Chapter 32 • Why Centrifugal Compressors Surge 253

V1 P
1
Air Airplane
flow wing

V2 P2

FIG. 32.2 Lift is created by converting air pressure to velocity.

Aerodynamic Stall and Surge

“Linda. Due to the cross-section of the wing and more importantly, the angle of attack
(i.e., the angle of the wing as it is pushed through the air by the plane’s engines), the veloc-
ity of the air (V1) above the wing, is greater than the velocity of air beneath the wing (V2).
That is, the air accelerates above the wing, to a greater extent than beneath the wing.
The energy to accelerate the air, does not come from the plane’s engines. It comes from
the air itself. To be more precise, it comes from the barometric pressure of the air. Since the
acceleration of the air is greater across the top of the wing (V1), than below the bottom of
the wing (V2), then the pressure at P-1, will be less than the pressure at P-2.
If we take this differential pressure (P2
P1), times the area of the wings (A):
ðP2
P1 Þ  ðAÞ ¼ Lift

That is aerodynamic lift. As the plane flies slower, this lift decreases. Also, less dense air,
at higher altitudes, also diminishes lift. When the lift is less than the weight of the plane,
the plane will fall out of the sky, crash and burn. That’s called “Aerodynamic Stall.””
At this point, Linda will pretend to fall asleep unless she is also a process engineer.
So this approach does have a certain—if limited—potential for a successful outcome.

Causes of Centrifugal Compressor Surge

When a centrifugal compressor surges, unlike the plane, it continues to spin. The gas flow
first stops, and then flows BACKWARDS through the rotor (see Fig. 32.3).
The spinning wheels on the rotor’s shaft do not so much increase the pressure of the
gas, but mainly accelerate the gas. Then as the gas slows down in the stationary elements,
which are part of the compressor case, the velocity of the gas provided by the spinning
wheels is converted to FEET OF HEAD.
To convert feet of head (Hp) into differential pressure (DP) (i.e., discharge minus suc-
tion pressure), we multiply “Hp,” feet of head, times the gas density (DV ):
DP ¼ DV  Hp

The feet of head is proportional to the:

• Speed of the machine.
• The number of wheels.
254 UNDERSTANDING PROCESS EQUIPMENT FOR OPERATORS AND ENGINEERS

FIG. 32.3 Compressor fire stage rotor.

• The diameter of the wheels.

The density of the gas is proportional to the gas:
• Molecular weight.
• Compressibility factor.
• Pressure.
• Absolute temperature (°R or °K).
Factors that promote surge are as follows:
• High discharge pressure.
• Low suction pressure.
• Low molecular weight.
• High suction temperature.
• Low flow.

n n n
Polytropic Head
Hp denotes polytropic head which is a function of the compressor’s wheels and stages. As we
are not determining an actual compression ratio, but only considering directional effects, I have
not differentiated between head and polytropic head. The head developed in a constant speed,
centrifugal compressor, at a fixed volumetric flow rate of gas, is constant, regardless of the
changes in the gas molecular weight or temperature.
n n n
If the vapor flow rate is reduced, the minimum flow antisurge recycle valve (see
Fig. 32.1) will open to maintain the suction flow above the surge point flow. But the recycle
 Chapter 32 • Why Centrifugal Compressors Surge 255

flow will increase the temperature at the suction of the compressor (T-1), if it is not first
cooled. This will make the situation worse by reducing gas density. Similar to Donald
forcing his attention on Linda, when she has pretended to fall asleep.

Effect of Surge
If the differential pressure developed by the compressor (DP) is less than the pressure dif-
ference between the discharge and suction (Fig. 32.1), then the gas flow will stop and begin
to flow backwards through the rotor’s wheels. That’s what makes that “surging” sound.
The reversed direction of the gas flow will forcefully push back the rotor. The shaft then
impacts the thrust bearing (that constrains the axial movement of the rotor’s shaft). There-
fore, each surge slightly deforms the thrust bearing. This causes the spinning wheels to get
closer to the stationary parts of the compressor case (Fig. 32.3). When a spinning wheel
touches a stationary part, a piece of the wheel will break loose, pierce the compressor case,
and possibly hit me in the head.

Function of the Discharge Check Valve

The loud, banging sound, sometimes heard in conjunction with surge, is very distressful
but not bad. At my Alky Unit in Texas City, this banging sound was the compressor dis-
charge check valve slamming shut (Fig. 32.1) as a consequence of the reversed gas flow.
This dampened the flow of the reversing vapors and also the force of the surge pushing
back against the rotor. I suppose then, that such a check valve should be included in
the design of all centrifugal compressors.

Preventing Surge
Typically, a flow transmitter is located on the suction of a compressor to assure that
gas flow is high enough to stay above the low flow minimum limit. If the flow falls below
this limit, the discharge-to-suction “antisurge” valve will open. However, if the discharge
pressure is above design, or if the gas molecular weight is below design, or if the suction
temperature is above design, or if the suction pressure is below design the machine may
surge anyway. This may happen even if it is operating above its minimum design gas flow
to prevent surge.
I used to think that for a variable speed compressor, such as the three air blowers on the
sulfur recovery unit in Texas City, speeding up the steam turbine drive would stop surging.
Often it would. But, sometimes it caused the air blower to surge worse. I checked the fam-
ily of performance curves and there were areas on the curves where a higher speed
increased the minimum air flow needed to avoid surge. One thing I learned for certain
about these air blowers. Turning on an extra blower when not needed was a good way
to get all three air blowers to begin surging.
256 UNDERSTANDING PROCESS EQUIPMENT FOR OPERATORS AND ENGINEERS

Rotors that are fouled will have an increased tendency to surge, as they will develop less
polytropic head than a clean rotor. Spraying a naphtha mist into the suction flow (typically
one weight percent) retards fouling, especially in hydrogen recycle gas compressors.
Surge is more destructive for machines that:
1. Run at higher speeds—a low speed being 3000–4000 rpm.
2. That have multiple wheels on the same shaft, that is, more than three or four wheels.
3. That operates with low molecular weight gas, and hence most likely require a high
polytropic head.
4. Is of relatively recent vintage—older compressors, built before the 1960s, were of
a more rugged design.
5. Subject to rotor fouling deposits.

My Alky Unit in Texas City

In spite of Cappy and Bobby’s doubts, I knew exactly how to handle the surging problem
of K-801, my isobutane recycle refrigeration centrifugal compressor. I phoned Henry
Zipperain, the old shift supervisor on “B” shift.
“Hey Zip, what you doing?”
“I’m helping my old lady with the grandchildren, Norm. What’s up?”
“Well Zip, would you mind coming out to the plant a bit early?”
“Like when, Norm?”
“Like now!”
Zip arrived 20 min later. Just in time. The plant manager, Mr. Durland, had heard the
surging machine, and decided to investigate in person. “Lieberman,” he screamed above
the roar of the surge, “do something! Just don’t stand there. You’re going to destroy the
compressor!”
“Yes sir. I’m on it.”
Old Zip first opened up the vent to fuel gas from the compressor discharge refrigerant
receiver, which lowered the compressor discharge (Fig. 32.1). Next, he opened the
by-passes on the feed coolers (for both C4 olefins and isobutane makeup) to increase the
refrigerant isobutane vapor flow to the compressor suction.
Also, he then pinched back on the compressor discharge-to-suction recycle gas valve
with the comment, “I been telling you, Mr. Norm, we need a cooler on this recycle.”
This step also increased the compressor suction pressure by about 1 psi.
Zip next raised the isobutane recycle depropanizer reboiler outlet by 5°F. “Norm, this
will heavy-up the iso-recycle a bit, by reducing its propane content after a while.”
Finally, Zip increased the isobutane recycle rate. This carried a little more sensible heat
into the reactors, to make more refrigerant vapors, without the extra heat of reaction from
the olefins reacting with the isobutane to make alkylate.
Within half an hour, the surging stopped, Mr. Durland went back to the Admin Build-
ing, Bobby and Vincent Cappidono went off shift, Zip went for a smoke, and tranquility
returned to No. 2 alky unit.
 Chapter 32 • Why Centrifugal Compressors Surge 257

Controlling Vapor Recycle Temperature

A month later, the OCAW Union went out on strike in Texas City. Zip, I, and the other
supervisors were therefore running the Alky Unit. One night, Zip said, “Norm we gonna
fix that superheated compressor vapor recycle stream. We gonna inject liquid iso-butane
recycle into that eight inch vapor line, through a one inch spray nozzle. It’ll evaporate and
cool that superheated recycle. We’ll just use screwed pipe and fittings so we can get the
job done before the end of the shift.”
And we did. It worked just fine to prevent surge, when the antisurge spill-back valve
was opened too far.

Summary
I have had several similar occasions since my experience in Texas City in 1974, when my
alky isobutane refrigeration went into surge. I always react in the same manner. That is,
I vent the discharge to the flare or fuel. The fastest way to get out of surge is to reduce the
centrifugal compressor discharge pressure. The only reasons I avoided rotor damage in
the incident I related in Texas City, was that this was an older, slower compressor, with
a relatively small number of wheels (i.e., three). Also, the discharge check valve dampened
the force of the reversing vapor flow.