Compressor surge control system
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorsRobert M. Bellinger, Hadwen A. Clayton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A compressor surge control system is provided for a compressor system in which recirculation of gas from the discharge outlet of the compressor to the suction inlet of the compressor is utilized to prevent surging of the compressor. The recirculation of gas from the discharge outlet of the compressor to the suction inlet of the compressor is substantially minimized by using a first controller to provide a floating set point for a second controller. This reduced recirculation substantially increases the efficiency of the compressor system.
Claims8
Apparatus comprising:
- a compressor means having a discharge outlet and a suction inlet;
- first conduit means for supplying a gas to the suction inlet of said compressor means;
- second conduit means for removing the compressed gas from the discharge outlet of said compressor means;
- third conduit means for recirculating gas from said second conduit means to said first conduit means;
- a control valve means operably located in said third conduit means;
- means for establishing a first signal representative of the flow rate of gas through said first conduit means;
- means for establishing a set point signal which varies in response to the position of said control valve means;
- means for comparing said first signal and said set point signal and for establishing a second signal responsive to the difference between said first signal and said set point signal;
- and
- means for manipulating said control valve means in response to said second signal to thereby control the flow of gas through said third conduit means so as to both prevent surging of said compressor means and substantially minimize the recirculation of gas from said second conduit means to said first conduit means.
A method for controlling a compressor system in which a control valve is utilized to control the recirculation of gas from the discharge outlet of said compressor system to the suction inlet of said compressor system comprising the steps of:
- establishing a first signal representative of the flow rate of gas to the suction inlet of said compressor system;
- establishing a set point signal which varies in response to the position of said control valve;
- comparing said first signal and said set point signal and establishing a second signal responsive to the difference between said first signal and said set point signal;
- and
- manipulating said control valve in response to said second signal to thereby control the recirculation of gas from the discharge outlet of said compressor system to the suction inlet of said compressor system so as to both prevent surging of said compressor system and substantially minimize the recirculation of gas from the discharge outlet of said compressor system to the suction inlet of said compressor system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.