An innovative device for passive control of surge in industrial compression systems

The present paper reports a numerical-experimental study on the dynamic beh avior of a compression system based on a multistage centrifugal blower and fitted with an innovative device for the dynamic suppression of surge insta bility. The control device is of passive type and is based on the aeroelast ic coupling of the basic compression system with a hydraulic oscillator. Th e controlled system is modeled at first by using a nonlinear lumped paramet er approach. The simulated system dynamics within a wide range of operating conditions allows a parametric analysis to be performed and the optimal va lues of the control parameters to be singled out. Such optimal values are t hen used to design the hydraulic oscillator, which results in a technically feasible and very simple configuration. Finally, experimental tests are ca rried out on the compression plant with and without the passive control dev ice, which demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control system in suppressing surge instabilities, at least within the limits predicted by th e numerical simulation.