"Avoiding surge is not an option—it's a guarantee: intelligent antisurge for critical compressors"
The Antisurge Control Package by CPC Engineering is a comprehensive solution to protect centrifugal and axial compressors against surge events. It combines preventive detection and advanced operational control to ensure stability, energy efficiency, and avoid damage or unplanned shutdowns.
This modular solution operates with high speed and accuracy, integrating predictive algorithms, bumpless logic, and full connectivity with PLC or DCS. It improves compressor availability, extends its lifetime, and reduces maintenance costs.
Its flexible design allows use in new installations or upgrades, either by integrating with existing controllers or replacing obsolete systems, reducing project execution times.
The package is composed of three solutions that can be implemented individually or combined for advanced compressor protection. These three solutions are:
How it works
Click the following menu to learn more about each component of the Antisurge Control Package and its function.
ASC - Protection
The antisurge protection loads the compressor’s surge curves, applies a safety factor, and sets a minimum flow based on the current operating point.
It also analyzes critical variables in real time such as flow, pressures, and temperatures to ensure the operating flow is above the minimum threshold. If this is not the case, it takes progressive actions on the antisurge valve to ensure the establishment of the minimum flow, guaranteeing safe operation of the compressor.
Detection – SD
SD - Detection
The surge detector provides crucial support to the protection system in case the final control elements (valves) cannot dynamically follow the setpoints. This system has preloaded surge patterns that allow it to identify events and take progressive actions, including solenoid actuation or machine shutdown if necessary.
PRC - Operation Control
The operation controller coordinates the antisurge valve positioning with another load control variable (speed, IGV position, suction pressure, etc.), ensuring a dynamic and energy-optimized response at all times.
Key Features
- Total Protection: complete elimination of surge events in new or existing equipment.
- Modular Package: three integrated solutions for surge protection and detection combined with effective operation control.
- Continuous Monitoring: ultra-fast measurement cycles (< 50 ms) of compressor status and operating variables with alarm generation.
- Flexibility: algorithms can be implemented on existing equipment (PLC or DCS) to reduce equipment and spare parts.
- System Compatibility: the package accepts external signals allowing easy integration with higher-level control structures, maximizing interoperability.
- Operational Benefits: minimizes downtime, reduces mechanical failure risk, and maximizes compressor lifecycle for long-term sustainable production.
Precise Reaction and Continuous Protection Against Surge Conditions
The Antisurge Control System (ASC) from CPC Engineering actively protects the compressor against surge events, preventing abrupt drops in flow that could cause mechanical damage. It ensures stable and safe operation, extends equipment life, and secures process continuity.
The ASC is part of an advanced protection architecture for centrifugal and axial compressors. It can be implemented in new projects or integrated into existing systems via DCS or PLC.
Its logic is designed to anticipate surge, performing real-time calculations and taking progressive actions on the antisurge valve. It complies with international standards as an effective and mandatory solution for protecting critical compressors.
How it works
The system begins with a detailed technical analysis of the compressor (manufacturer data, plant tests, and historical records), which is used to define the surge line. Based on this and safety margins, the minimum operational flow is determined.
During operation, the ASC monitors key variables like flow and pressure in real time. When nearing the surge line, it triggers progressive corrective actions such as opening the antisurge valve.
Its sampling rate (every 100 ms) and reactive logic ensure effective protection without oversizing safety margins, contributing to system energy efficiency.
Key Features
- Complete Protection: maintains a constant minimum flow, avoiding fluctuations that could trigger surge.
- Customized Tuning: after extensive field testing, the system is configured with exact minimum flow values for each operating point.
- Adaptable Protection: the flexibility of its algorithms allows real-time adaptation to gas composition or operational condition changes.
- Effective Control: uses advanced algorithms to take progressive actions, ensuring safe operation even under installation constraints.
- Fast Variable Reading: no matter the surge dynamics, its ultra-fast cycle allows action in milliseconds.
- Energy Optimization: minimizes safety margins to avoid premature protective actions.
- Useful Information: algorithm flexibility allows customized information display for operators based on client needs.
Ultrafast Surge Event Detection for Immediate Response and Total Protection
The Surge Detector (SD) from CPC Engineering is a real-time monitoring system designed to detect surge events in centrifugal and axial compressors. It triggers alarms, activates protections, or may even initiate emergency shutdowns under critical conditions.
It provides an additional safety layer and can operate independently or integrated with the ASC (Antisurge Controller). It is ideal for compressors operating near their performance limits.
It detects sudden changes in variables such as flow, current, or pressure, responding within milliseconds to prevent mechanical damage and ensure process continuity.
How it works
The SD analyzes characteristic surge patterns using a continuous monitoring algorithm with 50 ms cycles. When it detects abnormal behavior, it executes configurable actions like triggering solenoids or emergency signals.
Combined with the ASC, it offers a coordinated solution of prevention, detection, and response, ensuring comprehensive protection against surge scenarios.
Key Features
- Robust Detection: ultrafast (50 ms) and constant reading of critical compressor variables (flow, current, or power), ensuring effective surge event detection.
- Adaptable Actions: internal settings allow precise configuration to take different actions based on the number of detected events.
- Event Differentiation: distinguishes events due to power dips, desynchronizations, and motor reacceleration.
- Preventive Alarms: automatic alerts upon surge condition detection, allowing personnel to act before damage occurs.
- Equipment Protection: minimizes mechanical failure risks by triggering solenoids or directly shutting down the compressor.
Operational Performance Optimization Without Compromising Compressor Safety
The Performance Controller (PRC) from CPC Engineering dynamically adjusts compressor operation according to process demand. It optimizes energy and operational performance while maintaining surge protection at all times.
It complements the ASC by adding intelligence based on compressor load. It adjusts the antisurge valve in coordination with variables such as IGV, suction, or speed, adapting to real system demand.
Its flexible architecture allows integration into new or existing systems, ideal for installations with parallel compressors or variable load cycles.
How it works
The PRC calculates the optimal operating point of the compressor and adjusts the antisurge valve position in combination with other key variables, ensuring safety, stability, and minimal energy consumption.
It can integrate with advanced systems (DMC, multivariable or plant-wide control), and when combined with ASC, it allows margin reduction without losing protection, achieving higher operational efficiency.
Key Features
- Integral Control: By incorporating all operational variables, it enables optimal compressor operation, ensuring:
- Reduction of safety margins.
- Operational stability.
- Fast response to operational changes.
- Significant overall consumption reduction.
- Integration with ASC: Works jointly with ASC to prevent surge events while maintaining optimal compressor performance, allowing for reduced safety margins.
- Plant Safety: Integrates safety controllers to prevent overpressure or overcurrent scenarios that could endanger the plant.
- Safe Starts and Stops: Load-based control enables gradual process integration, avoiding overshoots during startups or parallel compressor setups.
- System Integrability: Fully integrates with horizontal or higher-level control structures.