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Typical PFD for Centrifugal Compressor Systems

T he f ollowing f igure-1 represents a typical process f low diagram (PFD) f or a compressor system. Common equipments included in such systems are compressors, driver motors or turbines, suction knock out drums (KOD) to remove traces of liquid f rom the gas going into the compressor and af tercoolers which help lower the temperature of the discharge gas f rom compressor. Of ten anti-surge controllers along with anti-surge valves are also part of this system to avoid operating the compressor at surge conditions. Centrif ugal compressors are typically driven by an electric motor or a steam turbine. T he sample PFD in f igure-1 indicates use of an electric motor. T he driver motor or turbine is connected to the compressor by a shaf t which can rotate at dif f erent speeds f or which the motor or turbine is designed. Compressor manuf acturer creates a compressor map which is essentially a graph of compressor curves plotted at dif f erent rotational speed (RPM) values. For a given value of gas Fig ure 1 - Typ ic al PFD fo r a c e ntrifug al c o mp re s s o r s ys te m f low though the compressor, discharge pressure of can be controlled by controlling the rotational speed of the driver. Hence a pressure controller installed on the compressor discharge stream, sends a signal to the driver motor or turbine to control the rotational speed. Sometimes a compressor perf ormance controller can be used which takes into account a lot of other parameters than just the discharge pressure, to ef f ectively maintain the rotational speed. Presence of small liquid droplets in the gas compressor can be damaging to the compressor. Hence Knock Out Drums (KOD) at compressor suction are desirable to remove even small traces of liquid droplets f rom gas going to the compressor. T hese compressor suction drums may be equipped with demister pads and wire mesh to improve the ef f iciency of liquid droplet removal. When gas is compressed the gas temperature also rises along with its pressure, since there is not enough time to vent the heat to atmosphere. Of ten high temperatures of the compressed gas are not desirable hence air coolers can be installed at the compressor discharge to enable temperature control of the discharge gas. T hese are known as compressor af tercoolers. Compressor surge is seen as a very dangerous and detrimental phenomenon f or compressor systems, because it causes the compressor to vibrate and damages the compressor parts. Compressor surge occurs due to high back pressure on the compressor discharge so that very small gas f low can be pushed through. T his is indicated by a surge line on any compressor map. To avoid compressor surge the back pressure at compressor has to be lowered so that more gas f low can be circulated through the compressors. T his can be accomplished by an anti-surge controller which opens the anti-surge valves so that excess pressure f rom the compressor discharge is vented to the compressor suction KOD. T he antisurge valves also enable more gas f low to be circulated through the system, avoiding prolonged compressor operation in the surge conditions.