Experience of Solar compressors
Experience of Solar compressors
(OP)
Anyone
We have a new project where the client wants us to use Solar compressors at pretty high pressures 3300 psig, (we've never used these before)
Our internal specs do not allow the use of tie bolt design for the rotor but the Solar design uses them
does anyone out there have experience of these compressors and what issues might be with the tir bolt design?
We have a new project where the client wants us to use Solar compressors at pretty high pressures 3300 psig, (we've never used these before)
Our internal specs do not allow the use of tie bolt design for the rotor but the Solar design uses them
does anyone out there have experience of these compressors and what issues might be with the tir bolt design?





RE: Experience of Solar compressors
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RE: Experience of Solar compressors
request references from solar for identical machines in similar service. without good references, i would NOT purchase NOR recommend a compressor unit with serial number one without some type of commissioning & operational agreement/warranty with solar (more than the std warranty).
good luck!
-pmover
RE: Experience of Solar compressors
Solar aren't that renowned for their high pressure experience - they aren't in the "custom engineered" business and most of their experience is at lower pressures. I would get references for any conditions you are considering.
There are limits to the customization you can have - you can't put 2 process sections in a single body for example. Solar are quite good at what they do however.
RE: Experience of Solar compressors
As others have said, Solar makes a good compressor for many applications, such as gas gathering, gas lift, pipeline application.
However, other manufacturers have more experience at high pressure...eg. GE-Nuovo Pignone or Dresser-Rand. Nuovo Pignone is best-of-breed in this category.
RE: Experience of Solar compressors
RE: Experience of Solar compressors
While I've used many Solar compressors and turbines, and consider them a sold company, I would not use one for presures much over 1,000 psig unless they can demonstrate ample field experience in that application.
Caveat emptor.
RE: Experience of Solar compressors
RE: Experience of Solar compressors
For high pressure centrifugal and recip compressors, consider GE Nuovo Pignone and Dresser Rand.
For applications below 1,500 psi where a 5 year uninterrupted run is not essential (eg. upstream oil & gas applications), then Solar compressors may be an acceptable choice. Solar aftermarket service is very good. Their gas turbines are also very good.
RE: Experience of Solar compressors
And when evaluating such thing as "same conditions" one shouild take into account not only fluid, flow, pressures and temperatures, but also other frquently overlooked items such as start-stop frequency and possible flow disturbances in the process.
Another important item: What are the maintenance and inspection resources available. One this is to have such a compressor under constant surveillance by experts, another is to have it running in some remote, desert location.
One of the possible troubles with this type of machine is that if one of the tie-bolts gets loose, well...
RE: Experience of Solar compressors
it is important to mention the service applications such as hydrocracker plant , Ethylene plant, reinjection etc,. these applications require a compressor manufacturer to have supported the process requirements, operational requirements, and API requiremments. and a large experience record
As one of the members replied it is strongly advised not to go for Non API machines for very high pressures.
Depending on the service applications, high density gases associated with high pressure ratio could result in frequency self excited vibrations and rotordynamic instability. Once aerodynamically and rotorduynamically these machines are prone to problem, you will have it.
GE NP are the leaders in such applications, andthey take care of the rest