Atlas Copco's CustomDesign - bespoke engineered products for total reliability in demanding environments

Atlas Copco Compressors' UK CustomDesign engineering facility based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, is one of its strategically located CustomDesign engineering centres. The UK workshop plays a major role in the supply of bespoke solutions across the globe. The end products are modular 'plug and play' packaged solutions, custom built and shipped with all components, such as compressors, air treatment, dryers, filters, air receivers and control systems, on a single base frame for integration with land based or offshore process installations.

Each project is unique and examples of bespoke projects include: a skid-mounted assembly of compressor, blowers and booster for a hydrocracker plant in Russia; a containerised multiple compressor installation operating in the desert environment of the Gulf; a compressor and dryer package for a methanol plant in Trinidad; and a compressor, dryer, pumps and cooler installation on the northern Pacific shore, where ambient temperatures vary from -40 to +40 degrees Celsius.

The 800m² workshop area operates two ten tonne overhead cranes and one five tonne unit with a dedicated sunken load bay for road transportation of packaged assemblies. The installation includes a cooling water supply and a permanently installed 1,000 kVA generator to provide power for workshop testing at 50 or 60Hz. It is important for the oil and gas industries to have all equipment- testing carried out within the workshop before shipping. On-site commissioning time is, therefore, minimised for the customer.

On completion of a custom-engineering project the skid mounted packages are transported to UK sites or to overseas operations, normally via Tilbury the closest sea port.

The exception to the rule has been the Pluto project for the production of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) in Western Australia. The compressor packaged unit was too large to be completed and shipped from the workshop so was actually assembled by the Atlas Copco engineering team on the dockside in Hull from where it was transported 12,000 miles to the customer's site.

The experience and skill base of Atlas Copco Compressors' CustomDesign engineering workshop covers a wide variety of specialist areas, in particular equipment that is designed specifically for operation in classified hazardous electrical environments. It also offers expertise in marine installations, in PLC control systems, and operation in extreme hot or cold, dust laden or corrosive environments. It has experience of refinery service applications, as well as that of land-based or offshore operations involving process air, instrument air, starting air, emergency backup air supplies, gas purification and on-site nitrogen generation.

With considerable experience in developing bespoke compressed air solutions, a UK team of over 30 people is involved in designing compressed air systems - with the project management, procurement, assembly, test inspection and subcontracting procedures supported by well established quality control and documentation processes.

Picture (top): Containerised multiple compressor installation. (Below): On completion of a custom-engineering project the skid mounted packages are transported to UK sites or to overseas operations.

In order to maintain the necessary high level of engineering skills required, the CustomDesign division operates a graduate engineer training scheme. University leaver, Samuel Roberts, who joined Atlas Copco Compressors in October 2009, has completed his training and is now able to take his place on the team. According to CustomDesign UK manager, Paul Frost: "It is important to introduce more youth into the team in order to secure continuity of the way we do things and develop in-house experience for the long-term benefit of the company and the satisfaction of its customers."

Essential to each project is that the equipment package can be maintained by Atlas Copco personnel as part of a local service operation. The global aftermarket service employs 3,600 field service engineers in 160 countries. Electronic archiving of all design and production documents as well as parts and user manuals means that the local service operation has ready access to all relevant data throughout the life of the installation.

Total customer focus is the key to successful outcomes for Atlas Copco Compressors' CustomDesign operation. As Paul Frost says, "We treat each customer's project as unique because that's what it is. By entering into partnerships with our customers, we try to meet the challenge fully, ask the right questions and devise the best solution."

Atlas Copco instrument air packages include: process air, instrument air, starting air, emergency backup air supplies, gas purification and on-site nitrogen generation.

Atlas Copco Compressors in profile
Atlas Copco Compressors is the UK sales and service operation of the Atlas Copco Group providing oil-free and oil-injected stationary air compressors, portable air compressors, gas and process compressors, turbo expanders, electric power generators, air treatment equipment (such as compressed air dryers, coolers, and filters) and air management systems.

Atlas Copco Compressors' sales and distribution network means that specialist compressed air advice and service is always within easy reach. A team of over 80 service engineers operates across the country, to ensure maximum running efficiency and minimum downtime at its customers' sites.

In the United Kingdom, Atlas Copco also handles the sales and marketing of construction and mining equipment, industrial power tools and assembly systems - all backed up by a nationwide sales, distribution, service and maintenance network. 

For further information, e-mail: gba.info@uk.atlascopco.com or view website: www.atlascopco.co.uk  Refer to page 53

Atlas Copco compressors form integral
part of world's first liquid air energy storage plant

Energy-efficient Atlas Copco compressors are a vital part of an innovative cryogenic process developed by Highview Power Storage to store off-peak electric energy by liquefying air.

Using cheap off-peak electricity, the Highview CryoEnergy System pilot plant operates by extracting ambient air from the surrounding environment: the gas is cleaned, compressed by Atlas Copco compressors, and then cooled until the air undergoes a phase change to a liquid. The liquefied air is stored in an insulated tank at a temperature of −196° C.

When power is required, liquid air is drawn from the tank and pumped to high pressure. Ambient, or above ambient, waste heat is applied to the liquid air via heat exchangers, resulting in a phase change from liquid air to a high pressure gas which is then used to drive a turbine and power generator.

The liquefaction stage is accomplished by integrating Atlas Copco compressors within Highview's 300kW/2.5MWh CryoEnergy System. A fully-integrated, oil-free ZR 700 VSD water-cooled screw compressor, with specially modified inlet pipework, operates within the recirculation system while the main air feed for the liquefaction plant is supplied by a ZR 250 VSD rotary screw compressor. The Atlas Copco installation is completed with a low-pressure ZS45+ VSD blower.

Gareth Brett, CEO, Highview Power Storage says: "With the drive for a low carbon economy, there is increasing emphasis on wind and solar sources. However, by their nature, these forms of generation are intermittent and thus there is a need for a viable energy storage method to act as a buffer to store electricity when it is being produced but perhaps not needed, and release it to the grid at peak times."

Rob Morgan CTO, Highview Power Storage says: "The screw compressors supplied by Atlas Copco offered the best compromise in price, performance and delivery.

"Atlas Copco also provided us with excellent support during the selection of the machines  and clearly valued the potential of Highview beyond the value of an initial equipment sale. We look forward to working with Atlas Copco in the future as we take our technology to market."

Storing electricity reliably, safely and cheaply has been the 'Holy Grail' of the energy market as it provides the opportunity to firm up intermittent generation methods such as wind or solar, and supports traditional generation methods at peak times. Highview's CryoEnergy System pilot plant, hosted by SSE (Scottish and Southern Energy), Slough Heat and Power plant, UK, uses commercially available components that have proven performances and life times. Utility-scale energy storage has become big business with an estimated $600billion (£365billion) market forecasted over the next 10 years.

Highview plans to scale up the system to a 10MW/40MWhs commercial demonstrator: "As we scale up the technology, we will certainly be discussing with Atlas Copco how their own advanced compressor technology can support our projects in the future.," says Morgan.

For further information, e-mail: gba.info@uk.atlascopco.com or view website: www.atlascopco.co.uk  Refer to page 53