A system and method of surge limit control for turbo compressors including a turbo compressor having an inlet and an outlet, an anti-surge valve, a variable speed drive to operate the compressor, a rotational speed transmitter, an inlet temperature transmitter, an inlet pressure transmitter, an outlet pressure transmitter and/or guide vanes, and a controller, the controller including a PID control module wherein the computer uses information from the transmitters to continuously calculate a pressure ratio of the compressor at the compressor's current operational speed and compare it to the compressor's calculated pressure ratio at surge limit conditions. A computer generates a control signal for determining when to open the anti-surge valve if the pressure ratio of the compressor at the compressor's current operational speed guide vanes are within a user defined safety margin to the calculated pressure ratio at surge limit conditions.