SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING ROTATING STALL IN A CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

摘要

A system and method is provided for detecting and controlling rotating stall in the diffuser region 119 of a centrifugal compressor 108. A pressure transducer 160 is placed in the gas flow path downstream of the impeller 202, preferably in the compressor discharge passage or the diffuser 119, to measure the sound or acoustic pressure phenomenon. Next, the signal from the pressure transducer 160 is processed either using analog or digital techniques to determine the presence of rotating stall. Rotating stall is detected by comparing the detected energy amount, which detected energy amount is based on the measured acoustic pressure, with a predetermined threshold amount corresponding to the presence of rotating stall. Finally, an appropriate corrective action is taken to change the operation of the centrifugal compressor 108 in response to the detection of rotating stall.