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Understand
Centrifugal Compressor
Equipment
INTERACTION
1
Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
Understand Centrifugal Compressor, Equipment Interaction
System Curve
Compressor Curve Basics
Relationship Between Compressor and System Curves
Compressor Behavior in Common Applications
1. Single-Speed Compressor Drive with Suction/Discharge Pressure Control
Scenario 1.1 Incoming Flow to Compressor Decreases
Scenario 1.2 Incoming Flow Drops Below Surge Control Point
Scenario 1.3 Gas Demand Decreases at the Compressor End
2. Variable-Speed Compressor Drive with Speed Controller
Scenario 2.1 Incoming Flow to Compressor Decreases
Scenario 2.2 Incoming Flow Drops Below Surge Control Point
Scenario 2.3 Gas Demand Decreases at the Consumer End
Scenario 2.4 Compressor Delivers at a Fixed Pressure to Consumer;
Set Pressure Changed.
3. Gas Molecular Weight Changes
Scenario 3.1 MW Decreases
Scenario 3.2 MW increases
Impact of MW Variation on Compressor Stability
4. Compressor Flow Increases Beyond Rating
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
System
Curve
6
Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
9
Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
Compressor Curve
Basics
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
Relationship
Between
Compressor and
System
Curves
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
Operating Point
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
Compressor Behavior
in
Common
Applications
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
Compressor Behavior
in
Common Applications
The Figures shown Later are Only Schematics of
The Most Common Compressor Configurations
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
1
Single-Speed
Compressor
Drive
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
In Some Installations,
A Pressure Controller is Installed
on the Compressor Discharge Line, which Works
in conjunction with Suction Side Pressure Controller
through A Signal Selector
or A Microprocessor-Based Control Module.
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
Scenario 1.1
Incoming Flow to Compressor Decreases
Consider that Flow Coming into Drum Drops
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
Scenario 1.2
Incoming Flow Drops Below Surge Control Point
.
Scenario 1.3
Gas Demand Decreases at Compressor End
In Most Cases, Online Valve at Compressor End is
Throttled, either Manually or through Process Control System,
To Achieve the Desired Flow Reduction
For Example,
In Case of Gas Supply to a Boiler Heater or Gas Turbine,
Valve at the Inlet of the Equipment is Throttled
Matching the Equipment Load
The Valve may Even Close if the Equipment Trips.
This Event in Effect Changes the System Curve,
Shifting the Operating Point to the Left
Until the Desired Lower Flow to Achieved
(Similar to Scenarios 1.1 and 1.2).
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
In Summary
For All Single-Speed Compressor
Variation in Flow is achieved Only by
Varying System Curve Position Backward and Forward
Operating Point shifts along the Compressor Curve,
as shown in Figs. 4a to c.
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
2
Variable-Speed
Compressor
Drive
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
Scenario 2.1
Incoming Flow to Compressor Decreases
As in the Case of a Single-Speed Compressor, Here also
Compressor Suction and Discharge Controllers are Used
through Low-Signal Selector or Compressor Control Module
To Modulate the Driver Speed
As the Incoming Flow to the Suction Drum Decreases,
Compressor Suction Pressure Decreases.
Pressure Controller on suction side Detects Pressure Drop
and Sends a Signal to the Driver (Turbine) to Slow Down
Until new Operating Point is Reached where Discharge Flow
Equals the Reduced Incoming Flow (Point a to b in Fig. 6a).
In this Case the System Curve Remains Unchanged.
Only Operating Point Shifts Down Along System Curve,
Unlike in Similar Scenario Using Single-Speed Drive (1.1)
where Operating Point moves along Compressor Curve
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
Scenario 2.3
Gas Demand Decreases
at Consumer End
As in the Case of a Single-Speed Compressor,
The System Curve also Moves to the Left, due to Throttling
of the Consumer Valve(s) to achieve Flow Reduction.
Suction Pressure Controller now starts Sending Signal
for the Driver to Slow Down.
The Operating Point Moves Horizontally from Point a to b
Along Fixed-Pressure Line until it meets Compressor Curve
at Speed that corresponds to the Reduced Flowrate, (Fig. 6c).
Scenario 2.4
Compressor Delivers
at a Fixed Pressure to Consumer;
Set Pressure Changed
When the Compressor is connected to a Piping System
to Deliver Gas at Constant Pressure to a Consumer,
Static Pressure Difference (P2-P3) in Figs. 1, 2a and 2c
Remains Constant.
In All the Scenarios Described,
This Difference is assumed to be Constant.
Now, if Pressure Setting at Consumer end is Lowered,
Static Pressure Curve in Fig. 2a Moves Down (Fig. 6d).
Correspondingly, System Curve Shifts Down to Right,
Although its Slope Remains Unchanged.
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
In Summary
When, a Compressor is Driven by a Variable-Speed Drive
(Gas Turbine, Steam Turbine, etc.),
The Operating Point may shift either along:
The Compressor Curve,
The System Curve,
The Fixed Pressure Line,
or A Combination of them
Depending on the Nature of Change as discussed.
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
3
Gas
Molecular Weight
Changes
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
Scenario 3.2
MW Increases
Conversely, an increase in MW results in
A Higher Discharge Pressure
The Compressor Curve Shifts Up for the Same Speed.
The Net Result is an Increase in Compressor Flow,
If Additional Gas is Available.
If not, the Compressor is Slowed Down by
The Suction/Discharge Pressure Controller
In Case of a Single-Speed Compressor,
Flow is Directly Reduced by
Throttling the Control Valve on the Discharge
(or Suction) Line.
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
Impact of MW Variation
on Compressor Stability
Unlike effects of Suction Pressure
and Temperature variations, MW Change Greater Effect
on Performance and, hence, Compressor Stability.
Going to Extremes,
Change in MW may Decrease Compressor Stability
To such an extent that When Some Stages are at Surge,
Others in the Same Compressor may be at Stonewall.
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
4
Compressor
Flow Increases
Beyond Rating
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
4. Compressor Flow
Increases Beyond Rating
If Driver (Motor, Steam or Gas Turbine) is Sufficiently Large
and Sufficient Inlet Gas is Available, it may be Possible to
Derive somewhat Higher Throughput from a Compressor
without being Unduly Overloaded.
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Centrifugal Compressor System Curve
In All these Cases, the System Curve Shifts to the Right
to Meet the Compressor Curve at a Higher Flowrate.
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