Chapter 3

Surge
Phenomenon

1 14 May 2024
 Typical Performance Curve
(at rated speed)

Rc Head Rise to Surge 9%

Head fall to ‘Stonewall’ 15%

120%
HEAD (% of design point value)

110%
109% Surge Flow 70%

100%
100% ‘Stonewall’ Flow 130%

90% Speed Range 65 - 105%

80% 85%

70%

60%
60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 110% 120% 130% 140%
FLOW (% of design point value) Qs, vol

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Constant Speed Curve
 Compressor Performance Envelope
The area of desired compressor
operation is bounded on the left
by the surge line, on the right by
the choke line, on the top by the Surge
Region
maximum speed line, and on
the bottom by the minimum Normal
speed line. Head Operation

Operation of the machine in this

region will allow the machine to Choke
Region
meet the process requirements
with safe and reliable
performance.
Flow

3 14 May 2024
Developing the Compressor Map
process limit
Rc
adding control
margins
maximum speed
surge limit
power limit

stonewall or
choke ‘limit’

stable zone
Actual available
of operation
operating zone minimum speed

Qs, vol

4 14 May 2024
 Surge
Surge is the point of minimum stable
flow and maximum head condition for
the centrifugal compressor. The
surge region is to the left of the surge
line.
Operation in this region is highly
undesirable and can be very
destructive for the machine since a
repeated, almost instantaneous flow
reversal takes place.
5 14 May 2024
 Developing the Surge Cycle on the Compressor Curve

Wrong
Pd
• Compressor reaches surge point A
• • From A to B 20 - its
50 ability
ms Drop into surge Pv
•
Compressor loses
Compressor make
starts to build pressure
• pressure
From C•to DCompressor
20 - 120“rides”
ms Jumptowards
curve out of surge
surge Rlosses
• Suddenly
• P
Point
d drops
A and thus
is -reached P v > P d
• • A-B-C-D-A
Plane• goes 0.3
tosurge 3 seconds
stall -cycle
Compressor Surge cycle
surges
The is complete

Pd Pd = Compressor discharge pressure

BB AA Pv = Vessel pressure
Rlosses = Resistance losses over pipe
• Pressure builds • System pressure is going down
• D
Resistance •
goes up
Compressor is again able to overcome Pv
C • Compressor “rides”
• the curve “jumps” back to
Compressor
• Pd = Pv + Rlosses performance curve and goes to point D
• Because Pv > Pd the flow reverses • • Forward
Driver flow
is started
is re-established
• • Result of flow reversal is that pressure
Compressor operating point goes to point Bgoes • Machine accelerates to nominal
down speed
• Pressure goes down => less negative flow • Compressor reaches performance
• Operating point goes to point C curve
• Note: Flow goes up faster because
pressure is the integral of flow

Machine shutdown Qs, vol

no flow, no pressure
6 14 May 2024
 Surge Description

Flow reverses in 20 to 50 milliseconds

Surge cycles at a rate of 0.3 s to 3 s per cycle
Compressor vibrates
Temperature rises
“Whooshing” noise
Trips may occur

Conventional instruments and human operators

may
7 fail to recognize surge 14 May 2024
 Some Surge Consequences

Unstable flow and pressure – process upsets

Rotor vibration – predominantly axial but can be radial

Damage compounded with increasing severity to seals,

bearings, impellers, shaft

Increased seal clearances and leakage

Lower efficiency due to increased internal recirculation

Reduced time between overhauls

8 14 May 2024
Factors Leading to the Onset of Surge
* Startup
* Shutdown
* Operation at reduced throughput
* Operation at heavy throughput with:
- Power loss - Trips
- Process upsets - Operator errors
- Load changes - Gas composition changes
- Filter or strainer problems - Cooler problems
- Driver problems

Surge is not limited to times of reduced throughput.

Surge can occur at full operational flow due to a process

upset.
9 14 May 2024
 Surge Prevention

10 14 May 2024
 Basic Surge Control System
• The anti-surge controller UIC-1 protects the compressor against surge by
opening the recycle valve
• Opening of the recycle valve lowers the resistance felt by the compressor
• This takes the compressor away from surge
Rprocess
Rc
VSDS Rprocess+valve

Compressor

FT PsT PdT
1 1 1

Suction Discharge qr2

UIC
1
Surge parameter based on
invariant coordinates Rc and qr
Flow measured in suction
(Po)
Ps and Pd transmitters used to
11 14 May 2024
calculate Rc
 Choke / Stonewall

12 14 May 2024
 Stonewall (Choke)
Stonewall or Choke is the maximum stable flow and minimum •
head condition for the centrifugal compressor, beyond which
any further decrease in the system resistance will not increase
Surge
the flow rate.
Point
Design
Flow Surge
Region

Normal
Head Operation
Head

Choke
Stonewall Region
Point

Inlet Flow
Flow
Operation in deep Choke can be severely damaging due to reverse pressure
loading on the aero components. The higher the pressure level, the more
13 14 May 2024
dangerous it can be.
 HAPPENS
ONLY TO :
CENTRIFGAL
COMPRESSORS

AND AXIAL FLOW

COMPRESSORS
But Does not Happen to
Reciprocating
14 Compressors 14 May 2024
SURGE PHENOMEN
It is the flow back of gases from the outlet of the
Last stage of the compressor towards the suction and
return again to discharge

IN OUT

15 14 May 2024
 SURGE PHENOMEN

Why
• FLOW-RATE IS NOT ENOUGH

• GAS PROPERTY

• COMPRESSOR PERFORMANCE

• FLATENESS OF P.C. AT LOW Q

16 14 May 2024
• FLOW-RATE
IS NOT ENOUGH
This will happen at
starting and shutdown,
also at abnormal conditions.
• GAS PROPERTY
Gas is compressible but liquid is not.
17 14 May 2024
• COMPRESSOR PERFORMANCE

Centrifugal and Axial compressors are pumping

gas continuously but reciprocating is not.

• FLATENESS OF P.C. AT LOW Q

Gas pressure has the same energy at

horizontal portions of the performance curve
18 14 May 2024
NO SURGE IF

INLET FLOW RATE Q IS ENOUGH

IN OUT

19 14 May 2024
 IF INLET FLOW RATE Q
IS NOT ENOUGH

COMPRESSOR

IS SURGING
IN OUT

5 to 20 cycles per second

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 SURGE PHENOMENON

B
H A
p

6000 10000
Q M³/ hr
21 14 May 2024
 EFFECT OF SURGE ON
CENTRIFGAL COMPRESSOR ROTOR

THRUST
BEARINGS

SURGE WILL DAMAGE THE COMPRESSOR

THRUST
22
BEARINGS 14 May 2024
 SURGE CYCLE

Hp
B1

-Q 6000 10000 Q M³/ hr

23
5 to 20 cycles per second 14 May 2024
ANTI-SURGE METHODS

1- BY PASS WITH ANTI - SURGE VALVE

THIS METHODS IS COMONLY

USED FOR GAS COMPRESSORS

2 –BLOW OFF VALVE

THIS METHODS IS COMONLY

USED FOR AIR COMPRESSORS
24 14 May 2024
 ANTI-SURGE METHODS
1- BY PASS WITH ANTI - SURGE VALVE IN CASE OF
COMPRESSOR
SURGING

COMRESSOR

FT P,T
COOLER

UIC
FY ANTI-SURGE
VALVE WILL
OPEN
25 14 May 2024
1- BY PASS WITH ANTI - SURGE VALVE

COMRESSOR

3 3 3
6000 M 10000 M 6000 M

3
3 4000 M
4000 M FT P,T

COOLER

UIC

FY ANTI-SURGE
VALVE

UIC = ANTI- SURGE INTEGRATED CONTROLER

26 14 May 2024
FY = TRANSDUCER
BY PASS WITH ANTI - SURGE VALVE
GRAPHICALLY

B
H
p C A

SURGE CONTROL LINE

RECYCLE TRIP LINE

SURGE LIMIT LINE

27 14 May 2024
Q M³/ hr
2 –BLOW OFF VALVE
AIR
COMRESSOR

33
10000
6000MM

Air
F P,T
BLOW
T OFF
FY VALVE
UIC

UIC = ANTI- SURGE INTEGRATED CONTROLLER

FY28 = TRANSDUCER 14 May 2024
2 – BLOW OFF VALVE
GRAPHICALLY

Hp B

A
B1

Q M ³/ hr

29 14 May 2024
 IN CASE OF GAS TURBINE
AIR COMPRESSOR SURGE
BLEED VALVE WILL OPEN

BLEED VALVE

COMPRESSOR TURBINE

30 14 May 2024