Compressors are used to feed gases in chemical and petrochemical processes. They increase the pressure and density of the gases, for example in gas lines, in blowers in blast furnaces and steelworks, in refineries as well as in gas or air separation plants. During normal operation, the inlet pressure is higher than the pressure at the compressor outlet. These conditions are reversed as soon as the delivery rate falls below a defined amount. The gas then starts to flow through the compressor in the opposite direction, which is often referred to as 'compressor surging'. The resulting critical state is characterized by a periodic reversal of the flow direction. The vibrations this creates can damage the compressor. At the same time, the process medium's temperature is increased as it repeatedly flows through the compressor – first in one direction and then the other. Anti-surge valves designed as bypass valves reduce the pressure at the compressor outlet by feeding the process medium from the compressor outlet back to the inlet through a bypass line.
SAMSON offers anti-surge valves in different styles. The anti-surge valves designed as globe valves are suitable for medium to high pressure drops and generate little noise. Shut-off and control butterfly valves are lighter and more compact thanks to their shorter face-to-face dimensions, which is why they are preferred for small pressure drops. Regardless of their design, all anti-surge valves by SAMSON have one thing in common: valve, actuator and accessories are perfectly tailored to one another. Our customers get the entire control valve from a single source.