Multistage centrifugal compressor surge analysis: Part II - Numerical simulation and dynamic control parameters evaluation

This paper describes, from a theoretical point of view, the behavior of com pression 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., 1999), based on an industrial multistage centrifugal compre ssor. A comparison with experimental results shows that the model is accura te enough to describe quantitatively all the features of the phenomenon. A movable wall control system is studied in order to suppress surge in the co mpressor. Passive and active control schemes are analyzed; they both addres s directly the dynamic behavior of the compression system to displace the s urge line to lower flow rates. The influence of system geometry and compres sor 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.