IMI Valve Technology Available to Reduce Compressor Surge Risk

With rapidly demanding dynamic performance requirements and targets for reducing plant emissions placing compressor equipment at risk of damage, proven anti-surge and compressor recycle valve technology is set to help the oil and gas industry avoid disruptive and costly unplanned compressor damage and consequently downtime. 

Surge events can interrupt compression in upstream and midstream oil & gas, LNG, and petrochemical facilities. If left unaddressed, this disruption may lead to compressor trips or system failures that require expensive remedial work to resolve damage, notes Mike Semens-Flanagan, Global Engineering Director at IMI Critical Engineering. 

To address these concerns, IMI Critical Engineering has developed an integrated anti-surge and compressor recycle valve that combines multiple, co-acting technologies to balance efficient production and equipment health. The valve comprises of IMI CCI’s patented DRAG™ Control Valve technology with SC/V actuators and smart, high-performance FasTrak™ or QuickTrak™ controllers and positioners. The solution’s individual parts, developed in-house at IMI Critical, continually interact to reduce the chance of cycle trips to optimize performance at start-up and during operation. 

Designed for operations in the oil and gas sectors, the valve also uses a high number of stages for small openings at low flow conditions. As a result, greater velocity and flow control is provided, meaning that fewer cycles are required to achieve product compression targets, reducing the carbon footprint. This provides another way for the industry to reduce emissions by making processes more efficient. 

By IMI Critical Engineering. 

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