Surge handling in centrifugal compressors
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Is an emergency shutdown necessary when a centrifugal compressor experiences surge?
It is possible to vent through the guide vane valve; it is not necessary to shut down the machine.
If it can’t be adjusted in a long time, should we shut down the machine?
Generally, it is sufficient to unload and vent; there is no need to shut down the machine, unless high vibration or high temperature caused by surge leads to shutdown
Definition of surge: Periodic oscillations of the fluid in fluid machinery and its pipelines, which are mechanical vibrations that occur as a result of the fluid being periodically drawn in and discharged (found online). Therefore, as long as surge does not cause excessive vibration that could affect other components within a certain period of time, normal units will first be emptied and their guide vanes adjusted. The anti-surge devices in these units are automatic, rather than triggering an immediate shutdown.
Anti-surge interlock measures should be in place during installation. Everything is set during the test run. If controlled, it will not stop automatically immediately. It usually takes about 3 seconds. Can’t stop, and that’s an accident