What is the difference between the performance curve of a centrifugal compressor and its surge curve? How were each of them drawn?
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This post was last edited by *ang0826 on 2012-3-6 20:54. What is the difference between the performance curve of a centrifugal compressor and its surge curve? How were each of them drawn?
Performance curves and surge curves seem to be different concepts, right?
I believe that the characteristic curve of a compressor is designed; it’s similar to the relationship between flow rate and shaft power in pumps, as well as between flow rate and efficiency. The surge curve is determined during the commissioning of the unit, by identifying the operating points at different flow rates and pressures. The characteristic curve of a centrifugal compressor usually refers to the relationship between the ratio of the absolute exit pressure P2 to the absolute inlet pressure P1 (also known as the compression ratio) and the inlet volumetric flow rate； The relationship curve between efficiency and flow rate, or power and flow rate. For the design of control systems, the characteristic curves of compression ratio and inlet volumetric flow rate are primarily used
The compressor performance curve is obtained through experiments on the compressor; it represents the relationship between flow rate and compression ratio within the range of the minimum and maximum flow rates at the compressor inlet. The compressor surge curve is the curve derived from the points of the minimum inlet flow rate that the compressor can handle at different rotational speeds.