Detection and counting of surge cycles in a compressor

1. A method for detecting a compressor surge cycle of a compressor, comprising:

receiving, at a surge detector and from one or more feedback devices, one or more measurement signals of a compressor;

determining, by the surge detector, one or more surge value parameters based on the one or more measurement signals;

selecting, by the surge detector, a first value from a selected surge value parameter of the one or more surge value parameters;

determining, by the surge detector, a moving average value for the selected surge value parameter;

determining, by the surge detector, a rate of change value for the selected surge value parameter;

identifying, by the surge detector, a first phase of a surge cycle based on determining that the rate of change value exceeds a threshold rate change value;

memorializing, by the surge detector, the first value, the moving average value, and a first time index value;

determining, by the surge detector, a second value of the selected surge value parameter;

identifying, by the surge detector, a second phase of the surge cycle based on the identification of the first phase and at least one of (1) determining, by the surge detector, that a first difference between the second value and the first value is at least equal to a first threshold difference value, and (2) determining, by the surge detector, that a second difference between the second value and the moving average value is at least equal to a second threshold difference value;

determining, by the surge detector, a third value of the selected surge value parameter;

identifying, by the surge detector, a third phase of the surge cycle based on the identification of the second phase and at least one of (1) determining, by the surge detector, that a third difference between the third value and the first value is less than the first difference, and that a fourth difference between the first difference and the third difference is at most equal to a third threshold difference value, and (2) determining, by the surge detector, that a fifth difference between the third value and the moving average value is less than the second difference, and that a sixth difference between the second difference and the fifth difference is at most equal to a fourth threshold difference value;

providing, by the surge detector and in response to the identification of the third phase, an indication that one or more compressor surge cycles have occurred; and

activating, based on the indication, a safeguard operation for the compressor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining one or more surge value parameters further comprises:

receiving one or more unfiltered surge value parameters;

transforming the one or more unfiltered surge value parameters by a signal filter into one or more filtered surge value parameters; and

providing the one or more filtered surge value parameters as one or more surge value parameters.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more surge value parameters are selected from a group of surge value parameters comprising: flow differential pressure, compressor suction pressure, compressor discharge pressure, compressor suction temperature, compressor rotational speed, and compressor prime mover power.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising memorializing a time value representing a time at which the compressor surge cycle occurred.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising determining, based on the time value, a quantity of one or more compressor surge cycles that have occurred within a threshold time period.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a base surge value parameter from the one or more surge value parameters;

identifying a non-base surge value parameter from the one or more surge value parameters;

determining a base surge event separation time equal to a normal phase shift between the non-base surge value parameter and the base surge value parameter;

determining that a surge cycle has occurred at a first time based on the base surge value parameter;

determining that a surge cycle has occurred at a second time based on the non-base surge value parameter;

determining a time difference between the first time and the second time; and

determining that a validated surge cycle has occurred, based on determining that the time difference is at most a threshold time difference.

7. A compressor protection system comprising:

a data processing apparatus; and

a non-transitory memory storage storing instructions executable by the data processing apparatus and that upon such execution cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving one or more measurement signals of a compressor from one or more feedback devices;

determining one or more surge value parameters based on the one or more measurement signals;

selecting a first value from a selected surge value parameter of the one or more surge value parameters;

determining a moving average value for the selected surge value parameter;

determining a rate of change value for the selected surge value parameter;

identifying a first phase of a surge cycle based on determining that the rate of change value exceeds a threshold rate change value;

memorializing the first value, the moving average value, and a first time index value;

receiving a second value of the selected surge value parameter;

identifying a second phase of the surge cycle based on the identification of the first phase and at least one of (1) determining that a first difference between the second value and the first value is at least equal to a first threshold difference value, and (2) determining that a second difference between the second value and the moving average value is at least equal to a second threshold difference value;

receiving a third value of the selected surge value parameter;

identifying a third phase of the surge cycle based on the identification of the second phase and at least one of (1) determining that a third difference between the third value and the first value is less than the first difference, and that a fourth difference between the first difference and the third difference is at most equal to a third threshold difference value, and (2) determining that a fifth difference between the third value and the moving average value is less than the second difference, and that a sixth difference between the second difference and the fifth difference is at most equal to a fourth threshold difference value;

providing, in response to identification of the third phase, an indication that one or more compressor surge cycles have occurred; and

activating, based on the indication, a safeguard for the compressor.

8. The compressor protection system of claim 7 , wherein determining one or more surge value parameters further comprises:

receiving one or more unfiltered surge value parameters;

transforming the one or more unfiltered surge value parameters by a signal filter into one or more filtered surge value parameters; and

providing the one or more filtered surge value parameters as the one or more surge value parameters.

9. The compressor protection system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more surge value parameters are selected from a group of surge value parameters comprising: flow differential pressure, compressor suction pressure, compressor discharge pressure, compressor suction temperature, compressor rotational speed, and compressor prime mover power.

10. The compressor protection system of claim 7 , the operations further comprising memorializing a time value representing a time at which the compressor surge cycle occurred.

11. The compressor protection system of claim 10 , the operations further comprising determining, based on the time value, a quantity of one or more compressor surge cycles that have occurred within a threshold time period.

12. The compressor protection system of claim 7 , the operations further comprising:

identifying a base surge value parameter from the one or more surge value parameters;

identifying a non-base surge value parameter from the one or more surge value parameters;

determine a base surge event separation time equal to a normal phase shift between the non-base surge value parameter and the base surge value parameter;

determine that a surge cycle has occurred at a first time based on the base surge value parameter;

determine that a surge cycle has occurred at a second time based on the non-base surge value parameter;

determine a time difference between the first time and the second time; and

determine that a validated surge cycle has occurred, based on determining that the time difference is at most a threshold time difference.