COMPRESSOR OPERATION

Faculty
Rajsekhar Patnala

Prepared by
Production-CG
Team

DMPN-CG

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CONTENTS

Introduction

Compressor Takeover From Maintenance

Start-Up

Normal Running And Monitoring

Trip/Emergency Shutdown

Hot/Cold Start Up

Shutdown And Handover To Maintenance

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INTRODUCTION

Compressors are complex machines.

Complexity lies in the forces(thermal, mechanical stresses

etc) that are acting on the machine components.

Operating personnel should understand the systems and

procedures thoroughly.

SOPs on various operational procedures should be

available handy.

Operating personnel should be very attentive and follow

all the safety norms while in the vicinity or working with
compressor.

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COMPRESSOR COMPONENTS

J
B

J
B

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T
B

T
B

COMPRESSOR COMPONENTS

Compressor
Turbine Drive
Governor
Anti-surge System
Bearings (Temp, Vibration, axial displacement)
LO System (cooler, Filter, accumulators, mist
eliminator)
Barring System
Gland System
Condensate System
Rundown Tank

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COMPRESSOR TAKEOVER FROM MAINTENANCE

1. Ensure that all the jobs are completed as per the Job
list.
2. Get the clearance from maintenance departments
(mechanical / electrical / inst).
3. Ensure that blinding & deblinding is done for Normal
Running condition.
4. Physically look around the compressor to check if
there are any incomplete jobs.
5. Ensure removal of debris, tools and tackle, scaffolding
in the compressor area.
6. Ensure area is cleaned properly and there is no oil
spillage
7. Ensure proper lighting.

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COMPRESSOR STARTUP
Depending on the Compressor vendor and type
there will be minor variations in the compressor
operating procedures. The procedure presented in the
following slides gives general idea which will be
common for all the centrifugal steam driven
compressors.

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STEPS DURING STARTUP

1. Preparation.
2. Establish cooling water.
3. Establish separation seal buffer.
4. Startup oil system.
5. Establish seal system.
6. Take turning gear inline.
7. Start live steam piping warm-up HP side and LP side.
8. Steam turbine chest valve Initial warm-up.
9. Lineup the gland steam condenser.
10.Line-up vacuum condenser in line.
11.Preparation of compressor.
12.Starting steam turbine.
13.Compressor loading and stabilizing.

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STEPS DURING STARTUP

PREPARATION
Ensure all the utilities are commissioned namely Cooling Water, Plant
air, Nitrogen, HHP/HP/MP/LP Steam
Get the clearance from maintenance
departments( mechanical/electrical /instrumentation (if maintenance
job is carried out )
Ensure that blinding & deblinding is done for Normal Running
condition.
Take Clearance for Steam from TPS.

Ensure HHP steam main valves, bypass valves, control valve and trip
valve are closed

Ensure backpressure LP Steam line main valves & bypass valves are
closed.
Open condensate drain valve in SHH line and dry the steam upto
main B/V Open condensate drain valve in SL line and dry the steam
upto main B/V
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STEPS DURING STARTUP

ESTABLISH COOLING WATER
Commission cooling water in following systems
Ejector condenser of Gland System
LO cooler.
Turbine steam condenser
LO pump bearing house
Precautions:
Remove air pockets.
Ensure TSV/PSVs are in line
Ensure TG, PG are working

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STEPS DURING STARTUP

ESTABLISH SEPARATION SEAL BUFFER

Line up the Nitrogen supply Filter.

Ensure DP across filter is in normal range,
Service the filter if PDG shows high.
Set pressure of separation seal buffer.
Line up separation seal buffer valves

Precautions:
Ensure TSV/PSVs are in line
Ensure TG, PG are working
Confirm the flow of nitrogen

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STEPS DURING STARTUP

ESTABLISH LUBE OIL SYSTEM

Ensure that sufficient oil level is there in the reservoir or else Topup
Heat oil if necessary
Prepare accumulators ready.
Prepare the LOP(T) and start the pump
Circulate oil through various circuits
Remove air pockets from TSV, impulse lines, filters, accumulators
etc.
Fill the rundown tank , commission it and check through sight glass
Ensure flow through all the Oil return lines.
Run the mist eliminator
Run Centrifuge
Precautions:
Ensure that leaks are not there,
Stabilize the pressure, temperature level readings
Check the auto start of the standby pump
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STEPS DURING STARTUP

ESTABLISH SEAL GAS SYSTEM

Keep the discharge PSV bypass open.

Line up Flush gas supply to the seal.
Set the flow of flush gas on both DE and NDE .
Establish primary buffer

Precautions:
Ensure there is not pressure buildup in the compressor
casing that will damage the seal
Ensure that the filter DP is normal and there is no
condensate in the system.

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STEPS DURING STARTUP

TAKING TURNING GEAR IN LINE

Initial operation of turning gear should be done manually to

ensure that breakaway of the turbine train is possible without
exceeding the torque capability of the Turning Gear. This will
be done by Maintenance.
Start turning gear system (approx. one hour prior to start-up
for cold start up
Disable lock out function of turning gear by selecting handle
position on turning gear before turning motor start.
Confirm that the turning gear is in disengage position and
start the motor.
Check for shaft rotation and proper operation of turning gear.
Adjust the Seal gas system flows after turning gear is put in
operation.

Precautions:
Ensure shaft rotation physically and from field instruments
Check the axial displacement and vibration probe readings
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STEPS DURING STARTUP

START LIVE STEAM PIPING & STEAM TURBINE CHEST
VALVE INITIAL WARM-UP

Admit LP Steam(exhaust steam) for approximately 3 hours

by opening bypass valve of NRV with opening casing drain
and other drains to remove condensate.
Ensure that SSH steam is superheated by at least 30oC
Open the b/v's in the drain including TTV drains and warmup lines to allow the removal of condensate arising during
warm-up.
Warm up inlet piping system simultaneously up to the
recommended superheat condition as shown in table. TTV
warm up will be part of Inlet piping system.
TTV drain line shall be kept open during warm up.
Continue warming-up casing with exhaust steam until
temperatures are climbing very slowly. Increase casing metal
temperature to (SL Temp - 30) oC approx. at deep
temperature sensors ( If necessary open TTV valves and
admit steam into casing.

Precautions:

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STEPS DURING STARTUP

LINEUP THE GLAND STEAM CONDENSER

Ensure cooling water is Charged

Check the CW pressures and temperatures on the
gland steam condenser.
Ensure that the goose neck sealed by filling with
water Take inline the condensate trap in the SM line.
Charge steam slowly and establish vacuum.
Ensure that no steam escapes at the rotor ends of the
steam turbine,
In case of steam escape have the malfunction
corrected.

Precautions:
If steam turbine is in hot condition during turbine trip
break the vacuum till the time steam is charged,
ingress of air into gland will cause shaft
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STEPS DURING STARTUP

PREPARATION OF COMPRESSOR

Ensure Blinding/ Deblinding is done as per list.

Purge the suction lines with Nitrogen purge provided,
to remove air from the circuit Pressurise the casing
to
0.5kg/cm2
and
vent
to
atmosphere
and
Depressurise using LPDs in suction, discharge and
spill back line.
Repeat this till sample from casing reads oxygen
<0.2%.
Open anti-surge valves to full open condition and free
from hand wheel.
Open Inventory isolation valves.
Lineup tracing steam
of suction lines of the
Compressor.
Once Compressor is floating with suction close the
PSV bypass that are opened. Drain compressor casing
free of any liquid.
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STEAM TURBINE - STARTUP

PERMISSIVES FOR STARTING STEAM TURBINE

Normally unless certain conditions of the compressor

are met as mentioned typical of FCC WGC below, the
compressor start is not allowed by the ESD system

WGC Start Permissive:

I305
I305
I305
I305
I305
I305
I305
I305

STARTPERMISSIVE FOR WGC FROM 1ST AS VALVE OPEN FEEDBACK

FSH0182
STARTPERMISSIVE FOR WGC FROM 2ND AS VALVE OPEN FEEDBACK
FSH0135
LO COOLER O/L TEMP NOT LOW
TT4402
LO SUPPLY HDR PRESSURE COMP PERMISSIVE
NOTLOW
PT4201
DP BETWEEN FLUSH N2 AND PRIMARY BUFFER
PDT4203
ESV CLOSE FEED BACK
ZSL4302
OVERHEAD TANK LEVEL
HIGH
LIA4200
CONTROL OIL HDR PRESSURE NOT LOW
PT4303
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SP
SP
SP
SP
SP
SP
SP
SP

STEAM TURBINE - STARTUP

Start the Turbine (Typical of FCC WGC by Elliot Ebara)

Check if Ready to start is achieved.

Keep the governor valve full open.
Slowly open the TTV valve manually to increase the
RPM @ 10rpm/sec
Bring the rpm to low idle speed of 600rpm.
If any noise is observed reduce speed to previous step
and wait till noise gets reduced
Monitor (SI-4300/2) and control speed at low Idle
speed #1 using the T&T valve (023-TOV-401).And
confirm that the all mechanical conditions are
satisfactory.
Confirm
that
the
bearing
temperatures
(T14350/1/2/3/4/5/6/7) and vibration levels (VIX-4350/2,
VIY-4351/4) are stabilized before making speed
changes, And confirm that all the mechanical
conditions are satisfactory.
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STEAM TURBINE - STARTUP

Start the Turbine (Typical of FCC WGC by Elliot Ebara)

Confirm
that
the
bearing
temperatures
(T14350/1/2/3/4/5/6/7) and vibration levels (VIX-4350/2,
VIY-4351/4) are stabilized before making speed
changes, And confirm that all the mechanical
conditions are satisfactory.
Bring the RPM to low Idle speed#2 of 1500rpm @ 10
rpm/sec by throttling 023-TOV-401 manually with
governor valves (SV-4302) wide open for equalized
casing warming and keep at that RPM for 80 min
Confirm that the Deep casing metal temp (TI4302TI4304) < 80 C and shallow casing metal temp
(TI4303-TI4305) < 80 C and Temp diff (TI4306-TI4307)
< 125 C.
Rise the deep casing metal temperatures to 150 C at
(TI-4302/4) at end of low idle#2 1500 rpm.
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STEAM TURBINE - STARTUP

Start the Turbine (Typical of FCC WGC by Elliot Ebara)

Gradually open T&T valve fully. Then governor will

control train speed a Iittle bit above low Idle speed#2
of 1500. Confirm that governor is controlling speed
(once the speed exceeds reference speed (SI-4301/3) a
Now press acceleration start (HS4321), the train will
be brought to high Idle speed of 2400 rpm by Auto
Acceleration Logic. and then back to reference speed).
There is a critical speed band (1600-2100), in this band
the acceleration will be 20 rpm/sec
Allow the deep casing temperatures to rise above 150
C
Increase the speed to minimum governing speed.

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STEAM TURBINE - STARTUP

Loading the Turbine (Typical of FCC WGC by Elliot Ebara)

Check the process readiness

Put anti-surge controllers in auto.
Slowly increase the load and allow the anti-surge to
close.
Put the speed controller in auto cascade.
While loading watch for level increase in compressor
KODs and turbine condensate well.

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NORMAL RUNNING AND MONITORING

During normal running condition the operating

parameter of both process and machine are to be
monitored.
The monitoring interfaces are DCS panel, SRR, LCP.

Parameters to monitor
Process P/T/F
Anti-surge controller deviation
Compressor discharge pressure controller.
Compressor KOD levels and Auto Run of condensate
pumps.
LO system filter DP/ Temp, LO quality level
Vibration/compressor
temp/
axial
displacement
readings.
Seal system health(DP, Nitrogen pressure, seal gas
leak flow.)
Cooling water flow
Gland leak and Gland system
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Physical verification
of for
compressor
for integrity and

TRIP / EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN

Trip is executed by ESD system when any of the process/

machine parameters crosses healthy values and bring the
machine to safe shutdown
LO TOis
BEARINGS
HDR PRESSURE
TO TRIP WGC 2/3WGC
Below
the Typical
of FCC-INDMAX
IZ302
PZT4200A/B/C
TRIP
IZ304
IZ306
IZ311
IZ312
IZ313
IZ314
IZ321
IZ322
IZ323
IZ324
IZ325
IZ326
IZ327
IZ328
IZ329
IZ330
IZ331
IZ332
IZ333
IZ334
IZ341
IZ371

WGC SEAL NITROGEN PRESSURE LOW

PZT4295A/B/C
DP BETWEEN FLUSH N2 AND PRIMARY BUFFER TO TRIP WGC
PDZT4202A/B/C
RPM INDICATION TO TRIP CONFIRM SOURCE (SA4302)
SPEED SIGNAL FROM GOVERNOR OVERSPEED TRIP
(2/3)
OVERSPEED PROTECHTION PROTECH203
SSHH4351
(2/3)
EMERGENCY STOP PUSH BUTTON
(HSZ4306)
ZZS4250A/B/C
2/3
VZX4250/4251
1/2
VZX4252/4253
1/2
VZX4350/4351
1/2
VZX4352/4353
1/2
ZZS4350A/B/C
2/3
TZ4250/4251
1/2
TZ4252/4253
1/2
TZ4254/4255
1/2
TZ4256/4257
1/2
TZ4350/4351
1/2
TZ4352/4353
1/2
TZ4354/4355
1/2
TZ4356/4357
1/2
CONTROL OIL HEADER PRESSURE LOW
PZT4304A/B/C (2/3)
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TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP
TRIP

TRIP / EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN

Usual Trip conditions
Process side
High KOD level
High discharge temperature
Inventory valve accidental closure
Machine side
High vibrations
High axial displacement
High temperature in bearings
LO pressure low
Low control oil pressure
Excessive surge
Seal failure detected by high seal gas flow
Over speed trip
Emergency stop
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TRIP / EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN

AFTERMATH OF TRIP & HOT COLD START-UP
Effects of activation of trip
TTV will close
Control oil to governor will stop
Inventory valve will close
Machine train will coast down to barring condition
Barring will be activated

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HOT / COLD STARTUP

COLD START UP (WGC-FCC)

HOT STARTUP

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SHUTDOWN & HANDOVER TO MAINTENANCE

Switch the Speed control and the Anti-surge valves to

manual.

Gradually reduce load by reducing the turbine speed

to minimum governing speed and open the anti-surge
valve fully.

Press the Stop Gov stop: This will eventually close

the Governor Valve and the T & T Valve.

Monitor the vibration levels, particularly when

approaching the unit critical speeds. In the event that
severe vibration is encountered when approaching the
critical speed, decelerate as quickly as possible.

Shut down the gland condenser leak off system before

rotor comes to a stop.
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SHUTDOWN & HANDOVER TO MAINTENANCE

Close the exhaust block valve and release the casing

internal pressure as quickly as possible. Confirm zero
speed for a while and confirm that there is no
possibility of reverse rotation.

Then select ratcheting position (not lockout position)

of the lever on the turning gearbox. And start the
turning gear.

The recommended turning period is minimum 14 hrs

after turbine shut down. When turning period is over,
stop the turning motor. And select lockout position
(not ratcheting position) of the lever on the turning
gearbox before rotor complete stop.

Be sure that no steam can enter the turbine from any

source when idle. Open the turbine casing drains once
unit is entirely blocked-in
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SHUTDOWN & HANDOVER TO MAINTENANCE

Open the compressor drains and drain off any liquid.

Depressurise and purge with nitrogen and blind the
suction and discharge

General Precaution

Allow the auxiliary oil pump to operate until the

bearings have reached temp. of oil leaving the cooler.
Shutdown the gas seal system after the compressor
has been depressurized. Shut down the separation
seal buffer after oil system has been shutdown
If an unusual amount of liquid is drained from the
compressor, it should be analyzed to determine the
source. Steps should be taken immediately to prevent
liquid from entering into the compressor.
Handover to maintenance for blinding.
After blinding purge the system and handover to
maintenance only when gas test is passed
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LIST OF MAJOR CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSORS

UNIT

COMPRESSOR

VENDOR

SERVICE

DRIVE

UNIT - 23
FCC

WGC (WETGAS
COMPRESSOR)

ELLIOT
EBARA

HYDROCAR
BON

UNIT - 23
FCC

MAB (MAIN AIR

BLOWER)
VRC (VAPOR
RECOVERY
COMPRESSOR)
40K001 (NHT
RECYCLE GAS
COMPRESSOR
42K001 (CCR
RECYCLE GAS
COMPRESSOR)
42K002 ( NET
GAS
COMPRESSOR-1)
42K003 ( NET
GAS
COMPRESSOR-2)

MAN
TURBO

AIR

STEAM
TURBINE
DRIVEN
STEAM
TURBINE
DRIVEN

ELLIOT
EBARA

HYDROCAR
BON

MOTOR
DRIVEN

HITACHI

HYDROCAR
BON

DRESSOR
RAND

HYDROCAR
BON

MOTOR
DRIVEN
STEAM
TURBINE
DRIVEN

HITACHI

HYDROCAR
BON

MOTOR
DRIVEN

HITACHI

HYDROCAR
BON

BHEL

HYDROGEN

MOTOR
DRIVEN
STEAM
TURBINE
DRIVEN
STEAM
TURBINE
DRIVEN

UNIT - 70
PRU
UNIT-40 NHT
UNIT-42 CCR
UNIT-42 CCR
UNIT-42 CCR
UNIT20/21/22
VGO-HDT
UNIT13/14/15
DHDT
UNIT-24
ALKYLATION

RECYCLE GAS
COMPRESSOR

RECYCLE GAS
COMPRESSOR
BHEL
HYDROGEN
REFRIEGERATION
GAS
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MOTOR
DRIVEN

WHAT CAN GO WRONG?

During startup

Not Properly drying the steam/ faulty Steam Traps

Not Giving sufficient time for idling

Not ensuring LO quality/quantity

Improper lineup of process valves

Bypassing Safety Interlocks

Improper Inertisation

Restriction in discharge circuit

Improper Draining of KOD/Casing

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SAFETY ASPECTS

Strictly Avoid Assumptions

Follow SOPs provided

Communication between field and panel

Keen observation for leaks with gas monitors

Ear Muffs along with other safety gear

Ensure that all the online gas detectors in the vicinity

are functioning

Checking of the Safety Interlock systems

Test Run/Surge Test should be done before

commissioning

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QUERIES

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