Multistage Centrifugal Compressor Surge Analysis: Part II — Numerical Simulation and Dynamic Control Parameters Evaluation

Abstract

This paper describes, from a theoretical point of view, the behaviour of compression systems during surge and the effect of passive and active control devices on the instability limit of the system. A lumped parameter model is used to simulate the compression system described in Part I of this work (Arnulfi et al., 1998), based on an industrial multistage centrifugal compressor. A comparison with experimental results shows that the model is accurate enough to describe quantitatively all the features of the phenomenon. A moveable wall control system is studied in order to suppress surge in the compressor. Passive and active control schemes are analysed; they both address directly the dynamic behaviour of the compression system to displace the surge line to lower flow rates. The influence of system geometry and compressor speed is investigated; the optimum values of the control parameters and the corresponding increase in the extent of the stable operating range are presented in the paper.