AC Solution for Utica Shale Contractor
Lost production time is a fear all companies face and equates to costly consequences, especially in the oil and gas industry. Equipment reliability is crucial for processes that rely heavily on seamless operations and must be constantly monitored by engineers to ensure uptime is the highest it can be.
One critical element in large-scale compression systems are VFDs or Variable Frequency Drives. These drives consist of fragile transistors, capacitors, and electronics working together to adjust the capacity and speed that moves natural gas liquids or NGL in a number of applications. In the past, gas flow processes consisted of engines or steam turbines that utilized the plant’s gas resource for power. This solution, unfortunately, had a higher cost of operation using NGL, didn’t allow for control over the flow capacity, and often had long lead times for repairs resulting in that feared lost production time. The introduction of VFDs reduced downtime, increased control and accuracy when managing gas flow, lowered CO2 emissions, and improved overall efficiency (95% compared to the 35% from gas turbines). However, the biggest challenge in running VFD processes is temperature control.
Challenge: Temperature Control Rental Services (TCRS) was approached by a Utica Shale gas servicing company struggling to maintain optimal temperatures on their growing number of VFD units. While these units are highly reliable solutions, they do output a substantial amount of heat that must be dissipated quickly and efficiently to keep from overheating and possible failure.
Solution: TCRS specialists worked quickly to assess the situation and develop a solution that addresses capacity and direction. The result was three 60-ton AC units with custom ductwork directing the airflow from the bottom up through the building’s vented top. Our 60-ton AC units are self-contained, specific for an outdoor application-no matter the climate, and feature rental-friendly controls to meet the needs of the non-technical operator. This HVAC solution ensures these VFD units are kept at optimal temperatures to promote peak performance and keep the facility operating both efficiently and more sustainably.