US2014064948A1PendingUtilityA1
System and method for operating a compressor device
Est. expiryAug 31, 2032(~6.1 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
F04D 17/10F04D 27/0246F04D 27/0261Y02B30/70
36
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Claims
Abstract
Embodiments of a system and method manipulate the position of inlet guide vanes and the drive speed for optimizing performance of a compressor device (e.g., a centrifugal compressor). In one embodiment, the systems and methods can correlate setpoints (e.g., inlet volume flow and discharge pressure) desired for installation and/or implementation of the compressor device with reference data collected as part of in-situ performance testing. This reference data identifies, in one embodiment, a position for the inlet guide vanes and a drive speed for a number of different setpoints at a set of reference conditions (e.g., ambient temperature and ambient pressure).
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modifiedWhat is claimed is:
1 . A system, comprising:
a compressor device comprising an impeller, a drive unit coupled with the impeller, and an inlet guide vane in flow connection with the impeller; a controller coupled with the compressor device, the controller comprising a processor, memory, and executable instructions stored on memory and configured to be executed by the processor, the executable instructions comprising instructions for:
receiving a first signal encoding a first set of operating conditions for the compressor device;
converting a first setpoint to a second setpoint for the compressor device, the second setpoint corresponding to a second set of operating conditions that is different from the first set of operating conditions;
selecting an operation setting for the compressor device to achieve the second setpoint; and
generating an output encoding instructions to operate the compressor device according to the operation setting.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second setpoint identifies a value for an inlet volume flow for working fluid upstream of the impeller.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second setpoint identifies a discharge pressure for working fluid proximate an outlet of the compressor device.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the operation setting identifies a position for the inlet guide vanes.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the operation setting identifies a drive speed for the drive unit.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first set of operating conditions and the second set of operating conditions comprise values for an ambient temperature and an ambient pressure during operation of the compressor device.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the second setpoint is calculated according to:
SP
second
=
SP
first
(
P
second
P
first
)
×
(
T
first
T
second
)
,
wherein SP second is the second setpont at the second set of operating conditions, SP first is the first setpoint at the first set of operating conditions, P first is the ambient pressure for the first set of operating conditions, P second is the ambient pressure for the second set of operating conditions, T first is the ambient temperature for the first set of operating conditions, and T second is the ambient temperature for the second set of operating conditions.
8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the executable instructions include instructions for:
calculating a value for adiabatic head pressure at the first set of operating conditions, and selecting a value for the second setpoint that corresponds with the value for adiabatic head pressure at the second set of operating conditions, wherein the value for adiabatic head pressure is calculated according to:
Head
adiabatic
=
(
K
K
-
1
)
(
Z
a
RT
1
MW
)
[
(
P
2
P
1
)
(
k
-
1
k
)
-
1
]
,
wherein Head adiabatic is the adiabatic head pressure for an ambient temperature and an ambient pressure at the first set of operating conditions, k is heat capacity ratio for the working fluid, Z a is the average gas compressibility factor for the working fluid, R is the gas constant for the working fluid, MW the molecular weight for the working fluid, T 1 is the ambient temperature at the first set of operating conditions, P 1 is the ambient pressure at the first set of operating conditions, and P 2 is the discharge pressure at surge.
9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising instructions for:
comparing the second setpoint to a threshold value corresponding to a fail condition for the compressor device; and adjusting operation of the compressor device according to the operation setting if the second setpoint meets or is less than the threshold value.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the threshold value defines a minimum inlet volume flow for prevent compressor surge.
11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising instructions for:
selecting a first value and a second value for the operation setting that correspond to, respectively, an upper value for the second setpoint and a lower value for the second setpoint; and calculating a required value for the operation setting, wherein the required value is calculated according to:
OP
rv
=
OP
lv
+
(
OP
uv
-
OP
lv
)
(
SP
rv
-
SP
lv
)
(
SP
uv
-
SP
lv
)
,
wherein OP rv is the required value for the operation setting, OP lv is the first value for the operating setting, OP uv is the second value of the operating setting, SP rv is the value for the second setpoint, SP lv is the lower value for the second setpoint, and SP uv is the upper value for the second setpoint.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the second setpoint comprises discharge pressure for working fluid from the compressor device.
13 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a variable frequency drive coupled with the drive unit, the variable frequency drive generating a motor input that defines a motor input frequency and a motor input voltage, wherein the instructions define one or more of the motor input frequency and the input voltage.
14 . A compressor device, comprising:
a controller comprising a processor, memory, and executable instructions stored on memory and configured to be executed by the processor, the executable instructions comprising instructions for:
receiving a signal encoding a first set of operating conditions for the compressor device;
converting a first setpoint to a second setpoint for the compressor device, the second setpoint corresponding to a second set of operating conditions that is different from the first set of operating conditions;
selecting an operation setting for the compressor device to achieve the second setpoint; and
generating an output encoding instructions to operate the compressor device according to the operation setting.
15 . A controller for operating a compressor device, said controller comprising:
a processor; memory; and executable instructions stored on memory and configured to be executed by the processor, the executable instructions for:
receiving a first signal encoding a first set of operating conditions for the compressor device;
converting a first setpoint to a second setpoint for the compressor device, the second setpoint corresponding to a second set of operating conditions that is different from the first set of operating conditions;
selecting a first operation setting for the compressor device to achieve the second setpoint; and
generating an output encoding instructions to operate the compressor device according to the first operation setting.
16 . The controller of claim 15 , further comprising executable instructions for:
selecting a first value and an second value for the operation setting that correspond to, respectively, an upper value for the second setpoint and a lower value for the second setpoint; and calculating a required value for the operation setting, wherein the required value is calculated according to:
OP
rv
=
OP
lv
+
(
OP
uv
-
OP
lv
)
(
SP
rv
-
SP
lv
)
(
SP
uv
-
SP
lv
)
,
wherein OP rv is the required value for the operation setting, OP lv , is the first value for the operating setting, OP uv is the second value of the operating setting, SP rv is the value for the second setpoint, SP lv is the lower value for the second setpoint, and SP uv is the upper value for the second setpoint.
17 . The controller of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for:
calculating the second setpoint according to:
SP
second
=
SP
first
(
P
second
P
first
)
×
(
T
first
T
second
)
,
wherein SP first is the first setpoint, SP second is the second setpoint, P first is ambient pressure for the first set of operating conditions, P second is ambient pressure for the second set of operating conditions, T first is ambient temperature for the first set of operating conditions, and T second is ambient temperature for the second set of operating conditions.
18 . The controller of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for:
calculating a value for adiabatic head pressure, and selecting a value for the second setpoint that corresponds with the value for adiabatic head pressure, wherein the value for adiabatic head pressure is calculated according to:
Head
adiabatic
=
(
K
K
-
1
)
(
Z
a
RT
1
MW
)
[
(
P
2
P
1
)
(
k
-
1
k
)
-
1
]
,
wherein Head adiabatic is the adiabatic head pressure for an ambient temperature and an ambient pressure during operation of the compressor device, k is heat capacity ratio for the working fluid, Z a is the average gas compressibility factor for the working fluid, R is the gas constant for the working fluid, MW the molecular weight for the working fluid, T 1 is the ambient temperature, P 1 is the ambient pressure, and P 2 is the discharge pressure at surge.
19 . The controller of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for:
receiving a second signal encoding a first value for an operating parameter for the compressor device operating according to a first position for an inlet guide vane; receiving a third signal encoding a second value for the operating parameter for the compressor device operating according to a second position for an inlet guide vane; comparing the first value and the second value; selecting an increment by which to change the second position, the increment defining the relative position of the second value with respect to the first value; and generating an output encoding instructions to move the inlet guide vane from the second position by the increment.
20 . The controller of claim 19 , wherein the operating parameter comprises an input power value for the drive unit.
21 . The controller of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for:
receiving a second signal encoding a first value for an operating parameter for the compressor device operating according to a first setting of a variable speed drive; receiving a third signal encoding a second value for the operating parameter for the compressor device operating according to a second setting for the variable speed drive; comparing the first value and the second value; selecting an increment by which to change the second operation setting, the increment defining the relative position of the second value with respect to the first value; and generating an output encoding instructions to move the second setting by the increment.
22 . The controller of claim 21 , wherein the operating parameter comprises an input power value for the drive unit.
23 . The controller of claim 21 , wherein the operating parameter comprises a power transmission value that measures torque applied to the impeller by the drive unit.
24 . A computer program product for improving efficiency of a compressor device, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having executable instructions embodied therein, wherein the executable instructions comprise one or more executable instructions for:
receiving a signal encoding a first set of operating conditions for the compressor device; converting a first setpoint to a second setpoint for the compressor device, the second setpoint corresponding to a second set of operating conditions that is different from the first set of operating conditions; selecting an operation setting for the compressor device to achieve the second setpoint; and generating an output encoding instructions to operate the compressor device according to the operation setting.Join the waitlist — get patent alerts
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