Surging :

Centrifugal and axial compressors will surge when forward flow through the compressor can no
longer be maintained, due to an increase in pressure across the compressor, and a momentary
flow reversal occurs. Once surge occurs, the reversal of flow reduces the discharge pressure or
increases the suction pressure, thus allowing forward flow to resume again until the pressure
rise again reaches the surge point. This surge cycle will continue until some change is made in
the process or compressor conditions.

SURGING IN A CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

'Surging' is defined as 'A momentary back-flow' through the compressor

from the discharge to the suction. This can occur when the mass flow of
gas to the compressor falls below a critical level with a high pressure
difference across the machine. When there is not enough gas to replace
that being pushed forward, discharge gas will flow backwards through
the compressor towards the suction side. This back-flow will tend to
decrease the speed of rotation while the speed controller will try to
maintain the correct speed. The gas flowing backward provides more
volume to the suction side and the compressor picks up and begins to
push gas forward again. The machine speed will tend to increase and the
governor will again try to maintain the correct, set speed. All of this
takes place very quickly; the backward and forward gas flow together
with the speed control action causes rapid fluctuations in the flow and
pressure of the system. This 'Surging' in the machine can be very
damaging to the compressor and associated piping and equipment due to
heavy vibrations set up in the system. Generally, if the suction flow
drops too low, a 'Low-flow Trip' will shut down the machine. Also,
surging can cause the machine to 'Overspeed' before the control system
can react. This can also cause damage and is prevented by an 'Overspeed
Trip Mechanism' which will again shut down the machine.
These problems of Surging are usually prevented by an 'Anti-surge'
system and control valve which, externally, recycles discharge gas back
to the suction side in order to maintain a 'Minimum Flow Rate' to the
machine. Because compression causes temperature increase, this recycle
gas is normally taken from the discharge side, downstream of the after-
cooler, in order to prevent greater and greater temperature increase at the
discharge side.
In large, powerful machines, the anti-surge system is computer
controlled and depends upon data received from the following: - Gas
Flow rate, Suction pressure and Temperature, Discharge Pressure and
the Density (or S.G.) of the gas entering the machine.
Figure: 8, on the following page gives a general idea of an anti-surge
system.

In the above picture the Combustion Gas Turbine consists of an Axial

Flow air compressor, a High Pressure (HP) Compressor Turbine and a
Low Pressure (LP) Load Turbine. Six fuel fired Combustion Chambers, (3
each side), provide the heat input into the air compressor discharge
and the super-heated air provides the required energy to drive the HP
turbine. The hot gases give up energy in driving the HP turbine but,
sufficient remains in the hot gases to drive the LP (load) turbine. The LP
turbine is connected by a shaft to the 'Load' which, in this case, is two,
multi-stage, natural gas compressors driven in 'Tandem'.