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Integrate Compressor
Performance Maps
into Process Simulation
Grant Stephenson Transforming the performance maps to a
Honeywell Process Solutions
reduced coordinate system that is independent
of suction conditions and rotational speeds
allows these curves to be accurately incorporated
into a process simulator.
V
ariable-speed centrifugal compressors are used in a Performance maps and their use in simulation
wide variety of industries and applications, including A performance map describes how a compressor’s poly-
natural gas pipelines and processing plants, oil refin- tropic head and power vary with volumetric suction flowrate
eries and chemical plants, air-separation units, refrigeration and rotational speed for a specific set of suction condi-
and air conditioning equipment refrigerant cycles, gas tur- tions (i.e., fluid molecular weight, pressure, temperature,
bines and auxiliary power generators, and many more. Some compressibility, and isentropic exponent at the inlet of the
natural gas plants, for example, employ a propane-precooled, compressor). Manufacturers typically provide performance
mixed-refrigerant natural gas liquefaction process consisting maps as two sets of performance curves — a series of plots
of a classical propane liquefaction cycle that precools both of polytropic head vs. volumetric suction flowrate, and a cor-
the natural gas feed and the mixed refrigerant followed by a responding series of power vs. flow plots. Each pair of curves
mixed-refrigerant liquefaction cycle that provides the low- corresponds to a different rotational speed, and all pertain to
temperature refrigeration needed to liquefy the natural gas. the same suction conditions.
Compression is a key element of both refrigeration cycles. Performance maps may be constructed for more than one
Dynamic process simulation offers many tangible and set of suction conditions. Figure 1 presents two performance
intangible benefits (1). Integrating the turbomachinery maps for a high-pressure mixed-refrigerant compressor for
controls (TMC) into the dynamic simulation of a compressor a natural gas liquefaction process. The top performance
system enables the engineer to select properly sized equip- map corresponds to design operation, and the bottom map
ment that can cope with transient conditions (surge conditions corresponds to derime operation, which removes rime (the
in particular), reduces commissioning time through pretuning granular ice that forms when supercooled droplets freeze
of the regulatory controls, improves operator training by rapidly on contact with a cold surface) from the compressor.
exposing operators to realistic simulated operating scenarios, These maps were generated from data obtained by manually
and provides verified startup and shutdown procedures during digitizing the performance maps provided by the manufac-
site acceptance testing before startup takes place (2). turer; the irregularities in the curves are a result of the manual
Dynamic simulators for modeling processes that involve digitization process.
gas compression require a rigorous unit-operation model of Process simulators combine the performance maps with
a centrifugal compressor. The performance maps provided material and energy balances and thermodynamic relation-
by compressor manufacturers are a critical element of this ships to predict the performance of the compressor under
model. This article explains how to use the performance various operating scenarios. However, the performance
maps for variable-speed, fixed-inlet guide-vane centrifugal maps supplied by the manufacturer are not broadly useful for
compressors for the dynamic simulation of a compressor process simulation because, strictly speaking, they apply only
system. at the suction conditions and rotational speeds for which they
42 www.aiche.org/cep June 2011 CEP Copyright © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
25,000 30,000
Design Operation Design Operation
20,000 25,000
Polytropic Head, ft
20,000
Power, hp
15,000
15,000
10,000
3,760 rpm 10,000 3,760 rpm
3,850 rpm 3,850 rpm
5,000
3,950 rpm 5,000 3,950 rpm
4,000 rpm 4,000 rpm
0 0
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000
Volumetric flowrate, cfm Volumetric flowrate, cfm
25,000 900
Derime Operation Derime Operation
800
20,000 700
Polytropic Head, ft
600
Power, hp
15,000
500
400
10,000
3,760 rpm 300 3,760 rpm
3,850 rpm 200 3,850 rpm
5,000 3,960 rpm 3,960 rpm
4,000 rpm 100 4,000 rpm
0 0
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000
Volumetric flowrate, cfm Volumetric flowrate, cfm
p Figure 1. These performance maps represent design (top) and derime (bottom) operation of a high-pressure, mixed-refrigerant compressor.
were constructed. Process simulation requires prediction of than an order of magnitude. Using the performance map for
the compressor’s performance not just at these suction condi- design operation at all operating conditions will certainly
tions and speeds, but over the compressor’s entire operating yield poor results for derime operation.
range, from surge to stonewall, at varying suction conditions Varying rotational speed can be handled somewhat bet-
and rotational speeds. ter than varying suction conditions, for example, by linear
Some process simulators ignore the fact that the perfor- interpolation and extrapolation on an irregularly spaced
mance maps relate to specific suction conditions, or allow nonrectangular grid. Although linear interpolation can yield
users to enter multiple performance maps in tabular form and reasonable results, linear extrapolation breaks down as the
synthetically transition between them as the suction condi- rotational speed moves further away from the lowest and
tions change. However, as shown in Figure 2, the perfor- highest speeds for which performance curves were con-
mance maps for different suction conditions can be quite structed. This limits the utility of the performance maps to
different. In this instance, the scales for power differ by more normal operating speeds.
25,000 30,000
Design and Derime Operation Design and Derime Operation
25,000
20,000
Polytropic Head, ft
20,000
Power, hp
15,000
15,000
10,000
10,000
0 0
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000
Volumetric flowrate, cfm Volumetric flowrate, cfm
p Figure 2. Superimposing performance maps reveals that the power vs. suction flowrate relationships for design and derime operation are very different.
Article continues on next page
Copyright © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) CEP June 2011 www.aiche.org/cep 43
Computational Methods
0.7 0.7
0.6
Reduced Polytropic Head
0.6
0.5 0.5
Reduced Power
0.4 0.4
0.3 0.3
0.2 0.2
Design Design
0.1 0.1
Derime Derime
0 0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Reduced Volumetric Suction Flow Reduced Volumetric Suction Flow
p Figure 3. A reduced performance map aggregates a series of performance curves into a single curve in the reduced coordinate system.
If the unit-operation model of the compressor does not Each of these relationships involves seven dimensional
adequately account for variation in the suction conditions parameters. Using the Buckingham Pi Theorem and assum-
and rotational speed, the predictions of the process model in ing turbulent flow, they can be simplified to:
which it is used — for example, the speed and shaft power
needed to achieve a specified (controlled) discharge pres- Hp,n = f2(Qn, w) (3)
sure — will certainly be flawed, and may even be misleading. Pn = f3(Qn, w) (4)
If the process model is used in a dynamic simulation study,
the trajectories for the operating variables will be incorrect, where the subscript n denotes a dimensionless variable.
possibly significantly, which could lead to false conclusions. Although this dimensionless coordinate system was
Simulation-based training using a model that misrepresents developed for compressor control, it is equally applicable to
the actual process behavior could cause an operator to make process simulation.
incorrect operating decisions. Next, a modified form of the Fan Laws is applied to
further transform the dimensionless coordinate system to one
Transforming the performance maps that is also independent of rotational speed. The Fan Laws
The challenge, therefore, is to find a way to make the of centrifugal pumps or fans, also known as the Affinity
performance maps applicable over the entire range of suc- Laws, express the influence of changes in rotational speed,
tion conditions and speeds encountered in the operation of diameter, and density on volumetric flowrate, head (H) (or
the compressor. This can be achieved by transforming the pressure), and shaft power. When the fan diameter and the
performance maps to a coordinate system that is independent fluid density at the fan suction are constant, the Fan Laws can
of both suction conditions and rotational speed. This transfor- be expressed as:
mation involves two steps.
First, dimensional analysis is used to construct a coordi- Q1/Q2 = w 1/w2 (5a)
nate system that is independent of suction conditions (3). H1/H2 = (w 1/w2)2 (5b)
A key aspect of this analysis is the identification of a set P1/P2 = (w 1/w2)3 (5c)
of dimensionless parameters in which the pertinent forces
can be accurately represented. It follows from these relationships that when H/w2 and
Functional relationships are set up in which polytropic P/w3 are plotted against Q/w, the performance curves for a
head (Hp) and shaft power (P) are the dependent variables given set of suction conditions reduce to a single curve for
and volumetric flowrate (Q) and rotational speed (w) are head and a single curve for power. However, because the Fan
the independent variables. The suction conditions and the Laws do not strictly apply to compressors, a modified form
compressor size are incorporated into the functions by includ- of the Fan Laws must be used.
ing viscosity (m), density (r), and acoustic velocity (a) at the The resulting coordinate system, referred to as the
suction of the compressor and the diameter (d) of the com- reduced coordinate system, has as its dependent variables
pressor as additional independent variables. These functional the transformed (reduced) polytropic head (Hp,r) and reduced
relationships are represented as: power (Pr), and as its independent variable the reduced volu-
metric suction flow (Qr). In the reduced coordinate system,
Hp = f0(Q, w, m, r, a, d) (1) the performance curves for polytropic head and for power at
P = f1(Q, w, m, r, a, d) (2) different suction conditions are each represented by a single
44 www.aiche.org/cep June 2011 CEP Copyright © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
0.7 0.7
Design
Reduced Polytropic Head
Reduced Power
0.5 0.5
0.4 0.4
0.3 0.3
Design
0.2 0.2 Derime
Fitted
0.1 0.1
0 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
Reduced Volumetric Suction Flow Reduced Volumetric Suction Flow
p Figure 4. The surge, normal, and stonewall operation segments of the aggregate performance curves can be represented by different functions.
Copyright © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) CEP June 2011 www.aiche.org/cep 45
Computational Methods
R
VLV-100 14 13
RCY-1
K-100
1 Surge TEE-100 11 12
Controller 10 VLV-101
Q-101
4
3
17
MIX-100 5 V-100 PIC-100
K-100 E-100 7
MIX-101
V-101
15 2 6
VLV-103 LIC-100
Q-100 8 9
VLV-102
K-100
16 Speed
p Figure 5. This compressor loop flowsheet was created by a process simulator that rigorously models compressors over their entire operating range.
2.0e+004
The current operating point, represented by the red dot, is
1.5e+004 superimposed on the performance map. In dynamic simula-
1.0e+004 tion, the operating point moves as the suction conditions,
5.0e+004 rotational speed, and/or discharge pressure vary. For the
0.00 purpose of illustration, a transfer function (the K-100 speed
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000
block of the flowsheet) was applied to cause the rotational
Flowrate, actual m3/h speed to oscillate, as depicted by the green line on the strip
p Figure 7. Compressor K-100’s performance map for polytropic head
chart in Figure 8. The red and blue lines in Figure 8 represent
was constructed from the reduced aggregate polytropic head curve at the the dynamic responses of the volumetric suction flow and the
existing suction conditions, at various speeds. polytropic head.
46 www.aiche.org/cep June 2011 CEP Copyright © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
1.800e+004
Volumetric Flowrate, m3/h
3,360 (rpm)
1.500e+004
1.200e+004
1.328e+004 (m3)
9,000
2.152e+004 (m)
6,000
Literature Cited
1. Stephenson, G., et al., “Profit More from Process Simulation,”
Chem. Processing, 72 (8), pp. 23–26 (Aug. 2009).
2. Willetts, I., and A. Nair, “Using High-Fidelity Dynamic Simu-
lation to Model Compressor Systems,” Chem. Eng. Progress,
106 (4), pp. 44–48 (Apr. 2010).
3. Batson, B. W., “Invariant Coordinate Systems for Compressor
Control,” presented at the International Gas Turbine and Aeroen-
gine Congress and Exhibition, Birmingham, U.K. (June 1996).
Copyright © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) CEP June 2011 www.aiche.org/cep 47