Centrifugal compressors for gas-lift or injection stations in remote or inaccessible locations should be performance tested by the manufacturer before

installation. Because the gas available to the manufacturer is quite different from that at the site, equations correlating test conditions to actual conditions are required. Developed in the 19 !"s, the #merican $oc. of %echanical &ngineers" '#$%&( )o*er +est Code-1! ' )+C- 1!( is the ac,no*ledged industry standard defining these correlations. +he physics and mathematics of these correlations are not contained in the code, *hich is typical of all industry standards. #ll fluid flo* is governed by the conservation equations of mass, energy, and momentum. +he original authors of the code too, this basic fact and developed the correlations that are essential for proper testing. -ntroduction +he tas, of verifying a centrifugal compressor"s performance at a manufacturer"s facility is quite tedious and complicated. &ngineers not normally involved in the process can be over*helmed and confused by the #$%& )+C-1!, the document that establishes the test rules. Because the objective of the test code is to set forth the test rules, it does not provide the user *ith any theoretical e.planation of *hy the test conditions are identical to operating conditions. /ithout this bac,ground, it is difficult to understand the test procedure and even more difficult to interpret the test results. +his paper e.plains the theory behind the )+C-1! and presents a practical application. )+C-1! +est 0bjective +he objective of a )+C-1! test is to allo* the compressor operator to verify that the machine *ill perform as specified1 it *ill deliver the specified flo*, at the specified inlet conditions, to the specified pressure rise, *ith the specified efficiency and speed '2)%(. 3ence, the four parameters that must be verified during testing are flo* rate, pressure rise, efficiency, and speed. +hree different testing techniques 'classes( are defined by the code. -n Class 1, the test gas and specified gas, as *ell as inlet and outlet conditions, are identical. -n Class 4, the test gas is not the same as the operating gas. +he compressor test speed, pressure, temperature, and flo* rates are all adjusted so that the test condition is dynamically equivalent to the specified condition. +he test in Class 5 is identical to a Class 4 test, e.cept that certain thermodynamic properties of either gas e.ceed the limits of +able 6 of the Code. $ince a Class 1 test is straightfor*ard, a detailed e.planation is not required. 7or Classes 4 and 5, )+C-1! stipulates that the follo*ing values, calculated from the test and specified conditions, be identical to *ithin a fe* percentage points1 '1( volumetric flo* ratio 'dimensionless(, '4( capacity8speed ratio, '5( %ach number 'dimensionless(, and '6( 2eynolds number 'dimensionless(. /hen these numbers are equal, dynamic similitude bet*een the test and specified conditions is obtained. # Class 5 test is performed *hen the ratio of specific heats, , for either gas varies e.cessively from compressor inlet to outlet. #dditionally, *hen either of t*o thermodynamic functions, 9 and : 'defined in later sections(, e.ceeds certain values, a Class 5 test is required. +he only actual differences that occur bet*een

these t*o classes are the equations used for calculating the compressor performance. -n all other aspects, these classes are identical. +he process used to verify that the test and specified parameters are identical is as follo*s. 1. +est conditions are selected so that dynamic similitude is achieved. 4. +he specified and test parameters of flo*, pressure rise, efficiency, and speed are transformed to dimensionless numbers *ith the equations in )+C-1!. 5. +he machine is then run *ith the test gas at the test flo* rate, and the corresponding pressure rise is then measured. Compressor efficiency is calculated from the measured temperature rise. 6. Comparisons bet*een the test parameters and specified parameters are then made. -f the test values do not equal or e.ceed the specified values *ithin limits agreed to by the purchaser, the manufacturer must ta,e corrective action.