Monitoring the mechanical health of compressors is critical to chemical plant operations.
Compressors are used for a wide variety of gas compression services in chemical and petrochemical facilities. Since they are mechanical, rotating equipment, condition monitoring is critical to ensuring uninterrupted operation. Emerson has all the necessary tools to monitor compressor health.
Whether a small compressor for instrument air or a huge cracked-gas compressor for an ethylene plant, all compressors have rotating elements. And where there’s rotation, there’s vibration. Excessive vibration creates costly problems—such as bearing, shaft, or coupling issues—leading to compressor failure and a potential unit shutdown. Emerson’s online compressor monitoring solutions provide a reliability team with early warning alerts of excessive vibration and bearing wear, allowing technicians to perform repairs or adjustments to prevent equipment damage and avoid lost production.
AMS 6500 ATG Asset Protection System
The AMS 6500 ATG allows users to cost-effectively initiate prediction monitoring of critical assets from the same card system.
Online Condition Monitoring Solutions for Mechanical Assets
Enhance chemical plant efficiency with real-time mechanical asset monitoring and advanced analytics.
Plantweb Health Advisor: Compressors
A preconfigured application that continuously analyzes and reports compressor health data for bearing and gear wear, compressor instability, control vane defect, low flow, and plugged suction filter.
Improper installation starts a chain of shaft misalignment issues, causing excessive vibration, resulting in compressor damage and eventual premature failure. With Emerson’s asset health monitoring technology, technicians can identify and respond to the root causes of misalignment, and they can detect effects related to bearing and lubrication issues early to avoid breakdowns and minimize maintenance costs.
Online Condition Monitoring Solutions for Mechanical Assets
Enhance chemical plant efficiency with real-time mechanical asset monitoring and advanced analytics.
AMS 2140 Machinery Health Analyzer
The AMS 2140 Machinery Health Analyzer takes vibration data and analysis measurements to the next level.
Plantweb Health Advisor: Compressors
A preconfigured application that continuously analyzes and reports compressor health data for bearing and gear wear, compressor instability, control vane defect, low flow, and plugged suction filter.
Turbine compressors are sensitive to inlet pressure, and sudden changes in composition, flow, or suction pressure can trigger surge, which, if uncontrolled, can cause catastrophic mechanical damage. With Emerson’s compressor monitoring solutions, operators can analyze pressure data in real time to detect pre-surge conditions and implement anti-surge control strategies to ensure safe operation, while improving energy efficiency. Emerson also provides a variety of Fisher control valves designed for surge protection.
Compressor Anti-Surge Control Valves
Protect against compressor surge and improve stability with Fisher optimized anti-surge valve assemblies.
Rosemount Pressure Transmitters
Pressure transmitters and transducers with industry-leading performance help improve operations in your chemical plant.
SmartProcess Compressor
This application works with smart field devices to improve compressor operation safety, stabilize the main process parameter and increase energy efficiency.
AMS Device Manager
Predictive maintenance helps plants avoid unplanned shutdowns and inefficient practices that eat away at profits. AMS Device Manager helps avoid these unnecessary costs with a window into the health of intelligent field devices.
Fisher™ FB Fabricated Angle Valves
Fisher FB angle valves are used with compressible fluids on special applications requiring maximum noise attenuation capability and high capacity.
As with all rotating equipment, without adequate maintenance, compressor performance deteriorates over time. This results in increased energy usage, reduced throughput, and eventually early failure. Ineffective control algorithms and manual intervention can further reduce efficiency. However, with the predictive diagnostics and advanced control algorithms provided with Emerson’s compressor monitoring solutions, facilities can reduce energy consumption, improve efficiency, and increase operational profitability.
AMS Device Manager
Predictive maintenance helps plants avoid unplanned shutdowns and inefficient practices that eat away at profits. AMS Device Manager helps avoid these unnecessary costs with a window into the health of intelligent field devices.
Plantweb Performance Advisor: Pumps and Compressors
Plantweb Performance Advisor allows you to run your process more efficiently, track operating performance against targets, schedule maintenance activities, and determine the root cause of production asset inefficiencies.
Rosemount Pressure Transmitters
Pressure transmitters and transducers with industry-leading performance help improve operations in your chemical plant.
AMS 6500 ATG Asset Protection System
The AMS 6500 ATG allows users to cost-effectively initiate prediction monitoring of critical assets from the same card system.
SmartProcess Compressor
This application works with smart field devices to improve compressor operation safety, stabilize the main process parameter and increase energy efficiency.
Temperature Measurement
Pressure measurement products provide the broadest offering available to meet virtually every application need.
Flow Transmitters
Achieve precision measurement and process control by ensuring you have the right flow technology for your specific needs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Compressor Operation
Critical compressor measurements include monitoring pressure (suction and discharge), temperature (suction and discharge), flow rate, motor current and power, vibration levels, and conducting oil analysis. These measurements provide essential information about the compressor's performance, efficiency, and overall health. Deviations from expected values can indicate issues such as valve leaks, mechanical problems, electrical irregularities, or contaminants in the system. Regular monitoring of these parameters enables early detection of potential problems, optimizing operation, and preventing costly failures or downtime.
Surge is a condition in dynamic compressors, particularly centrifugal compressors, where there is a sudden decrease in the compressor's delivered flow caused by an increase in the pressure at the compressor discharge or loss of feed at the intake/suction. This can lead to violent fluctuations in flow and pressure, potentially causing damage to the compressor.
Compressor surge is a critical phenomenon that requires careful monitoring and control to ensure safe and efficient compressor operation, minimize downtime, and prevent damage to the compressor and associated equipment.
Compressor performance is typically measured in terms of its capacity (the volume of gas it can move per unit of time), its pressure increase (also known as head), and its power consumption. Other important metrics include efficiency and reliability.
One common mistake is aligning equipment cold without making allowance for thermal growth. When motors, pumps, and compressors reach operating temperature, they expand unevenly. Similarly, when piping gets hot, it expands and causes strain on the equipment that it is attached to. What was aligned is now out of position. The solution is either calculating the amount of thermal growth expected or performing alignment measurements immediately after shutting down. Emerson’s vibration monitoring sensors detect changes in vibration patterns after an installation warms up, informing decisions regarding alignment.
The purpose of alignment is limiting vibration and avoiding excess strain on the shafts. The ultimate test is if vibration is lower, when running at full operating temperature, after an alignment procedure. Emerson’s vibration monitoring sensors will answer that question.
