WEBINAR - Maximising process efficiency with Atlas Copco's Compander technology
This event expired on the 27 February 2025. Click to view the latest Hydrocarbon events.
The drive to improve energy efficiency and lower operational costs has led the petrochemical industry to focus on enhancing the performance of its processes. A key strategy is recovering waste energy from every possible source within the process and converting it into usable outputs. In this regard, turboexpanders have long been utilised for such energy recovery from high pressure and high temperature gas streams. However, the standalone turbine-generator train approach often involves high costs and extended return on investment timelines, making it less viable for certain operations. Additionally, the separate train occupies valuable space in the plant.
Atlas Copco’s Compander technology offers a practical alternative by integrating multi-stage centrifugal compressors and radial flow turboexpanders into a single, compact, and cost-effective machine. This integrally geared design enables the turbine stages to deliver mechanical power directly to the compressor shafts, reducing the load on the electric driver and delivering substantial power savings. The integrated solution not only minimises space requirements but also offers a favourable cost-to-savings ratio with a shorter return on investment compared to standalone systems.
With decades of experience since its inception in the 1980s, Atlas Copco has refined Compander technology to reliably and efficiently combine compression and expansion processes on the same integral machine. This presentation will explore the key design features of the Compander, supported by real-world case studies from the petrochemical industry, highlighting how integrating turboexpanders into the machine concept can lead to significant operational cost savings.
Case studies overview:
- Hydrogen peroxide production: a four-stage air compressor with inter-cooling and two parallel expander stages mounted on a common pinion effectively recovers energy from a nitrogen stream to power the compressor, reducing energy consumption.
- Phenol production: a three-stage air compressor paired with a single expander stage processes oxygen-depleted air from the reactor, optimising energy use within the system.
- Nitric acid production: a three-stage air compressor and two series-mounted expanders on separate pinions efficiently manage hot gas streams from the oxidiser reactor, reducing waist energy losses.
The objective is to demonstrate how companders provide an economically attractive and efficient approach to combine integrally geared compressors with turboexpanders. This allows process and plant designers to fully leverage waste energy recovery, improving process efficiency and reducing energy costs, especially considering rising energy prices and emissions-related expenses.
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Speakers
Oskar Schnabel
Market Manager Olefins / Polyolefins
Markus Sauerborn
Senior Engineer Aerodynamics & Process