R O TAT I N G E Q U I P M E N T
Validating anti-surge
control systems
At a gas processing plant, real time simulation was used to analyse the design
of a surge protection scheme for a natural gas compressor, after questions
arose over the systems effectiveness in the event of an emergency shutdown
Nikhil Dukle and Krishnan Narayanan
Compressor Controls Corporation
O
perators of petroleum plants
often contract compressor or
turbine OEMs to supply an
entire turbomachinery train. The scope
of supply normally includes the design
of the peripherals systems, such as the
anti-surge control system for centrifugal
and axial compressors. While there are
advantages to having a single party
responsible for the entire train, it can
result in "finger pointing" and confusion
when the various equipment OEMs dis-
agree on the design of the peripheral
systems.
Engineers at a gas processing plant
recently found themselves in this situa-
tion when adding a medium-pressure
natural gas compressor as part of a
major plant expansion. The gas turbine
manufacturer, who was the responsible
OEM, designed an anti-surge protection
scheme for the process compressor, but
the compressor manufacturer felt the
design was inadequate. Specifically, the
compressor manufacturer felt that in
addition to the cold recycle loop provid-
ed in the initial design, a hot recycle
loop was also needed to protect the
compressor from surge, especially in the
event of an emergency shutdown (ESD).
Good anti-surge control system
design is difficult, and it encompasses
the proper sizing, selection, and loca-
tion of all of the following elements:
piping that comprises the recycle loops,
the recycle valves, volumes of vessels in
the recycle path, check valves, and last
but no less important the anti-surge
controller.
It is very difficult, using steady-state
analysis, to predict the effectiveness of a
proposed anti-surge control system for
various possible process-upset scenarios,
due to the rapid onset of surge (approx-
imately 300 milliseconds) and the inter-
action of the various components of the
system. Because both manufacturers
were basing their decisions on steady-
state analysis, the plant engineers lacked
confidence in either partys opinion.
Validating anti-surge control system
design is an area where advanced, high-
header (inlet boundary conditions):
Natural gas parameters in suction
P=36.23 bar (a), T=35C
VO5=20
KT-8001
GT
(not simulated)
SDV-80002
Figure 1 Simulation model schematic
fidelity simulation can be applied suc-
cessfully for scenario testing, and in an
attempt to determine the true require-
ments for machine protection, plant
personnel commissioned Compressor
Controls Corporation (CCC) to perform
a dynamic simulation of the two anti-
surge control system proposals.
Using readily available data, the abili-
ty of the control systems to prevent
compressor surge under the following
scenarios was validated through simula-
tion:
ESD of the compressor train while
operating in steady-state at design con-
ditions
Full closure of a process valve on the
compressor discharge side with the com-
pressor operating at rated condition in
steady-state
Full closure of a process valve on the
compressor suction side with the com-
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P T Q SUMMER 2003
w w w. e p t q . c o m
Natural gas parameters in discharge
header (outlet boundary conditions):
P=81.47 bar (a), T=108.2C
Cooler
M volume=25 m3
m3
A-8001
VO2=2 m3
VO4=0.5 m3
VO3=25.8 m3
FV-
80162
ASV-6511
VO1=47.5 m3
pressor operating at rated condition in
steady state.
The results of these simulation sce-
narios assisted the plant engineers in
analysing the competing solutions and
choosing an appropriate design for the
compressor anti-surge system.
Simulation model
A schematic of the dynamic simulation
model used to describe the various ele-
ments of the compression system
including both hot and cold recycle
loops is presented in Figure 1. The entire
system was broken down into the com-
pressor, valves, and a number of vol-
umes for associated pipes, knockout
drums and the gas-cooler. The parameters
of every element were determined from
the data provided by the equipment
manufacturers and the gas plant engi-
neers. In the few cases where certain

data were not available, values were
assumed based on field experience and
common-sense engineering practice.
In addition, the simulation model
was connected to real controllers in an
in-the-loop setting. This enabled
direct comparison of a generic anti-
surge controller employing standard
PID-type algorithms and a purpose-built
anti-surge controller employing
advanced control methods and predic-
tive algorithms.
Model assumptions
The following is a list of the major fea-
tures of the model and associated sim-
plifying assumptions:
Natural gas parameters molecular
weight, pressure and temperature
in the suction and discharge headers
are assumed to be constant and are
set up as boundary conditions for the
model.
Three invariant coordinates compres-
sion ratio, reduced-speed and
reduced-flow are used to approxi-
mate process compressor performance
map. Compressor reduced-speed and
compression ratio are used to calcu-
late compressor inlet flow. Compres-
sion ratio and inlet flow are used to
calculate shaft power. It is also
assumed that compressor perfor-
mance curves provided are valid in
steady-state as well as transient condi-
tions. The compressor map is defined
only over the speed range provided
by the manufacturer (that is, 70% to
105%). No attempt has been made to
extrapolate the map for speed beyond
this range.
All pipes are modelled using a lumped-
parameter approach to calculate pres-
sures, temperatures and flows along
the process. Pipes resistances are
included into resistance of associated
valves, and pipe volumes are split
equally between the main upstream
and downstream volumes connected
by the pipe.
Pressures and temperatures in process
volumes are calculated using ordinary
differential equations describing the
accumulation of mass and enthalpy
in the volumes.
The volume associated with the gas cool-
er in the compressor discharge section
is split equally between adjacent
upstream and downstream volumes.
Process valves are modelled using stan-
dard ISA sizing equations, and take
into account the actual valve size and
flow conditions.
Suction and discharge block valves are
assumed to have linear trim charac-
teristics and a stroke-time of 2sec.
Suction and discharge valve closure tests
were performed at constant compres-
sor speed.
ROTATING EQUIPMENT
1.1
SDV80051
1.0
0.9
0.8 Ss
0.7
0.6
0.5 ASV6511
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5
Time, seconds
Figure 2 Operating parameter trends on ESD, cold recycle only
The OEM anti-surge controller was mod-
elled as a conventional PID algorithm
with a 20 millisecond loop-execution
rate. Anti-surge controllers provided
by machinery OEMs typically employ
standard PID algorithms or a minor
variation thereof.
The ESD scenario is simulated without
any anti-surge controller in the con-
trol loop. On ESD, the anti-surge
valves are opened and go full open
based on their stroke times. The delay
between the ESD signal and the open-
ing of anti-surge valves is set to 20
milliseconds to simulate the time
required for a solenoid valve to de-
pressurise. Actuator stroke-time for
full opening was assumed as 2.0sec
for the hot recycle valve and 2.2sec
for the cold recycle valve. The stroke
time for the cold recycle is set 0.2sec
longer for the purpose of display in
an effort to distinguish its trace from
that of the hot recycle valve. This
assumption does not have any signif-
icant impact on the results.
Shaft deceleration rate on ESD is 4%
per second.
Validation
Once the model was developed, a com-
parison was made between the design
data provided by the OEM and the com-
pression system model results under
steady-state conditions with the com-
pressor at the rated operating point. The
values of speed, suction pressure, dis-
charge pressure, discharge temperature,
compressor power and inlet flow were
compared, with a maximum error
between design values and model-calcu-
lated values of 0.9%.
The small error between the values
validates the model under steady-state
conditions, and provides good initial
reconciliation for the analyses of tran-
sient process disturbances.
In addition, gas flows through the
cold recycle valve and hot recycle valve
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SDV80002
Speed
FV8016
2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0
were compared. The model-generated
flows exactly matched the design-calcu-
lated flows in steady-state conditions,
which validated the recycle valve model
with respect to valve size and trim.
Simulation results
Results for each test scenario are present-
ed as a plot of time traces of pertinent
compressor parameters. A proximity to
surge variable, SS, describes the location
of the compressors operating point as
compared to its surge limit, and is invari-
ant to changes in suction conditions. If
SS < 1, the compressor is operating in the
safe zone of the available operating
envelope; if SS = 1, the operating point is
at the surge limit of the compressor; if SS
>1, the operating point is in the non-sta-
ble zone to the left of the surge limit and
the compressor is in a surge condition.
Scenario 1
Compressor ESD
Scenario 1 analysed the ability of the
hot and cold recycle-loops, as proposed
by the compressor manufacturer, to pro-
tect the compressor in the event of an
ESD. This scenario was further broken
down into three separate sub-scenarios
(Cases 1 to 3) to analyse the effective-
ness of the hot and cold recycle loops
individually and together.
Case 1: open cold recycle valve
As seen in Figure 2, fully opening the
cold recycle valve (ASV6511) immediate-
ly on ESD does not prevent surge. In the
figure, the ESD occurs at time t = 0sec;
the cold recycle valve begins to open
20millisec after ESD and opens fully in
2.2sec. The hot recycle valve remains
closed at all times. Note, however, that
the operating point reaches the surge
limit less than 1sec after the ESD.
The reason for surge is the inability of
the cold recycle valve to quickly and
effectively de-pressurise the large vol-
ume in the cold recycle flow loop. This
large volume is essentially made up of
 ROTATING EQUIPMENT

compressor operating point reaches the

closest to its surge limit 1.1 seconds after
1.1 ESD. This is very similar to Case 2,
SDV80051 SDV80002
1.0 except that the compressor operation
0.9 does not reach the surge limit.
0.8 Speed Scenario 2
0.7 Discharge valve closure
0.6 Scenario 1 tests confirmed the compres-
0.5 sor manufacturer was correct in regard-
0.4 ing the absolute necessity of a hot
recycle loop for protection during an
0.3 FV8016 Ss ESD. Scenario 2 then analysed the abili-
0.2 2 ty of the hot and cold recycle loops to
0.1 ASV6511 protect the compressor in the event of a
0.0 full closure of the compressor discharge
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 valve, which was ramped from a fully-
Time, seconds open position to a fully-closed position
Figure 3 Operating parameter trends on ESD, hot recycle only over a period of 15sec. Initial tests
revealed that the cold recycle valve, by
the cooler and associated piping. The sor discharge as the flow through the itself, should be adequate to protect
time constant of this volume when compressor reduces when speed begins against slow disturbances, while both
operating at design conditions is about to drop. The check valve between the the hot and cold recycle valves may be
70sec, which is too long for effective hot and cold recycle loops is very effec- required for protection against fast dis-
and quick de-pressuring. Since the rate tive in isolating the large cooler volume turbances.
of speed reduction (and therefore com- from the hot recycle loop as compressor This scenario was initially run using a
pressor flow reduction) is greater than discharge pressure decreases. In this conventional PID controller, represent-
the rate of compressor pressure reduc- case, the time constant of the volume ing the OEM controller, as described in
tion, the compressor continues to surge between the compressor discharge and Case 1. A purpose-built anti-surge con-
as it coasts down. This is indicated by check valve upstream of the cooler is troller with several advanced-control
the proximity to surge indicator SS, about 2sec; much smaller than the 70sec features was substituted for the conven-
which remains greater than 1 for the for Case 1. tional PID controller in Case 2.
duration of coast-down. Because of the short time period Case 1: discharge valve closure (DVC)
Case 2: open hot recycle valve between the disturbance and the with OEM controller
As seen in Figure 3, fully opening the approach-to-surge event, the influence As seen in Figure 5, the discharge valve
hot recycle valve (FV8016) on ESD pre- of hot recycle valve opening on com- begins to close at time t = 33sec, and
vents surge, but the compressor opera- pressor suction temperature is ignored. reaches the fully-closed position in
tion reaches its surge limit (SS = 1). In Case 3: opening hot and cold recycle 15sec at time t = 48sec. The cold recycle
the figure, the ESD occurs at time t = valves valve comes into operation 17sec after
0sec; the hot recycle valve begins to As seen in Figure 4, fully opening both the discharge valve begins to close. The
open 20millisec after ESD and opens the hot and cold recycle valves simulta- time trace of SS, the proximity-to-surge
fully in 2sec. The cold recycle valve neously on ESD is very effective at pre- variable, indicates the oscillations expe-
remains closed at all times. Within venting surge. The compressor rienced by the compressor. Note that
1.2sec after ESD, the compressor operat- operation never reaches the surge limit, there is virtually no safety margin, that
ing point reaches its surge limit, but the as compared to Case 2 (maximum SS = is, SS nearly reaches a value of 1 (surge).
compressor is protected, albeit with very 0.75 as compared to SS = 1). In the fig- The compressor operating point is final-
little margin for error. ure, the ESD occurs at time t = 0sec; the ly stabilised with the cold recycle valve
Comparing this to Case 1, the hot hot and cold recycle valves both begin at the 38% open position.
recycle loop is obviously much more to open 20millisec after ESD and open Both hot and cold recycle controllers
effective in de-pressuring the compres- fully in 2.0 and 2.2sec respectively. The were configured with a surge-control
margin of 5.5% of suction flow.
Although the conventional controller
1.1 was able to prevent surge, it had to be
SDV80051 SDV80002 tuned very aggressively (Kp = 8, Kr = 4).
1.0
0.9
This lends itself to potential instability
in case of faster disturbances or when
0.8 Speed the compressor speed is changed to con-
0.7 trol a process parameter at the same
0.6 time that the recycle valve is modulated.
FV8016 Both of these occurrences are very com-
0.5
2 mon, especially during start-up and par-
0.4
0.3 ASV6511 tial-load operation.
Ss If the likelihood of oscillations is to
0.2
be reduced, the controller will either
0.1 have to be de-tuned, which will result in
0.0 compressor surge, or the surge control
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 margin will have to be increased, which
Time, seconds reduces the efficient operating envelope
Figure 4 Operating parameter trends on ESD, hot and cold recycle of the compressor and will result in

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 ROTATING EQUIPMENT

tioned algorithms can be seen by look-

1.1 ing at the detailed movements of the
SDV80002 recycle valves. The anticipatory control
1.0
algorithms begin to open the cold recy-
0.9 Speed cle valve at approximately t = 35sec,
0.8 SDV80051 based on the rate-of-change of the com-
pressors operating point measured as a
0.7 function of SS. Note that the opening
0.6 Ss begins when SS = 0.8, even though the
compressor operation is to the right of
0.5 the surge control line (SS = 0.9 on the
surge control line and SS = 1.0 on the
0.4
surge limit line).
0.3 ASV6511 With larger and/or faster distur-
bances, it may be necessary to manipu-
0.2
late both the hot and cold recycle valves
0.1 simultaneously. In such cases, the hot
FV8016, 2 recycle valve will open for a very short
0.0
time, arresting the movement of the
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0
operating point towards the surge limit.
Time, seconds
Thus, the control strategy employed is
Figure 5 Operating parameter trends for discharge valve closure, PID controller to use the cold recycle loop exclusively
to protect against small disturbances
excessive wasteful recycling during start- imum value of 0.94, and the compressor and the hot recycle loop to protect
up and partial-load operation. does not experience any surge cycles. against large disturbances. Once the dis-
Another detrimental aspect of con- This test clearly shows the effective- turbance is sufficiently arrested, the hot
ventional PID algorithms is that con- ness of the advanced, surge-prevention recycle valve will close to prevent over-
stant tuning parameters are employed algorithms of the purpose-built con- heating the gas at the compressor suc-
for disturbances in both directions. troller when compared to a convention- tion, while the recycle flow required for
Thus, there is always a possibility that al PID controller. safe operation is slowly transferred to
the algorithm will be unable to provide In order to understand why the pur- the cold recycle loop.
appropriate control response for a new, pose-built anti-surge controller is more The two controllers (the hot-recycle
untested large disturbance. This prob- effective than the OEM controller, it is anti-surge controller and the cold-recy-
lem reveals itself later during the suction necessary to look at the action of the cle anti-surge controller) collaborate to
valve closure tests. control algorithms employed. The OEM provide effective and efficient anti-surge
Case 2: DVC with purpose-built anti- (PID) controller acts on the error protection.
surge between the compressors operating
As seen in Figure 6, the compressor dis- point and the surge control line, and no Scenario 3
charge valve (SDV80051) begins to close action is taken until the operating point Suction valve closure
at time t = 19sec. The valve reaches the moves to the left of the control line. The Scenario 3 analysed the effectiveness of
fully-closed position in 15sec at time t = purpose-built controller uses a combina- the cold recycle loop in protecting the
34sec. The cold recycle valve comes into tion of closed-loop, open-loop, and compressor in the event of a full closure
operation at time t = 34sec, approxi- anticipatory control responses, each of the compressor suction valve, which
mately 15sec after the discharge valve with different tuning and control was ramped from a fully-open position
begins to close, 2sec faster than in Case points. These algorithms allow the con- to a fully-closed position over a period
1. The cold-recycle anti-surge controller troller to begin moving the recycle valve of 25sec. This is analogous to a loss-of-
effectively turns the operating point even before the operating point crosses load condition.
back toward the stable zone before it the surge control line. Scenario 3 was run using both a con-
reaches the surge limit. SS reaches a max- The response of the previously men- ventional PID controller model
(described in Case 1) and a purpose-built
anti-surge controller (described in Case
1.1 2). The tuning constants for the two
SDV80002 controllers are identical to those used
1.0
for Scenario 2.
0.9 Speed Case 1: Suction valve closure (SVC)
0.8 (SDV80002) with OEM controller
Ss
0.7 As seen in Figure 7, the suction valve
0.6 (SDV80002) begins to close at time t =
SDV80051 29sec. The valve reaches the fully-closed
0.5
position in 25sec at time t = 54sec. The
0.4 cold recycle valve comes into operation
0.3 ASV6511 at time t = 51sec, approximately 22sec
0.2 after the suction valve begins to close.
0.1 The time trace of SS, the proximity-
FV8016, 2 to-surge variable, indicates the com-
0.0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 pressors approach to its surge limit.
Time, seconds The compressor enters the unstable
surge region at time t = 53sec (SS >1)
Figure 6 Operating parameter trends for discharge valve closure, purpose-built controller and oscillates back and forth while the

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 ROTATING EQUIPMENT

out simulation. Simulation was also

1.1 indispensable in identifying a problem
1.0 SDV80051 the end-user was unaware of that is,
0.9 the inability of the OEM controller to
0.8 Speed adequately protect the compressor from
surge in the case of all potential distur-
0.7
bances. Simulation also helped in iden-
0.6 tifying the many benefits of a
0.5
Ss
ASV6511 purpose-built anti-surge controller:
0.4 The anticipatory algorithms of the
0.3 SDV80002 purpose-built controller were able to
0.2 protect the compressor in the case of
FV8016 suction valve and discharge valve clo-
0.1
2 sures. In fact, purpose-built controllers
0.0 can tailor their control response to the
25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65
size and speed of the disturbance and
Time, seconds
can effectively protect against any dis-
Figure 7 Operating parameter trends for suction valve closure, OEM controller turbance. The OEM approach of open-
ing the recycle valves only when the
PID controller modulates the cold recy- fully closed position in 25sec at time t = operating point reaches the surge con-
cle valve in an effort to move the com- 48sec. The cold recycle valve comes into trol line was neither sufficient nor effec-
pressor back into the stable operating operation at time t = 43sec, approxi- tive in preventing surge over a wide
zone. mately 20sec after the suction valve range of disturbances.
The tuning constants were the same begins to close; the hot recycle valve In the case of disturbances larger than
as those used in Scenario 2, Case 1. does not open at all. The maximum those tested, coordination between hot
While these settings provided an ade- value of SS is 0.93, indicating that the and cold recycle loops, as provided by
quate response for Scenario 2, they compressor operating point remained the purposed-built anti-surge con-
result in very aggressive valve move- well within the stable operating zone. trollers, will be more effective both in
ment for this scenario and cause unsta- The advanced algorithms of the pur- surge prevention and in minimising
ble and unsafe operation. In fact, the pose-built controller are able to prevent heating of the compressor suction due
compressor operation is initially compressor surge effectively, without to hot recycle.
pushed into the surge region because any control-loop oscillations. In fact, The use of simulation is obviously not
of the valve oscillation seen at time t = the cold recycle valve begins to open always required or appropriate, but in
50 to 53sec. The only alternative avail- through a combination of anticipatory cases where design questions exist, or
able to the operator is to manually and open-loop algorithms before the the effectiveness of different controllers
position the cold recycle valve such operating point even reaches the surge is being evaluated, high-fidelity simula-
that surging stops. control line. tion can be an effective and useful tool.
If the algorithm is de-tuned to suit
this scenario, then it becomes ineffec- Conclusion Acknowledgements
tive for Scenario 2. This is the dilemma In the situation described in this article, The authors wish to thank Gregory Lyulko
presented by a constant-gain PID algo- where the end user was faced with try- and Al Sheldon, of Compressor Controls
rithm. While it can be effectively tuned ing to reconcile the differing recom- Corporation, for their assistance in the
for one scenario, it may prove to be mendations of the two manufacturers, preparation of this article.
totally ineffective for all others. high-fidelity simulation was useful in
Case 2: SVC (SDV80002) with purpose- evaluating the effectiveness of each
built anti-surge competing solution. Clearly, the com- Nikhil M Dukle is manager of simulation
As seen in Figure 8, the compressor suc- pressor manufacturers recommendation and sales support with Compressor
tion valve (SDV80002) begins to close at to include a hot recycle loop was appro- Controls Corporation, Des Moines, Iowa,
time t = 23sec. The valve reaches the priate, a result that is not evident with- USA. He designs, tests, and commissions
integrated control systems and
turbomachinery simulation systems for
internal and external use, and provides
1.1 sales support. He has a BS in mechanical
SDV80051 engineering from the University of Poona,
1.0
India, and an MS in mechanical
0.9 Speed engineering from the University of
0.8 Ss Houston, Texas.
0.7 E-mail: ndukle@cccglobal.com
0.6 Krishnan Narayanan is director of
0.5 application technology development at
ASV6511 Compressor Controls Corporation. He
0.4
0.3 develops and implements new algorithms
0.2 for turbo-machinery control systems. He
FV8016 SDV80002 has a BS in technology in mechanical
0.1
2 engineering from the Indian Institute of
0.0
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 Technology, Madras, an MS in mechanical
Time, seconds engineering from the University of
Minnesota, Minneapolis, and an MBA
Figure 8 Operating parameter trends for suction valve closure, purpose-built controller from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

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