Compressor Controls Corporation

Other

Naum Staroselsky

Saul Mirsky

Alexander Rutshtein

Krishnan Narayanan

Brett W Batson

Mykhailo Volynskyi

Paul A Reinke

Dmitry Drob

Paul Marvin Negley

Dimitry Drob

Robert J Sibthorp

A1exander Rutshtein

Steam turbine speed-control systems often incorporate pilot valves for controlling the position of hydraulic actuators for steam valves. Operational efficiency of these pilot valves can suffer from imperfections due to manufacturing defects, wear, contaminated oil, and the like, thereby impairing the control system's overall performance. This disclosure relates to a method for improving performance accuracy by incorporating a control system (including additional controllers) dedicated to overcoming the deficiencies of pilot valves or other control system components. With such a system, the lack of adequate control response can be detected by calculating the first time-derivative of a variety of main controlled-parameters. Such parameters can be directly related to steam flow control, such as steam valve position, steam flow rate, and pressure within the steam turbine; or they may be related to the driven equipment: generator power output, flow rate through a compressor, and compressor discharge pressure.

Response time of a steam turbine speed-control system

Steam turbine speed-control systems often incorporate pilot valves for the purpose of controlling the position of hydraulic actuators for steam valves. However, the operational efficiency of these pilot valves can suffer from imperfections due to manufacturing defects, wear, and the like, thereby impairing the control system's overall performance. For these reasons, this disclosure relates to a method for overcoming a faulty pilot valve by incorporating a control system (including additional controllers) dedicated to the pilot valve. In this type setup, not only can the position of the pilot valve be a control variable, but the velocity of actuation of this valve can also be used as another control variable. Therefore, the results of separate controllers, using these two control variables, can be combined to improve the dynamic response of the steam turbine speed-control system.

Method and apparatus for steam turbine speed control

This invention discloses a method for limiting a critical variable (such as, discharge pressure or suction pressure or pressure ratio) of either a compressor station or an individual compressor when these machines are subjected to large, fast disturbances. Each configuration, whether a station or an individual compressor, is equipped with two PID controllers: (1) a main controller for compressor critical variables and (2) a limiting controller that participates in modulating recycle valves. At the onset of sudden, large changes of mass flow at a compressor's or station's discharge, the effectiveness of the two controllers (acting independently) may be insufficient to prevent discharge pressure from reaching the shutdown set point which, in turn, disrupts the process supported by the compressors, and the longevity of the drivers is diminished. For these reasons, this disclosure relates specifically to a technique that combines the functions of the main and limiting controllers. Because of the complementary (synergistic) interaction of the controllers, an earlier and faster opening of the antisurge valves is initiated, and pressure at the discharge header is effectively limited.

Method and apparatus for limiting a critical variable of a group of compressors or an individual compressor

A method is provided for controlling fuel flow to the combustor of a gas generator turbine during sudden changes in load or during a surge cycle of the process turbocompressor. Surge control is initiated by analog input signals emanating from various devices located throughout the compressor-process system. The fuel control system includes input signals from the gas turbine driver. These signals are acted upon by the fuel control system which transmits a signal to a fuel valve actuator that controls the valve that meters fuel to the combustor. In addition to this sequence of control communication, however, is a rate-of-change in the amount of the fuel provided. The rate of the increase of the amount of fuel is determined by current operating functions of the fuel control system. However, because of the characteristics of general load rejection and recovery, and the abrupt nature of surge, the rate of change in the flow rate of fuel is extremely high. This rapid increase of fuel to the combustor may lead to dangerous excursions in temperature, resulting in high temperatures in gas turbine elements. Consequently, a new function is added to the fuel control system's operation whereby improved regulation of the rate of increase of fuel is achieved. This new function receives a signal that either surge or a change in load has been detected. Next, a signal is transmitted to the fuel valve actuator, regulating fuel to the combustor, thus power to the power turbine, thereby preventing overspeeding. After that, the rate of change of the fuel valve is limited for a period of time. Once recovery has been accomplished, the change rate of the fuel valve is gradually returned to a normal operating setting.

Prevention of parameter excursions during process compressor surge in

An improved method is provided for controlling fuel flow to the combustor of a gas generator turbine during sudden changes in load or during a surge cycle of the process turbocompressor. Surge control is initiated by analog input signals emanating from various devices located throughout the compressor-process system. The fuel control system includes input signals from the gas turbine driver. These signals are acted upon by the fuel control system which transmits a signal to a fuel valve actuator that controls the valve that meters fuel to the combustor. In addition to this sequence of control communication, however, is a rate-of-change in the amount of the fuel provided. The rate of the increase of the amount of fuel is determined by current operating functions of the fuel control system. However, because of the characteristics of general load rejection and recovery, and the abrupt nature of surge, the rate of change in the flow rate of fuel is extremely high. This rapid increase of fuel to the combustor may lead to dangerous excursions in temperature, resulting in high temperatures in gas turbine elements. Consequently, a new function is added to the fuel control system's operation whereby improved regulation of the rate of increase of fuel is achieved. This new function receives a signal that either surge or a change in load has been detected. Next, a signal is transmitted to the fuel valve actuator, regulating fuel to the combustor, thus power to the power turbine, thereby preventing overspeeding. After that, the rate of change of the fuel valve is limited for a period of time. Once recovery has been accomplished, the change rate of the fuel valve is gradually returned to a normal operating setting.

Prevention of parameter excursions in gas turbines

A method and apparatus are disclosed for protecting gas turbines (two- and three-shaft) from damage or destruction during dangerous transients. In this situation, fuel flow must be reduced, as needed, to keep the exhaust gas temperature below a maximum limit, thereby avoiding damage to blading in the turbine's first-stage. The dynamic action of the temperature downstream of the combustion chamber may be estimated and then used to correct the temperature measured by thermocouples. For this approach, the turbine is instrumented with an inlet pressure transmitter and an outlet temperature transmitter. The method dynamically estimates temperatures downstream of the combustion chamber and reduces the fuel flow rate if the estimated temperature approaches the temperature limit. Existing thermocouple measurements (EGT) are used as well as the pressure of air exiting the compressor (CDP) upstream of the combustion chamber. By employing a first-order lag and a steady-state gain, the measured CDP is used to predict a 'correction' EGT signal which is then added to the measured EGT, resulting in a corrected EGT. Once the corrected EGT has been calculated, its first time-derivative is used to adjust the safety margin between a maximum allowable limit temperature and a lower predetermined temperature set point.

Method for predicting and using the exhaust gas temperatures for control

A method and apparatus for maintaining a main process gas parameter such as suction pressure discharge pressure, discharge flow, etc. of a compressor station with multiple dynamic compressors, which enables a station controller controlling the main process gas parameter to increase or decrease the total station performance to restore the main process gas parameter to a required level, first by simultaneous change of performances of all individual compressors, for example, by decreasing their speeds, and then after operating points of all machines reach their respective surge control lines, by simultaneous opening of individual antisurge valves. In the proposed load-sharing scheme, one compressor is automatically selected as a leading machine. For parallel operation, the compressor which is selected as the leader is the one having the largest distance to its surge control line. For series operation, the leader has the lowest criterion 'R' value representing both the distance to its surge control line and the equivalent mass flow rate through the compressor. The leader is followed by the rest of the compressors, which equalize their distances to the respective surge control lines or criterions 'R' with respect to that of the leader.

Load sharing method and apparatus for controlling a main gas parameter

A method is disclosed for efficiently protecting dynamic compressors from surge under changing inlet conditions and in response to flow disturbances of varying size and speed. An antisurge control system based on this disclosed method will compute the relative proximity of the compressor operating point to its surge limit as a multi-variable parameter which is self-compensated for changes in gas composition, inlet temperature and pressure, compressor efficiency, guide-vane position, and rotational speed. A combination of adaptive closed- and open-loop control responses is used to maintain a margin of safety between the operating point and the surge limit. Both the safety margin and the magnitude of the open-loop response are proportional to the rate at which the operating point approaches the surge limit, thus maximizing process efficiency.

Method and apparatus for preventing surge in a dynamic compressor

A method of control for load sharing between multiple compressors working in parallel and/or in series which enables all of the load-sharing compressors to carry their optimum share of the load. This load-sharing scheme follows the safest load-sharing formula and also provides for substantial energy savings. It automatically divides the load whenever a strong decoupling between process control and compressors after the compressors' operating points cross their Surge Control lines.

Method for controlling a multicompressor station

A method of control and control apparatus for load sharing between multiple compressors working in parallel and/or in series which enables all of the load-sharing compressors to carry their optimum share of the load. This load-sharing scheme follows the safest load-sharing formula and also provides for substantial energy savings. It automatically divides the load whenever a strong decoupling between process control and compressors after the compressors' operating points cross their Surge Control lines.

Method and apparatus for controlling a multicompressor station

A control apparatus for antisurge protection of a dynamic compressor including a junction of a closed antisurge loop with a surge limit computing module and a two mode controller with a relay backup system with deviation alarms is characterized in operation in that during a slow disturbance, the two mode controller provides modulated antisurge protection by opening a relief valve, if the operating point of the compressor crosses the surge control line and during a dangerously fast disturbance, the relay backup system provides antisurge protection if a preestablished deviation of the operating point from the surge control line appears. A relay backup system opens the relief valve very quickly. When the relief valve is so opened, the process of the user of fluid from the compressor is compensated by increasing the performance of the compressor to maintain pressure of flow rate. Then the relay system closes the relief valve with a relatively slow speed, which prevents a dangerous deviation of the operating point from the surge control line. In time, the surge limit line may change so that the surge control line is no longer correctly placed. If under such circumstances surge appears, then the backup relay system opens the relief valve very fast, closes it with a relatively slow speed and changes the position of surge control line.

Method of automatic limitation for a controlled variable in a

A control apparatus for antisurge protection of a dynamic compressor including a junction of a closed antisurge loop with a surge limit computing module and a two mode controller with a relay backup system with deviation alarms is characterized in operation in that during a slow disturbance, the two mode controller provides modulated antisurge protection by opening a relief valve, if the operating point of the compressor crosses the surge control line and during a dangerously fast disturbance, the relay backup system provides antisurge protection if a preestablished deviation of the operating point from the surge control line appears. A relay backup system opens the relief valve very quickly. When the relief valve is so opened, the process of the user of fluid from the compressor is compensated by increasing the performance of the compressor to maintain pressure or flow rate. Then the relay system closes the relief valve with a relatively slow speed, which prevents a dangerous deviation of the operating point from the surge control line. In time, the surge limit line may change so that the surge control line is no longer correctly placed. If under such circumstances surge appears, then the backup relay system opens the relief valve very fast, closes it with a relatively slow speed and changes the position of surge control line.

Systems and methods are disclosed for the automatic control of one or more pumping and compressing machines and of the related fluid network. The purpose of such systems and methods is to maintain only the required pressure just after a source or just before a user so as to reduce the compressing or pumping energy required; to divide the load within a group of one or more compressing or pumping machines so as to compress the fluid with reduced use of energy and improved pressure control; to improve protection of the turbo compressors when used in parallel from dangerous levels of operation.

Methods and systems for controlling the operation of means for

A control system is disclosed for a noninteracting control and protection of a dynamic compressor having rotating vanes. The method consists of a junction of a few control circuits for controlling the performance of a dynamic compressor, for protecting compressor from approaching dangerous zones of operation, and for maintaining a required mass flow rate of a gas through the compressor. An automatic control system based on using the above method is distinguished by its simplicity, great transient and steady state precision and high reliability of surge protection.

Method and apparatus for noninteracting control of a dynamic compressor

A method and apparatus for protecting a dynamic compressor from surge. The method includes a first step for providing a simultaneous control of a smaller relief means and a main control member of a dynamic compressor or the driver thereof for changing the performance of the compressor. This combined action provides for the protection from surge and at the same time insures the invariability of the main control parameters of pressure, mass flow rate to the user, or the speed of rotation. The second step provides for controlling a larger relief means and provides for antisurge protection in those cases when the first step is not sufficient to protect the compressor from surge. Apparatus is also provided for automatically implementing the method.

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West Des Moines, IA, United States of America

Naum Staroselsky