CONTROL OF COMPRESSORS

Basically, there are two types of compressors: Imp lse!type compressors: The "as is accelerate# to a hi"h $elocity, which is s %se& e'tly co'$erte# to press re( )isplaceme't!type: The "as is p she# forwar# %y a reciprocate# compressor: pisto' or rotati'" screw(
CONTROL OF IMP+LSE!T,PE COMPRESSORS E-amples of imp lse!type compressors are ce'trif "al a'# a-ial compressors( Imp lse!type compressors are partic larly s ita%le for hi"h capacities a'# mo#erate hea#s( The characteristics of a' imp lse!type compressor ca', for a certai' "as a'# certai' i'let co'#itio's, %e prese'te# i' a "raph showi'" the press re ratio .Po t/Pi'0 a'# the mass flow( 1 typical e-ample is show' i' the fi" re %elow(

*(*

Fi" re *: Typical Imp lse!type Compressor Characteristics

Normally, compressor characteristics as show' a%o$e are prepare# %y the compressor seller for a ' m%er of "ases a'#/or #iffere't i'let co'#itio's(

The capacity .flow0 of a' imp lse!type compressor ca' %e co'trolle# i' #iffere't ways:
*(*(* Speed Control This is the most e'er"y!efficie't co'trol possi%ility( It ca' %e applie# if the #ri$er is a steam t r%i'e or a $aria%le spee# motor( *(*(2 Suction Throttling 1 relati$ely lar"e co'trol $al$e i' the s ctio' ca' cha'"e the press re ratio a'# so the capacity( From a' e'er"y poi't of $iew, this co'trol is less attracti$e as spee# co'trol, si'ce e'er"y is waste# o$er the co'trol $al$e(

*(*(3

Discharge Throttling 1 co'trol $al$e i' the #ischar"e is %ase# o' the same pri'ciple as s ctio' throttli'", % t wastes e$e' more e'er"y( 1lso, the t r'#ow' of #ischar"e throttli'" is lower tha' i' case of s ctio' throttli'"(

*(*(4

Variable Inlet Guide Vanes Most compressors are e& ippe# with i'let " i#e $a'es( These $a'es "i$e a pre!rotatio' to the "as i' the #irectio' of the impeller rotatio'( The i'let " i#e $a'es ca' %e ma#e a#5 sta%le, so that the #irectio' of the "as pre!rotatio' ca' %e cha'"e#( This affects the impeller performa'ce with a mi'im m of throttli'" a'# is a more efficie't capacity co'trol metho# tha' s ctio' throt! tli'"( Si'ce $aria%le i'let " i#e $a'es are e-pe'si$e a'# rather fra"ile, they are 'ot ofte' applie#(

*(*(6

Recycle Control The .'et0 capacity of a compressor ca' %e co'trolle# %y spilli'" compresse# "as %ac7 to the compressor s ctio'( This is a $ery e'er"y!i'efficie't co'trol metho#( 1part from this, the spill %ac7 sho l# %e se# for a'ti!s r"e co'trol a'# 'ot for capacity co'trol .see 'e-t sectio'0( 1lto"ether, it ca' %e sai#, that this capacity co'trol metho# sho l# 'e$er %e applie# for imp lse!type compressors( E$ery imp lse!type compressor re& ires a'ti!s r"e co'trol .see 'e-t sectio'0( It m st %e reali8e# that the capacity co'trol may i'teract with the a'ti!s r"e co'trol( Special meas res sometimes ha$e to %e ta7e' with respect to this( The capacity of a compressor is sel#om co'trolle# at a fi-e# $al e( Ofte', it is $arie# to e("( co'trol a #istillatio' col m' o$erhea# or a reactor system press re( 1' e-ample of s ch a #istillatio' col m' press re co'trol is show' %elow:

Fi" re 2: )istillatio' Col m' O$erhea# System with Imp lse!type Compressor

*(2

1NTI!S+R9E CONTROL

1' i'here't characteristic of ce'trif "al a'# a-ial compressors is that their performa'ce %ecomes 'sta%le at low capacities( Operatio' at or %elow these capacities will ca se the machi'e to :s r"e:( I' a s r"i'" compressor e$ery 'ow a'# the' the "as flow thro "h the machi'e re$erses, as the compressor alter'ately #eli$ers "as a'# the #ischar"e system ret r's it( This will ca se the machi'e to $i%rate hea$ily( Prolo'"e# operatio' %elow the s r"e poi't ca' #ama"e the machi'e serio sly( There is a s r"e poi't for e$ery machi'e spee#( These s r"e poi'ts ca' %e com%i'e# to a s r"e li'e .see fi" re 30(

Fi" re 3: Typical S r"e Li'e for a' Imp lse!type Compressor

Imp lse!type compressors ha$e two le$els of protectio' a"ai'st s r"e: To 7eep operatio' away from the s r"e re"io', the capacity is i'crease# %y recycli'" of compresse# "as %ac7 to the s ctio' .or %y $e'ti'" it i' case of air0( This is i'itiate# %y a protecti$e co'troller: The 1'ti!s r"e Co'troller .1SC0( The setpoi't of the 1SC is s ch, that a safe mar"i' with respect to the act al s r"e li'e is mai'tai'e#( The recycle "as 'ee#s to %e coole# a'# the li& i# m st %e 7'oc7e# o t %efore the "as is ret r'e# to the compressor( If the a'ti!s r"e co'trol #isc sse# a%o$e fails, the compressor is trippe# as it closely approaches the s r"e li'e( I' this case, o%$io sly, pla't operatio' is serio sly affecte#(

From the a%o$e it ca' %e co'cl #e# that a'ti!s r"e co'trol is $ery importa't to protect the machi'e a'# to pre$e't compressor trips( 1'ti!s r"e co'trol has the followi'" re& ireme'ts:

Fast meas reme't, i'#epe'#e't of compresse# "as a'# i'let co'#itio's( Fast co'trol(

Fast co'trol is achie$e# if the press re ratio ca' %e #ecrease# fast( This is the case if the co'trol $al$e is fast .especially at ope'i'"0( I' pset co'#itio's, after a s ##e' ope'i'" of the co'trol $al$e i' the recycle, there is a #a'"er that %ac7flow occ rs from the #ow'stream system to the compressor #ischar"e( This #eteriorates the a'ti!s r"e protectio'( Therefore, a 'o'ret r' $al$e sho l# %e i'stalle# ri"ht after the recycle li'e( Note that this 'o'ret r' $al$e allows the compressor to operate at 8ero 'et loa#, e("( with pla't start! p( 1lto"ether, a'ti!s r"e co'trol is %ase# o':

1 limite# .as small as possi%le0 $ol me %etwee' compressor, recycle $al$e a'# the 'o'ret r' $al$e ri"ht after the recycle li'e( I' pset cases, this allows for a fast re# ctio' of the #ischar"e press re, which mo$es the compressor away from the s r"e re"io'( 1 fast!acti'" li'ear co'trol $al$e .air fail re ope'0( Note, that the li'ear characteristics of the co'trol $al$e pro$i#e fast ope'i'"(

S r"e itself ca' %e meas re# %y e("( $i%ratio' se'sors( 1'ti!s r"e co'trol, howe$er, 'ee#s a meas reme't of the :pro-imity to the s r"e ;li'e<( 1 fast meas reme't is reali8e# if it is %ase# o' press re, #iffere'tial press re or flow si"'als( O'e co l# %ase a'ti!s r"e co'trol o' a mi'im m allowa%le flow( This, howe$er, is $ery i'efficie't si'ce this #oes 'ot ta7e i'to acco 't that the flow correspo'#i'" to s r"e #epe'#s o' the compressor spee#, o' the compresse# "as a'# o' the compressor i'let co'#itio's( 1 mi'im m flow therefore m st %e co'ser$ati$e a'# will lea# to ''ecessary recycli'", which is i'efficie't( M ch more efficie't tha' a mi'im m flow %ase# a'ti!s r"e co'trol is a co'trol %ase# o' a so! calle# s r"e parameter( 1 s r"e parameter is ofte' the ratio of the press re #iffer e'ce o$er a' orifice, $e't ri or other flow resista'ce i' the compressor s ctio' or #ischar"e a'# the press re #iffere'ce o$er the compressor( The s r"e parameter has the followi'" feat res:

I' a "raph showi'" the press re ratio a'# the mass flow, the li'es of co'sta't s r"e parameter are almost parallel with the s r"e li'e .para%olic shape0( If the compresse# "as a'#/or the compressor i'let co'#itio's cha'"e, the relati$e positio's of a li'e of co'sta't s r"e parameter a'# the s r"e li'e i' a "raph showi'" the press re ratio a'# the mass flow har#ly cha'"es or #oes 'ot e$e' cha'"e at all, altho "h %oth li'es ha$e #iffere't .a%sol te0 positio's .see fi" re 4, cases 1 a'# B0( The meas reme't of the s r"e parameter is fast, si'ce it is %ase# o' two press re #iffere'tial meas reme'ts(

The first two feat res ma7e that the a'ti!s r"e co'trol %ase# o' a' a'ti!s r"e parameter is $ery efficie't( The pri'ciple is show' i' the fi" re %elow:

Fi" re 4:

S r"e Parameter Feat res

There is a' i'tricate theory, %ase# o' thermo a'# fl i# #y'amics, which proofs the s r"e parameter feat res me'tio'e# a%o$e( Base# o' this theory, a choice ca' %e ma#e a%o t the e-act form of the s r"e parameter .e("( press re #iffere'tial meas reme't i' s ctio' or i' #ischar"e0( This choice, howe$er, is 'ot too critical with respect to the a'ti!s r"e co'trol %eha$ior( Fi" re 6 shows a typical impleme'tatio' of a'ti!s r"e protectio'( Note, that a' operator ca' o$erri#e the a'ti!s r"e co'troller to ope' the recycle $al$e( The co'trol a'# the trip meas reme'ts are %ase# o' #e#icate# tra'smitters to mi'imi8e the ris7 of a 5oi't fail re(

= IC

1SC

SEL
1N TI S+ R 9 E P1R 1M ETER

P#T

TT

TT

PT

PT

Fi" re 6:

Impleme'tatio' of a'ti!s r"e protectio' Si'ce the compressor 'ormally #oes 'ot operate close to the s r"e re"io', the a'ti!s r"e co'troller 'ormally is 'ot acti$e( To allow the 1SC to re"ai' co'trol efficie'tly, if 'ecessary, a'ti!reset wi'# p m st %e pro$i#e# .Process Sta'#ar# Process Control Basic Control, Chapter 4, [1]0(

*(3

CONTROL OF )ISPL1CEMENT!T,PE COMPRESSORS )isplaceme't!type compressors are esse'tially fi-e#!$ol me machi'es( This ma7es that o'ly the followi'" two co'ti' o s capacity co'trol metho#s are feasi%le:

*(3(*

Speed Control Most reciprocati'" compressors are #ri$e' %y a' electric motor, so that spee# co'trol ca' %e applie# with a $aria%le spee# #ri$er system( Screw compressors, which are #ri$e' %y a steam t r%i'e, ca' %e effecti$ely co'trolle# %y a#5 sti'" the steam rate to the t r%i'e #ri$e(

*(3(2

Recycle Control

Co'ti' o s co'trol is possi%le %y ret r'i'" compresse# "as %ac7 to the compressor s ctio'(
The recycle# "as sho l# %e coole# to a$oi# e-cessi$e temperat re i'crease( Co'#e'se# li& i# sho l# first %e separate# from the "as %efore "oi'" to the compressor( This system is $ery fle-i%le, % t also $ery i'efficie't( The efficie'cy ca' %e impro$e# if it is se# i' co'5 'ctio' with the two #isco'ti' o s co'trol metho#s #isc sse# %elow(

O' a #isco'ti' o s .step!wise0 %asis, the capacity of a reciprocati'" compressor ca' %e a#5 ste# with:
*(3(3 Clearance Pockets

To '#ersta'# this type of co'trol it is 'ecessary to st #y the compressio' #ia"ram as show' i' fi" re >(

Fi" re >: Reciprocati'" Compressor *!2 Compressio', s ctio' a'# #ischar"e $al$es close#( 2 Lifti'" of the #ischar"e $al$e( 2(3 )ischar"e( 3(4 E-pa'sio' of the "as i' the cyli'#er cleara'ce( 4 S ctio' $al$e ope's( 4(* S ctio'( * S ctio' $al$e closes(
The cyli'#er cleara'ce ca' %e artificially i'crease#, if the machi'e is pro$i#e# with cleara'ce poc7ets( Ope'i'" of the cleara'ce poc7et will shift poi't 4 to the ri"ht so that the s ctio' $ol me is #ecrease#( There are two types of cleara'ce poc7ets: Fi-e# $ol me a'# $aria%le $ol me( Capacity co'trol %y mea's of cleara'ce poc7ets is efficie't, %eca se it #oes 'ot waste e'er"y( *(3(4 Valve Unloaders

1 reciprocati'" compressor ca' %e pro$i#e# with a mecha'ism to 'loa# s ctio' $al$es( This ca ses the s ctio' $al$e 'ot to close # ri'" the compressio' sta"e, so that the machi'e i#les( This system e'a%les step!wise co'trol( O' a #o %le!acti'" cyli'#er, 6?@ a'# *??@ 'loa#i'" ca' %e achie$e#( More i'terme#iate steps ca' %e o%tai'e# if the machi'e has more cyli'#ers( +'loa#i'" of s ctio' $al$es is attracti$e si'ce it sa$es e'er"y(
If spee# co'trol is 'ot feasi%le, o'e may apply a com%i'atio' of the co'ti' o s recycle co'trol with #isco'ti' o s .step!wise0 co'trol to limit the e'er"y losses(

1' e-ample of this is a reciprocati'" compressor of which the capacity is, o' a co'ti' o s %asis, co'trolle# with the recycle a'# of which the $al$e 'loa#ers are .o'e %y o'e0 ope'e# i' case of reachi'" a hi"h recycle rate a'# close# i' case of a low recycle rate(