Q&A ROTOFLOW TURBOEXPANDERS cations, they offer efficient designs for OEM with a complete offering including power recovery on new or existing pro- service in the field, spare parts inventory, cesses. Features of integrally geared types shop and field repairs, upgrades and include an expander impeller mounted rerates, performance and reliability assess- directly to the gearbox pinion to eliminate ments, remote monitoring and training. the need for high-speed coupling and an extra set of high-speed bearings. Direct Is there an expander model you’d drive and external gear approaches sim- like to highlight? plify installation and offer flexibility. Recently we have seen a lot of opportunity for our expander-compressor product line How about your energy-dissipa- designed for the hydrocarbon market. They tive expanders? offer a broad, standard set of features, Available in three types (oil-loaded, blow- while still allowing customization. With er-loaded, and resistor-loaded), Rotoflow’s development activities, we have achieved energy-dissipative turboexpanders provide a 15-25% reduction in delivery time for Darren Prosser, Global Business Manager refrigeration options for efficient hydrocar- some models. for Aftermarket at Rotoflow, discusses his bon, air separation, and liquefaction oper- company and the products and services it ations. They are often used in cryogenic What markets do you primarily offers in turbomachinery gas separation facilities. Features include serve? efficiency (87%) and a range of sizes. They Rotoflow primarily serves the industrial Tell our readers about Rotoflow have millions of successful hours of oper- gas, hydrocarbon, and energy recovery Rotoflow, an Air Products business, is a ation in Air Products plants. markets, as well as other markets where trusted name in turbomachinery with precision and reliability are key. The indus- industrial gas expertise. We bring exper- trial gas market includes the use of oxygen, tise to the design, build and support of mis- nitrogen, hydrogen, helium and carbon sion-critical turbomachinery. As an OEM Rotoflow’s energy- monoxide. We are experienced in the sep- manufacturing and operating turboma- aration, compression, and processing of chinery, we know the equipment and the dissipative these gases and other gaseous compounds, processes. backed by the industrial gas expertise of This access to operational data enables turboexpanders Air Products. Rotoflow to incorporate feedback and Rotoflow is a pioneer in turboexpander knowledge into our machinery design. Air provide refrigeration technology in natural gas applications. In Products has designed turbomachinery for 1958, Dr. Judson S. Swearingen, founder over 75 years. We acquired the Rotoflow options for efficient of the original Rotoflow Corporation, ini- turboexpander business in 2018. They have tiated the program for building and operat- been integrated into a single portfolio. hydrocarbon, air ing the world’s first hydrocarbon turboex- pander. Today, Rotoflow designs and man- What turboexpanders do you separation, and ufactures specialized turboexpanders used offer? in processes that remove heavy hydrocar- Rotoflow’s high-pressure compres- liquefaction bons from natural gas and transform gas- sor-loaded turboexpanders (companders) eous natural gas into LNG. provide refrigeration for the most efficient operations. Rotoflow turboexpanders can also be air separation and liquefaction facilities in used to recover energy. Applications the world. Our companders offer efficiency include converting industrial or geother- and reliability in a compact, simple-to-op- What do you offer in reciprocat- mal waste heat, as well as excess process erate-and-maintain package. Features ing cryogenic pumps? or pipeline pressure into either electricity include single-stage, high power-density Primarily handling liquid oxygen, argon or supplemental compression. expansion ratios up to 19:1, up to 15 MW and nitrogen, Rotoflow’s reciprocating refrigeration, and isentropic efficiencies up cryogenic pumps reduce cryogenic tank What about new products? to 92%. losses and deliver increased refrigeration. Our focus continues to be further opti- mizing efficiency and performance across What about generator-loaded What services do you provide? all product lines. We’re working on designs expanders? Rotoflow’s service technicians have expe- that are a result of customer discussions. In Rotoflow’s generator-loaded turboexpand- rience with a wide range of rotating and some cases, we collaborate with a custom- ers (direct-drive, integral gear, external reciprocating equipment and are able to er’s technology team to optimize our gear and multi-stage) provide refrigera- service and repair all brands of expanders, equipment and their process in parallel, tion and economic power recovery in air in addition to Rotoflow equipment. with equipment options that enable inno- separation and liquefaction facilities. Aftermarket service and support is vative process cycle solutions. Used for gas service and dense fluid appli- available 24/7/365. We are a full-service 36 Turbomachinery International • January/February 2020 www.turbomachinerymag.com.