CHAPTER ELEVEN

CONTROL OF
PERFORMANCE

Chapter 11 – Control of Performance

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 CONTROL OF PERFORMANCE

Centrifugal compressors always match the process requirements.

They form an integral part of the process plant, the operating
characteristics of which are a function of volume flow and pressure.

Centrifugal compressors can be controlled so that they maintain

constant pressure at the intake or at a preceding process point, or at the
discharge nozzle or following that point. When process control is staged,
intermediate pressure can also be maintained. Requirements for constant
volume flow can also be met. Daily and annual meteorological influences
are taken into consideration. In addition, the compressors have to be
protected against unstable operating conditions.

If these requirements are to be met, the operating characteristics of

the compressor have to be controlled. This can be done either by different
methods illustrated in as follows.

11.1 Speed control

Figure 11.1 shows the effect of changing speed on the compressor

characteristic curve. The speed can be adjusted to meet a desired point on
the system curve. This is the most popular form of control.

Chapter 11 – Control of Performance

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 Figure 11.1 – Typical effect of capacity control on horsepower for
centrifugal compressor

11.2 Variation of Angle of Incidence

The compressor characteristic for constant speed can be directly

influenced by using an inlet guide vane unit to vary the angle of incidence.
Apart from providing economical operation under partial load, this also
allows an extension of the characteristic above normal. With constant
conditions at the impeller outlet, the changed angle of incidence causes
the specific work to be influenced by the relative and absolute velocities at
the inlet. With a positive guide vane setting, the total energy is reduced
because of the lower relative speed at the inlet. A negative setting has the
opposite effect. The influence of a negative guide vane setting generally

Chapter 11 – Control of Performance

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 reaches a peak value between 20° and 30°. After this setting is exceeded,
the angled guide vanes choke the flow cross section to such a degree that
throttling with local separation phenomena occurs, and this causes losses
to increase rapidly.

Toward the lower end of the volume flow range, a positive guide
vane setting has an advantageous effect, particularly in the region close to
the design point. The direction of the relative velocity is turned to coincide
with the design angle of the leading edge of the blade, and the shock loss
otherwise occurring due to an unfavourable approach angle is reduced. In
the remainder of the partial load range, a throttling effect resulting from
constriction of the flow cross section by the angled guide vanes is
superimposed on the aerodynamic effect.

One special advantage of guide vane adjustment is that the stable

operating range is extended toward smaller volume flow rates, although
this applies to the particular stage only. With multistage compressors, the
effect is reduced in proportion to the number of uncontrolled stages.

11.3 Throttling

With throttling, the compressor characteristic remains unchanged.

When throttling is performed on the suction side, a throttle valve reduces
the compressor inlet pressure when the volume flow rate is increased.
Downstream of the compressor, a lower discharge pressure is produced,
which corresponds to the pressure ratio associated with the point on the
compressor characteristic or compressor performance curve. In relation to
the useful compression work, throttling requires maximum specific
energy.

Throttling on the suction side and variation of inlet guide vane angle
are also used to expand the operating range of compressor plants with
speed-controlled drivers.

Chapter 11 – Control of Performance

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 11.4 Anti-surge Control

In order to protect the machines from excessively high mechanical

loading due to unstable operating conditions (surging), which primarily
stress the bearings, compressors can be equipped with anti-surge control.
One such control is depicted in Figure 11.2.

If the delivery required is below the minimum delivery volume of

die compressor, the surplus is led away as a side-stream, via a valve.
Depending on the nature of the gas, the surplus is cither discharged to the
atmosphere or it is cooled and returned to the suction side. In the
example shown, the valve is operated by a controller that uses the volume
flow rate and the discharge pressure as input parameters. The blow-off or
recycle limit in the compressor curve envelope is normally an approximate
simulation of the surge limit. Pneumatic, hydraulic, electro pneumatic, or
electro hydraulic control systems may be employed. Depending on (he
cross-sectional area of the discharge, control valves or flaps arc employed
as regulating units.

Chapter 11 – Control of Performance

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 5

4
13 14

1 = Inlet
2 = Inlet guide vane unit
6 11
3 = Compressor
4 = Non-return valve
5 = Discharge line
6 = Pressure transmitter 3 12
7 = Discharge percent controller
8 = Servo-cylinder 8
9 = Orifice measurement
10 = Differential pressure transmitter 7
11 = Computer 2
12 = Surge limit controller
13 = Blow-off valve
14 = Blow-off line 9
10

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Figure 11.2 – Simple example of combined anti-surge and discharge
pressure control

Chapter 11 – Control of Performance