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August
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HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
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Ariel Corp.
Ariel Corp. is the world’s largest manufacturer of separable,
reciprocating gas compressors. Founded in 1966, Ariel
compressors are currently operating in all segments of the
oil and gas industry. With a product line ranging from 19 kW
to 7.5 MW, more than 60 000 Ariel compressors have been
shipped to over 100 countries around the world in a wide
variety of applications. These include upstream applications
such as natural gas gathering, transportation and storage,
midstream gas processing operations and a number of
critical downstream applications.
Designed to meet the reliability requirements of API 618,
Ariel moderate speed process compressors are currently
operating in refineries, chemical plants and industrial gas
facilities around the world. Available with either lubricated
or non-lubricated cylinders, these compressors are
operating in a range of critical process applications.
Conservatively designed and applied, Ariel process
compressors meet or exceed industry standards for
continuous runtime.
Among the design features of Ariel API 618 moderate
speed process compressors are:
Low piston speeds.
Reduced wear band loading.
Conservative discharge temperatures.
Reduced valve impact velocities.
Hardened cylinder bores.
Non-cooled cylinders.
Application specific wear part materials.
The continuous supply of hydrogen is crucial to refinery
and petrochemical plant operations. Whether the hydrogen
plant is ‘inside the fence’ or ‘over the fence’, the proven
reliability and world-class customer support of Ariel process
compressors will ensure hydrogen is delivered, whenever it is
needed. In addition to hydrogen production, other hydrogen
applications currently using Ariel process compressors include
hydrogen makeup and recycle, feed gas, fuel gas,
hydrotreating, hydrodesulfurisation, renewable fuel
production, chemical processing, hydrogen storage and
transportation. These compressors range in size from 15 to
5000 kW, with discharge pressures up to 400 bar.
Multi-service hydrogen compressors, such as the one
pictured, are common in steam methane reformer (SMR)
hydrogen production facilities. This photo is from a large
hydrogen production facility supplying hydrogen to a refinery
in the Midwest USA. In this case, the compressor delivers
natural gas feed to the steam methane reformer and at the
same time delivers the hydrogen product gas to the refinery.
Hydrocarbon Engineering
presents a selection of advanced compressor equipment,
technology and services that are available in the downstream oil and gas industry.
A multi-service hydrogen compressor.