American Institute of Chemical Engineers

AIChE Equipment Testing Procedure – Centrifugal Compressors. A Guide to Performance Evaluation and Site Testing

American Institute of Chemical Engineers

AIChE's first manual for testing and measuring performance of centrifugal compressors The newest addition to AIChE's long-running Equipment Testing Procedure series, Centrifugal Compressors: A Guide to Performance Evaluation and Site Testing provides chemical engineers, plant managers, and other professionals with helpful advice to assess and measure the performance of a key component in a number of chemical process operations. From petrochemical refining and natural gas production to air separation plants, efficient, safe, and environmentally-sound operations depend on reliable performance by centrifugal compressors. The book presents a step-by-step approach to preparing for, planning, executing, and analyzing tests of centrifugal compressors, with an emphasis on methods that can be conducted on-site—and with an acknowledgement of the strengths and limitations of these methods. The book opens with an extensive and detailed section offering definitions of relevant terms explained not only in words, but also with the equations used to determine their values. The book then goes on to address: Selection of instrumentation and identification of elements to be measured Strategies for data collection and evaluation Recommendations for when to schedule testing Pre-test, in-test, and post-test considerations (i.e., equipment, safety, process, and environmental) Computation and interpretation of results, including guidelines for field modifications and analysis of results The book concludes with appendices for applicable codes and standards, relevant symbols and nomenclature, and values generated from a sample performance test. With its engineer-tested procedures and thorough explanations, Centrifugal Compressors is an essential text for anyone engaged in implementing new technology in equipment design, identifying process problems, and optimizing equipment performance.