surge line (the surge line can be obtained from actual test
or empirical data).

Typically the PI (Proportional Integral) control algorithm will active and start to
modulate the anti surge control valve if the compressor operates between the
control line and the surge line.

The set point of the PI controller is a flow rate that lies on the control line.
Normally, a polynomial equation is used to approach the control line and
determine the PI controller set point with the discharge and inlet pressure of the
compressor as the variable.

Then, the anti surge controller (using PI controller algorithm) will open and close
the anti surge control valve as necessary to bring the compressor operates on
the control line.
The Anti Surge Control Valves
As briefly explained above, to avoid the surge phenomenon, there are an anti
surge control system that analyze the compressor operating point and modulate
the anti surge control valve as necessary.

Before designing the anti surge control valve, the compressor manufacturer
usually has some anti surge system study with some set of process data
required to design the anti surge control valve.

The process data it self has several cases for several surge possibility. The
study also conclude the required anti surge control valve opening time during
normal operation and during shutdown sequence operation.

In practice, there is no difference between anti surge control valve and ‘general’
control valves. The main difference is that the anti surge control valve has a
certain required fast opening time to avoid the surge.

This time constraint will make the anti surge control valve need some additional
accessories such as volume booster and three way pilot operated valve.

The valve accessories that will be used may differ from each anti surge control
valve manufacturer; this is not a problem as long as the required opening time
is achieved. But in general speaking, the anti surge control valve will has a
general arrangement as below.
Operating Principle
The anti surge controller is started up, the solenoid valve is energized and all
pilot operated valve is actuated. The tubing line from I/P Positioner output A &
output B are continuously connected to the actuator.
When the compressor operating point drop in the area between surge line and
control line, the anti surge controller start to operate and modulate the anti surge
control valve through the I/P Positioner.

The valve will fast open and fast close as necessary with the help of volume
booster. The volume booster is used to increase the stroking speed by
bypassing the instrument air supply or in other words, it amplify the pneumatic
signal output of the I/P Positioner.
While there are an emergency cases (need to shutdown etc..), the anti surge
controller will simply de-energized the solenoid valve and all pilot operated
valve will un-actuated. The pressure of top side piston actuator is vented by the
3-way pilot operated valve no. 7 and 2-way pilot operated valve no. 6.

The low side of piston actuator is pressurized by the regulated instrument air
supply (or from volume bottle if emergency). This top side vented and low side
pressurized will make the valve in the open position in fast manner. The anti
surge control valve will open very fast in less than one second in this case.

Conclusion
The surge phenomenon in the compressor can’t be eliminated but it can be
avoided or prevented. The anti surge control system is designed so that the
compressor will not experience the surge by blow off some portion of the
discharge flow.

The anti surge controller together with the anti surge control valve will do this
very important task in a very fast manner.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy