Improved Testing Processes and Automated Compliance

Starting in 2022, this compressor manufacturer was tasked with adopting ISO 1217 standards for compressor testing set by the Department of Energy (DOE). The new standards included recording variables every minute for 15 minutes while monitoring compressor performance stability. A skid solution with data acquisition was proposed using an Emerson stack. The goal was to allow one operator to test multiple different compressor types using the skid and meet DOE requirements for test specifications, procedures, and reporting.

Turnkey inclusive of instruments, valves, skid design, skid assembly, automation, enclosure, data collection, and reporting. The solution features an Emerson stack inclusive of Keystone Isolation Valves, Fisher Control Valves, PACSystems PLC, Movicon.NExT SCADA, and AMS Optics. The PACSystems PLC interfaces with the Fisher Control Valves and Keystone Isolation Valves to route flow through the specified flow measurement device and provide the necessary process control. Movicon.NExT provides the graphical interface for the operator to interact with and monitor the skid. AMS Optics serves as the historian and reporting engine, calculating equations and providing analytics to the operator to make informed decisions as the test is proceeding. After a test concludes, AMS Optics generates and stores a report.

The skid provides an optimized testing scenario. It requires only one operator, reduces testing time, and reduces human error during the testing process. After a compressor has been tested on the skid, AMS Optics provides the validation data required to demonstrate to the DOE and the customer that the compressor performs as advertised and meets the new minimum efficiency regulations. AMS Optics generates a report that can be provided to a customer as a specification sheet for confirmation of quality while also providing a database of product performance that the manufacturer can monitor for trends to ensure ongoing quality improvement.