Compressor control , operation and

maintenance
Control System
1
Field
Control room
front real
COMPRESSOR HAZARD
MOVING PARTS
HOT SURFACE
NOISY
LEAKS FROM THE GAS SYSTEM
FLAMMABLE EXPLOSIVE GASES (SPARK PRODUCING
EQUIPMENT SHOULD NEVER BE USED)
ACCESSORIES
LUBRICATION

COOLING

FILTERING
LUBRICATION SYSTEM
MAIN FUNCTION IS TO REDUCE FRICTION BETWEEN
THE MOVING PARTS

LUBRICATION HELPS COOLING THE COMPRESSOR
MOVING PARTS AND HELP PREVENT THE LEAKING
GAS OUT OF COMPRESSOR.
DESCRIPTION
OIL FROM THE COMPRESSOR FLOWS INTO THE OIL PUMP.THE OIL IS
THEN PUMPED THROUGH FILTER WHICH REMOVES ANY SOLID
PARTICLE FROM THE OIL.
OIL FLOWS THROUGH THE HEAT EXCHANGER WHERE IT IS COOLED
FROM HEAT EXCHANGER MOST OF THE OIL FLOWS DIRECTLY TO
COMPRESSOR LUBRICATION.
REST OF THE OIL GOES TO OILER.
OILER SUPPLIES A SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL TO THE
COMPRESSOR CYLINDER
THE OIL LUBRICTES THE PISTON RINGS AND HELPS SEAL
THE SPACE BETWEEN THE CYLINDER WALL AND THE RING.
COOLING
WHEN A GAS IS COMPRESSED HEAT IS PRODUCED THIS
HEAT CAN CAUSE TWO PROBLEM
1. EXCESS HEAT CAN BREAK DOWN OIL CAUSING IT TO
BE LOOSE ITS LUBRICATING CHARECTORSTIC

2. GASED EXPAND WHEN THEY ARE
HEATED SINCE COMPRESSOR IS DESINGED TO
COMPRESS GASES THE EFFECT CREATE ADDITIONAL
FORCE WHICH COMPRESSOR MUST OVERCOME.
HEAT REMOVAL
AIR COOLING AND WATER COOLING ARE TWO TECHNIQUES
1. AN AIR COOLED COMPRESSOR
EASILY IDENTIFIED BY MEAL FINS
ON ITS CASING THE FINS PROVIDE INCREASED SURFACE
AREA.
2. ANOTHER WAY TO REMOVE THE
EXCESS HEAT IS TO COOL THE GAS AFTER THE
COMPRESSION IS COMPLETE, THE DEVICE THAT
DOES THIS IS AN AFTERCOOLER OR INTERCOOLER
DEPENDING UPON ITS LOCATION THESE EXCHANGERS
ARE CLASSIFIED AS INTERCOOLER OF AFTER COOLER.
Compressor
INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL
Compressor control
Compressor controls have different definitions
among users, designers, and suppliers.
These can be, but are not limited to:
1. Machinery protection
a. Simple alarm system for several parameters
b. Simple shutdown system for several parameters
2. Safety shutdown system monitoring multiple parameters for machinery
protection
and safety of personnel
3. Same as 2, with loading/capacity control
4. Same as 3 with communications and remote monitoring. Computer
monitoring
provides enhanced automation and energy management in addition to the
capability
to store and manipulate data for maintenance and diagnostic purposes.
Compressor control cont.
Compressor control cont.2
5. Environmental regulations have made the
addition of emissions controls on compressors
and engine drivers necessary for certain
geographical areas.

SYSTEM CONSIDERATIONS
SYSTEM CONSIDERATIONS
The control system must be selected to suit the machine, the operator,
and the application. These considerations include, but are not
limited to:
1. Is this machine part of a critical process?
2. What is the cost/benefit ratio to be provided by controls?
3. What are the personnel hazards?
4. Is this machine in a hazardous area?
5. What codes such as NEC, API, NFPA, OSHA, EPA or other regulatory
agencies apply?

6. What degree of complexity is required for safety shutdown,
capacity control, loading control, remote start-stop capability, and
communications?

7. Should the safety devices be monitored by the
information/operations/capacity
controls system or should safety monitoring be in a
separate stand alone system?
8. Will the system be maintained by:
a. Mechanics and/or operators
b. Instrument technicians
c. Electronics technicians
d. Communications technicians
e. Users or contract personnel
9. Will the system require expansion at a later date?
SYSTEM CONSIDERATIONS
INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL
THE PROPER OPERATION OF COMP. DEPENDS UPON
INSTRUMENTAITON AND CONTROL DEVICES
THESE DEVICES ALLOWS THE COMPRESSOR TO BE STARTED
AND STOPPED.
THEY PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPRESSOR
OPERATING CONDITIONS
THEY MAINTAIN THE VALUES OF PROCESS VARIABLES
THEY KEEP THE COMPRESSOR OPERATION STABLE
THEY CAN SHUT DOWN THE COMPRESSOR IF
UNSAFE CONDTITON OCCURED
CONTROL PANEL MAY HAVE CONTROL TO REGULATE
THE SPEED

CONTROL PANEL ME ALSO CONTAIN ALARMS THAT
LET THE PERSONNEL KNOW WHEN ABNORMAL AND
POTENTIAL DAMAGING CONDITION EXISTS
PRESSURE CONTROLLER CONTROLS THE DISCHARGE
PRESSUR AND IF IT DEVIATES CONTROLLER
MANUPULATE THE INLET FLOW
SURGE CONTROL
FOR A GIVEN DISCHARGE PRESSURE A COMPRESSOR HAS A
CERTAIN MINIMUM FLOW RATE. BELOW THIS FLOW RATE THE
COMPRESSOR BECOME UNSTABLE. A DECREASE IN FLOW
BELOW THE MINIMUM FLOW CAN CAUSE A SERIES OF
MOMENTARY REVERSAL OF FLOW THROUGH THE
COMPRESSOR. THIS SITUATIION IS CALLED SURGE
SURGING RESULTS IN VIOLENT FLUCTUATIONS IN
DISCHARGE PRESSURE.
WHEN AN ELECTRIC MOTOR IS USED AS DRIVER
SURGING CAN CAUSE EXTREME VARIANTION IN MOTOR
CURRENT.
SYMPTOMS OF SURGING ARE LOW GAS FLOW, EXCESSIVE
VIBRATION AND BANGING SOUND INSIDE COMPRESSOR
TO PREVENT THE SURGING THE FLOW RATE OF THE
GAS THRU THE COMPRESSOR MUST BE KEPT ABOVE
THE MINIMUM STABLE FLOW RATE OR SURGE POINT
WHEN THE DEMAND IS LOW FLOW RATE IS
MAINTAINED BY RECIRCULATING THE PORTION
FROM DISCHARGE TO BACK TO COMPRESSOR.
SURGE CURVE
P= p2 /p1
Q 1 FLOW RATE

START UP
PREPARING THE COMPRESSOR FOR STARTUP
WARMING UP THE COMPRESSOR
STARTING THE GAS FLOW THRU COMPRESSOR
COMPRESSORS GAS SUPPLY IS AVAILABLE, CONTROLS
ARE SET IN POSITIONS.
VALVE LINE UP MEANS ALL THE VALVE ARE PROPERLY SET.
START THE COMPRESSOR AUXILARIES AND MAKE SURE
THEY ARE OPERATING PROPERLY.
OPERATOR MUST CHECK THE COMPRESSOR AND MAKE
SURE THAT NO ABNORMAL CONDITION EXISTS.
IF THE COMPRESSOR HANDLES THE FLAMMABLE GAS IT MUST BE
PURGE WITH AN INERT GAS LIKE NITORGEN.
ONCE PURGED IT CAN BE STARTED AND KEPT IN WARMING UP.
ONCE THE COMPRESSOR AND ITS PARTS RUNS FOR A WHILE AT A
LOW SPEED THE COMPRSSOR CAN BE BROUGHT UP TO NORMAL
SPEED.
THIS INVOLVES THE INCREASE OF SPEED AT CERTAIN RATE CALLED
RAMP RATE
CRITICAL SPEED FOR CETRUFUGAL COMPRSSOR CERTAIN
ROTATIONAL SPEED CAUSE SEVERE VIBRATION, IT IS CALLED
CRITICAL SPEED.
IT IS DUE TO PHYSICAL CHARECTORSTIC OF MOVING PARTS OF
COMPRESSOR.
WHEN A CRITICAL SPEED IS REACHED THE RAMP SPEED IS
USUALLY INCREADED TO PASS THROUGH THE CRITICAL SPEED.
OPERATION
ONCE STARTED COMPRESSOR SHOULD BE CHECKED
ROUTINELY.
WHILE CHECKING A COMPRSSOR OPERATOR MUST KEEP IN
MIND THAT IT OPERATES AT VERY HIGH SPEED.
AN IMPORTANT PART OF CHECKING A COMPRSSOR IS TO
LISTEN TO THE ABNORMAL SOUND.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO CHECK THE COMPRESSOR BEARING FOR
EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AND OVERHEATING IT INDICATE
PROBABLE BEARING FAILURE.
COMPRESSOR AUXILIARY CHECK IS IMPORTANT DURING
OPERATION OF COMP. LIKE OIL LEVEL IS IN NORMAL
RANGE,OIL IS CLEAR AND NOT MILKY.
OIL PRESSURE IS IMPORTANT PARAMETER TO CHECK,
INIDCATE MALFUNCTION OF OIL PUMP OR OIL LEAK IN
SYSTEM.
OIL PARAMETER IS CRITICAL PARAMETER, HIGHER
THAN NORMAL OIL PRESSURE INDICATES THE
CLOGGING OF SOME PART IN OIL LUBRICATION
SYSTEM.
Five Valve Loading Sequence Machine Not Running
Blowdown valve open
Bypass valve open
Suction valve closed
Discharge valve closed
Purge valve closed
Prior to start
1. Close bypass valve.
2. Open purge valve.
3. After time delay for pressurized purge, open bypass.
Start machine
1. After warm-up or appropriate time, initiate load sequence.
2. Open purge valve (pressurize compressor and confirm pressure).
3. Close purge valve.
4. Open discharge valve.
5. Open suction valve.
6. Close bypass valve to begin flow through the compressor. (Bypass valve can be
used to control flow through the machine.)
Five Valve Unloading Sequence
1. Open bybass valve.
2. Open blowdown valve (optional)
3. Close suction valve.
4. Close discharge valve.
RECIPROCATING COMPRESSOR MONITORING
Monitoring systems have progressed to measuring many
parameters beyond those required for basic safety.
These include capacity, pressure, volume, time,
vibration , calculations of gas, rod load, power, fuel
consumption and efficiency.
The industry is also rapidly moving to a predictive
maintenance mode as compared to preventive
maintenance. Monitoring systems must be more
complex to accomplish predictive maintenance.
Centrifugal/Axial Compressor Monitoring
- Centrifugal and axial compressors are less forgiving than slower speed reciprocating
machines because of the operating speeds.
- The controls for centrifugal machines must have very quick response times in
order to prevent catastrophic failures and are much more complex than the systems
required for reciprocating compressors.
- Real time on-line performance monitoring and trending is now commonplace
because of available high speed computer systems.
- Surge control on axial and centrifugal machines is essential to prevent damage
in the event of rapidly changing flow conditions. Bearing vibration monitoring in
three planes and axial trip sensors, along with bearing trip monitors, are common
practice on centrifugal machinery.