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and the recycle valves were ramped open
to 50 percent and 30 percent for the low,
medium and high-pressure stage
respectively over 10 seconds.
With these settings, the recycle flow
rates appeared to be sufficient to
maintain the MR compressor operating
points in the stable region.
The adequacy of the feed forward
setting was verified for the full
compressor operating range. Once the
system is stabilized, the imposed feed
forward logic can be released and the
CCC controller will take over the control.
Based on the study results, it was
concluded that a feed forward strategy
combined with the CCC control system
would provide a predictable and reliable
way to achieve continuous operation of
the MR compressors.
The use of the controls emulator in the
study allowed fine-tuning of the feed
forward settings realistic to the actual
plant.
Train trip
The objective of this case study was to
investigate the existing system and
improve anti-surge strategies to protect
the compressors from surge during coast
down. The plant history has also
identified that emergency shutdown, or
compressor trip, represents a high-risk
case for possible surge of the
compressors, in particular, the LP stage.
The plant control sequence of
operation in the event of a train trip is as
follows:
Close the axial stage IGV
immediately
Trip-open the anti-surge recycle
valves and hot gas bypass valve
Open the axial stage bleed valve
Stop heavy and light MR flow by
closing the MR flow control valves
In this case study, the dynamic behavior
and effectiveness of anti-surge elements
were thoroughly reviewed. In addition to
reviewing the size and flow
characteristics of the recycle valves, the
impact of various dynamic variables such
as control signal and actuator delays,
valve stroke time, IGV closing speed and
the timing for tripping the turbine driver
were investigated.
In this scenario, the CCC calculation
algorithm is bypassed upon the initiation
of a train trip. Therefore, the dynamic
study was performed without using the
CCC control emulator. The LP axial stage
was modeled as two stages with flow
take-off from between stages to the inter-
stage bleed valve.
The possible operating range for each
dynamic variable and study results are
summarized in Table 1.
The simulation results revealed two
important variables that might have
contributed to the surge problem. One
was the LP stage IGV closing speed. Field
data from actual events indicated that
the IGV closing time was in the range of
7 to 10 seconds.
The other important variable is the
opening time of the LP stage bleed valve.
Analysis of plant data indicated that the
stroke time of this valve could possibly be
as fast as 2 seconds.
Conceptually, fast responses of the
IGV and inter-stage bleed valve might be
considered desirable as they help unload
the compressor quickly. However, results
from the dynamic simulations indicated
that the fast closing of the IGV as
observed in the plant could actually drive
the compressor toward surge.
Based on the simulation results, it is
suggested that the IGV stroke time be
modified to close the IGV at a moderate
rate over 25 to 35 seconds. As for the
inter-stage bleed valve, an optimum
window for the opening time appeared to
exist to avoid surge in either section of
the axial stage.
A typical logic is to open the bleed valve
when speed is reduced down to 95 percent,
which in this case is equivalent to a delay
of approximately 1 second. Overall, a valve
stroke time between 5 to 10 seconds
appeared to be the optimum range.
The anti-surge recycle valves and the
hot gas bypass valve are required to open
as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of
surge during coast down.
Typical requirements for these valves
are less than two seconds [4]. In the
actual plant, the response time of these
valves had limitations for significant
improvements.
To compensate for any delay in the
responsiveness of these valves, the effect
of introducing a delay on turbine trip was
studied. Based on the simulation results,
it was concluded that delaying the
turbine trip by 2 to 3 seconds would
provide an additional safety factor to
avoid the surge of the compressors during
coast down.
Implementation
The feed forward strategy studied in
Case Study 1 was incorporated into the
plant control logic and the benefits have
been observed in several plant events
since the implementation.
To solve the surge on coast down,
which had been previously considered
unsolvable by the vendor, field
modifications were made based on the
findings from Case Study 2. Plant
operation has demonstrated safe
compressor coast downs since the
implementation and proved the accuracy
of the dynamic simulation results.
Conclusions
It was only through the use of rigorous
dynamic simulations that the
permutations and combinations of
various system variables could be safely
tested to derive the solution.
The studies proved the accuracy and
effectiveness of such modeling and
provided useful results to diagnose and
improve field operation.
The combination of the dynamic
simulation modeling with control vendor
supplied hardware significantly enhanced
the precision, capability and credibility to
develop realistic and reliable solutions for
the actual plant system.
Acknowledgment
The authors wish to express sincere
thanks to Nikhil Dukle and Wayne
Jacobson of Compressor Control Corp. for
technical support and review of control
strategies, Martyn Blanchard of
AspenTech for valuable comments during
the course of the study, and Ming Yan of
KBR for technical assistance with the
assembly of software-hardware used in
the study.
Jihong Wu is a senior process engineer
with KBR in Houston, Texas, specialized
in dynamic simulation. Her experience
also includes process design and
optimization of LNG, olefins and other
large-scale processing facilities. She
graduated from Tokyo University with a
PhD in Chemical Engineering.
Jeffrey Feng is a process leader with KBR,
in Houston, Texas. He has been with KBR
since 1995 after graduating from Texas
A&M University with a PhD in Chemical
Engineering. He is responsible for the
technical execution of dynamic
simulation and other transient analysis
in LNG, refining, olefins, ammonia and
offshore in domestic and international
projects.
Surajit Dasgupta is the Manager of
Chemical Engineering Technology and
Advanced Process Automation at KBR, in
Houston, Texas. He supervises all
projects in the area of dynamic
simulation, advanced process control,
operator-training simulators and real-
time optimization. He graduated from
Columbia University, NY, in 1977 with a
Doctoral degree in Engineering and
Science.
Ian Keith is the Chief Process Control
Engineer at Karratha Gas plant in
Australia. He has been with Woodside and
Shell since 1998 and was the Senior
Process Engineer for Karratha LNG plant
prior to his current position.
Table 1: Dynamic Parameters for Compressor Trip-Coast Down
References
[1] Omori H., Konishi, H., Ray, S., de
la Vega, F. and Durr, C., A New
Tool-Efficient and Accurate for
LNG Plant Design and
Debottlenecking, 13th
International Conference &
Exibition on Liquefied Natural
Gas, May, 2001.
[2] Valappll J., Mehrotra, V.,
Messersmith D and Bruner, P.,
Virtual Simulation of LNG
Plant, LNG Journal,
January/February, 2004.
[3] Compressor Control Corporation,
Series 5 Antisurge Control
Application for Centrifugal and
Axial Compressors, Publication
UM5411, October 2005.
[4] Wilson, J. and Sheldon, A.,
Matching Antisurge Control
Valve Performance with
Integrated Turbomachinery
Control Systems, Hydrocarbon
Processing, August 2006
Study Range Desired Operating Range
Delay Stroke time based on study
Opening of anti-surge valves 0 2 sec 1 3 sec As fast as possible
Opening of hot gas bypass valve 0 2 sec 1 3 sec As fast as possible
Closing of axial compressor IGV 0 sec 7 35 sec No delay, 25 35 sec
closing
Opening of inter-stage bleed valve 0 2 sec 2 10 sec 5 - 10 sec
Trip of gas turbine driver 0 3 sec - 2 3 sec
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