Monday, September 1, 2008

Flow-Delta P Protection Strategy

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Centrifugal compressor potentially surge when the flow crosses the surge point and potentially leads to catastrophic failure. Anti-surge control is implemented to safeguard a centrifugal compressor. Flow-Delta anti-surge protection strategy (below figure) is one of the anti-surge control widely applied in centrifugal compressor as anti-surge protection strategy.





Typical Flow-Delta anti-surge protection strategy

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Similarly, centrifugal pump may subject to cavitation when the flow reach it minimum allowable flow where possibly severe internal recirculation occurred and potentially damage the pump impeller. View damages caused by pump cavitation. If you have not heard before how a cavitation likes, check out "How Pump Cavitation Sound and Looks Like ?". A process engineer shall always implements minimum flow protection strategy for centrifugal pump to avoid the potential damage due to cavitation. Typical centrifugal Pump Minimum Flow Control Strategies are:

(i) A restriction orifice on pump discharge recycle line
(ii) A flow meter on pump discharge with control valve on recycle line
(iii) Use Automatic Recirculation Valves (ARC) valve
(iv) Flow-Delta P Control

Is it feasible applying Flow-Delta P protection strategy in pump minimum flow protection?




Yes. Above strategy is feasible. Figure above shows application of Flow-Delta anti-surge protection strategy for centrifugal pump minimum flow protection in Offshore Seawater injection system.

A paper written by S. Mirsky (from CCC) described in brief the implementation of the above strategy. Download...

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