Gas compression system and control method thereof

A gas compression system comprising:

• a plurality of compressors including a first compressor and a plurality of second compressors;
• a common tank that stores a compressed gas supplied from the plurality of compressors;
• and
• a communication network that connects the plurality of compressors with each other in a mutually communicable manner,
• the first compressor including a first compressor main unit that compresses a gas, a first controller that executes master control to control number of operated pieces of the first compressor and slave control to control the first compressor main unit in conjunction with the master control, and an individual tank that stores a compressed gas,
• each of the plurality of second compressors including a second compressor main unit that compresses the gas, a second controller that executes slave control to receive a command from the first controller and control the second compressor main unit, and an individual tank that stores a compressed gas, wherein:
• respective second controllers are configured to:
• determine whether an abnormality of the first controller or an abnormality of communication with the first controller has occurred on a basis of whether a safety notification from the first controller is received,
• begin a single control operation of at least one of the second compressors when determining that the abnormality has occurred,
• then, transmit a master declaration to another second controller at a time that is earlier for a second controller having a higher priority to succeed to the master control,
• then, succeed to the master control in a case of receiving a slave declaration from another second controller, otherwise, continue the single control operation of the at least one of the second compressors.

A control method of a gas compression system, the control method comprising:

• controlling a number of operating compressors by executing master control by a number-of-pieces controller disposed separately from a plurality of respective compressors;
• and controlling a compressor main unit incorporated in each of the plurality of respective compressors in response to a command from the number-of-pieces controller by executing slave control by a controller incorporated in each of the respective plurality of compressors, wherein:
• respective controllers;
• determine whether an abnormality of the number-of-pieces controller or an abnormality of communication with the number-of-pieces controller has occurred on a basis of whether a safety notification from the number-of-pieces controller is received,
• begin a single control operation of the compressor when determining that the abnormality has occurred,
• transmit a master declaration to another controller at a time that is earlier for a controller having a higher priority to succeed to the master control, and
• succeed to the master control in a case of receiving a slave declaration from another controller, otherwise, continue the single control operation of the compressor.

A control method of a gas compression system, the control method comprising:

• controlling a number of operating compressors by executing master control by a first controller incorporated in a first compressor that is one of a plurality of the compressors,
• controlling a first compressor main unit incorporated in the first compressor by executing slave control by the first controller in conjunction with the master control executed by the first controller, and
• controlling a second compressor main unit incorporated in each of a plurality of second compressors, in response to a command from the first controller by executing slave control by a second controller incorporated in each of the plurality of second compressors, wherein respective second controllers are configured to:
• determine whether an abnormality of the first controller or an abnormality of communication with the first controller has occurred on a basis of whether a safety notification from the first controller is received,
• begin a single control operation of the respective second compressor when determining that the abnormality has occurred,
• transmit a master declaration to another second controller at a time that is earlier for a second controller having a higher priority to succeed to the master control, and
• succeed to the master control in a case of receiving a slave declaration from another second controller, otherwise, continue the single control operation of the respective second compressors.