was monitored closely. The results were stunning on several levels. The compressors ran for 22 months without incident – the monthly replacement of parts is thankfully a distant memory. Internal leakage was stopped – a considerable achievement on a hydrogen compressor, and emissions were significantly reduced along with the maintenance costs. Equally important, production losses, which had been established at 20%, dropped to just 2%. At the same time, the wearing parts designed and installed by Burckhardt Compression delivered a substantial increase in service lifetime and the energy consumption by volume of produced gas was reduced by 25%. The operator was surprised by the scale of the improvements. “We didn’t think that this level of performance was possible!” explains Johan Maartens, Air Products, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. “Burckhardt Compression diagnosed the issue swiftly and executed the repairs with precision. Our second compressor was booked in for the same refurbishment and we will be involving Burckhardt Compression in many more overhaul projects in other facilities, based on the remarkable results of this project.” Where some operators may have considered the compressors beyond redemption, Air Products saw an opportunity to retain the existing equipment with improvements that would extend their service life and sustainability. The end result was a significant short- and long-term cost saving for the business, as well as greater peace of mind regarding some of its most crucial machinery. For further information please visit: http://www.burckhardtcompression.com LEFT: Compressor cylinder after overhaul. Claim your FREE monthly digital subscription For the latest news and techology visit our website www.hpmag.co.uk www.hpmag.co.uk March 2024 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS VOL 29N 2 p22 p16 Retrofitting pumps for a new role Seven reasons to monitor hydraulic flow on mobile machines The shifting vision of a smart factory p40 Harnessing the power of pneumatic control THE JOURNAL OF FLUID POWER AND SYSTEMS
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