Introducing Back-up to Active Compressor Surge Control System

A novel method for introducing a back-up system to an active compressor surge control system is presented in this paper. Active surge control is a promising method for extending the compressor map towards and into the unstable area at low mass flow by stabilizing the surge phenomenon. The method also has potential for allowing operation at higher efficiencies. However, a failure in the active surge control system may endanger the compressor by entering deep surge as the compressor is allowed to operate in the stabilized surge area. We propose the use of a back-up system applied to the active system to keep the compressor safe should the active system fail. This paper present an active compressor surge control system with piston actuation combined with a blow off system as the back-up. Performance of the combined system is evaluated by simulating the system in situations where the piston is saturated or jammed. The combination results in a system with increased performance by taking advantage of both systems.