insights Spring 2012 - Dresser-Rand

insights
a PUBLICaTIOn OF DResseR-RanD ®
Fazendo
acontecer
no Brasil!
oFF-grid energy
systems: sustainaBle
alternative For
electrical energy
supply
synchrony ® magnetic
Bearings added to
portFolio oF advanced
technologies
Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. ®
Spring 2012

insights
SPRING 2012
This document may
contain forward-looking
statements within the
meaning of U.S. securities
laws. All statements
other than statements of
historical fact are statements
that could be
deemed forward-looking
statements, including but
not limited to statements
relating to the Company’s
plans, objectives, goals,
strategies, and future
events and financial
performance. The words
“anticipates,” “believes,”
“expects,” “intends,” and
similar expressions identify
such forward-looking
statements. Although the
Company believes such
statements are based on
reasonable assumptions,
these forward-looking
statements are subject to
numerous factors, risks,
and uncertainties that
could cause actual results,
performance, or achievements
to differ materially
from those stated, and
no assurance can be
given with respect thereto.
These and other risks are
discussed in greater detail
in the Company’s filings
with the Securities and
Exchange Commission
at www.sec.gov. The
Company undertakes no
obligation to update forward-looking
statements.
CONTENTS
02
candid visions
Dedicated Team Helps Clients When
Operating Requirements Change
Roger Huntley discusses the company’s efforts for coordinating
revamps and upgrades for legacy Dresser-Rand and Applied
Technology on other manufacturers’ equipment.
05
18
Houston Service Center Unveils
Dry Gas Seal Repair and Test Cell
Dresser-Rand opens dry gas seal repair and test cell located
in its Houston Service Center.
08
profile
New Training Facility Opens in Houston
Mark Jones, client training manager at Dresser-Rand, discusses
the new training facility.
10
20 Years and Going Strong
Twenty years ago, the first compressed air energy storage
(CAES) power plant in North America – and one of only two
in the world – went “live.”
20
engineer’s notebook
High Pressure CO2 Compressor Testing
for Tupi I, Tupi II and Tupi III
This paper describes the mechanical and aerodynamic testing
of the high-pressure CO2 compressors for the Tupi I (Cidade de
Angra dos Reis FPSO / TUPI Field), Tupi II (Cidade de São Paulo
FPSO / Guara Field), and Tupi III (Cidade de Paraty FPSO / Lula
North East) projects.
30
Bringing Control Systems Closer to Home
Dresser-Rand establishing additional presence in key regions
of the world to provide clients with cutting-edge control systems
and condition monitoring systems for their rotating equipment.
Dresser-Rand TG Helps “Power”
UMass to Energy Award
The CHP technology at UMass is integral to the university’s
multi-year Green Energy/Energy Conservation program
targeted at reducing fuel consumption and minimizing its
environmental footprint.
06
Synchrony Magnetic
Bearings Added to
Portfolio of Advanced
Technologies
Synchrony’s portfolio of world-class
technologies and products include
active magnetic bearings (AMB),
high speed
motors and
generators,
and power
electronics.
12
Sustainable
Alternative for
Electrical Energy Supply
Supplying power for off-grid
sites requires a highly technical,
specialized team that is well-trained
in all facets of off-grid power
applications.
14
Fazendo Acontecer
no Brasil!
The rallying call at the Dresser-Rand
service center in Campinas, Brazil is
not just an empty slogan.

Brad Dickson
vice president
and chief
marketing officer
Dresser-Rand:
The Brand Promise
In 35 years of working with Dresser-Rand in the turbomachinery business, one common
denominator has underscored my career. In fact, it is why I have chosen no other company
to work for: the Dresser-Rand brand promise.
By brand promise, I am referring to what our clients can expect from their experience with
our organization and the delivery of our value propositions. Our brand promise is reflected
within our Vision and Mission – “We are people earning client loyalty for life by providing
the most reliable and efficient rotating equipment and service solutions and leading in
safety, environmental stewardship, quality, and cycle time.”
Hardly a day goes by where I don’t hear of yet another example of our teams delivering
on that promise. Are we perfect? Absolutely not. Just like our ultimate “goal of zero”
recordable safety incidents forever, we are always on a quest to do better. But the
brand promise is personal with us. It’s about keeping our promises, and being trustworthy
and dependable for our clients. It’s about delivering on that promise time after time
to earn client loyalty for life.
This spring 2012 issue of insights goes into some of the facets of how we are delivering
on a sustainable brand promise. Our Candid Vision feature with Roger Huntley, our vicepresident
Global Engineered Solutions is an example of this. Roger and I have worked
together for more years than either of us want to admit, and Roger discusses how his
dedicated teams help clients all over the world make their equipment more reliable,
more efficient and more profitable.
We profile our growing service and solution capabilities in locations like Houston, Texas, and
Campinas, Brazil. We bring you case studies on combined heat and power plants and
a technical paper on the testing of the highest-density high-pressure CO2 compressors
ever built.
And don’t miss our recent acquisition of Synchrony, Inc. and how we are bringing in-house
a key enabling technology that includes active magnetic bearings (AMB) for clean, efficient
and reliable rotating equipment.
And speaking of a sustainable brand promise, please read the articles that explain how
our Guascor® engines are supplying the electrical power to remote areas in the heart
of the Amazon rainforest region in Brazil, as well as the 20-year anniversary of our first
compressed air energy storage (CAES) power plant in North America.
Enjoy!
Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. ®
1

candid visions
Roger E. Huntley,
vice president,
global engineered
solutions and
U.S. area sales
– services
2 insights
EnvironmEntal SolutionS:
Dedicated Team
Helps Clients
When Operating Requirements Change
Editor’s Note: Roger Huntley, vice president of Global Engineered Solutions and U.S. Area Sales – Services
at Dresser-Rand leads and manages the worldwide business activities for revamps, upgrades and the
Applied Technology initiatives for all product lines and sales of Dresser-Rand services in the U.S. Part of
these responsibilities include providing global leadership and focus for the growth and development of the
Engineered Solutions business for Dresser-Rand Services. In 2009, Roger announced the creation of the new
Global Engineered Solutions organization which leads the company’s efforts for coordinating revamps and
upgrades for legacy Dresser-Rand and Applied Technology on other manufacturers’ equipment. The Gas Engine
Technology Center in Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A. is also a part of the organization within Engineered Solutions.
Iinsights: What challenges and opportunities do
the Engineered Solutions team face given today’s
dynamic marketplace?
RH: Engineered Solutions can be thought of as an
umbrella that covers many aftermarket categories
and product lines for upgrades, repairs and revamps
associated with Dresser-Rand equipment and other
equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) nameplates.
The design and sale of these products and services
requires advanced knowledge of our clients’ needs
and equipment manufacturing processes.
The various markets we serve require innovative
solutions when addressing environmental concerns
and changes in a client’s process conditions.
Dresser-Rand is challenged with keeping abreast of
the latest technological developments. Each product
category involves unique engineering work to
develop a solution that will meet a client’s specific
design needs.
Dresser-Rand has been manufacturing, servicing
and repairing rotating equipment for clients
throughout the world for more than a century
and dedicates a significant amount of time and
money on product development. Throughout
the years, this development work has yielded
numerous technologically advanced upgrades and
product improvements designed to enhance the
performance of rotating equipment and improve the
reliability and availability of these critical machines.
Demographics often change as well. We continue
to get feedback from our clients regarding their
shrinking pool of technical resources – something
they are continually looking to outsource. A
significant challenge we have as an organization
is to proactively provide solutions for clients that
address this need and, in turn, create value for their
organizations in terms of profitability, performance
and reliability.
insights: What can you tell us about the
Engineered Solutions Technology Center in
Bethlehem, PA, USA?
RH: A few years ago, we recognized an opportunity
to expand by providing Dresser-Rand technology
inside equipment produced by other manufacturers.
As a result, we established an Engineered Solutions
group dedicated specifically to providing upgrades,
repairs and service solutions – to all equipment, not
only those units manufactured by Dresser-Rand.
To better service turbomachinery installations,
Dresser-Rand opened an office in Bethlehem,
PA. It has become “home base” for a team of
talented, experienced individuals whose expertise
supports clients’ turbo compressor, steam turbine
and expander needs. Fundamental to this group’s
initiatives are fast response times, as well as
the ability to leverage the availability of service

centers and trained personnel, high quality parts
and service, and creative solutions. The team
develops revamp and upgrade solutions for
turbo compressors (axial and centrifugal), hot gas
expanders and steam turbines around the world –
no matter what the nameplate says.
Since its opening in 2006, the Bethlehem office
has provided revamps for compressors originally
manufactured by other OEMs, designed new
DATUM® compressors to replace compressors
manufactured by other OEMs, and designed new
compressors of either the legacy Ingersoll-Rand
or Dresser Clark brand for clients who still need
access to that technology. In addition, the office has
worked closely with both the Dresser-Rand Olean
Operations and Le Havre Operations to provide
revamp support on Dresser-Rand compressors
during periods of high business volume.
Revamps on compressors originally manufactured by
other OEMs, or Applied Technology as we refer to it,
have been installed in the U.S. and in countries like
Brazil, Thailand, Malaysia, and Canada. Because of
the unique aspect of Applied Technology engineered
solutions, close client-engineering exposure through
the order placement, design, manufacture, and
installation phases of an order is required. This
instills confidence, enhances communication and
minimizes handoffs. Supporting all of these activities
is the focus of the Engineered Solutions Technology
Center to ensure a successful and profitable solution
for both the client and Dresser-Rand. In 2011, more
than 50 percent of the turbo compressor Applied
Technology solutions provided by the Bethlehem
office were from repeat clients.
insights: Does Dresser-Rand maintain additional
Engineered Solutions Technology Centers in other
parts of the world?
RH: Dresser-Rand has global engineering centers in
a variety of locations. Our 13 global manufacturing
and engineering centers are supplemented by our
engineering centers like the Bethlehem facility
mentioned earlier, a steam turbine technology
center in Worcester, MA, the gas engine technology
center located in Fort Collins, CO, our recent
engineering center opened in Pune, India, and three
engine technology centers in Spain. We are able
to enhance service to clients who operate a broad
Gas engine technology center located in Fort Collins, CO.
range of rotating equipment. This provides clients
with full, direct access to Dresser-Rand technology,
engineering and support services.
The Technical Support team provides support to
clients with out-of-warranty engineered products for
North America, South America and the Asia Pacific
Region. It supports the entire Dresser-Rand Services
organization, including service centers and field
service personnel, as well as clients.
insights: What unique capabilities does
Dresser-Rand have compared to some of its
competitors?
RH: SmartPerf (Dresser-Rand performance selection
program for centrifugal compressors) allows us
to select the appropriate components to meet
client-specific design conditions. The program
comprises three major options. One option selects
components for the DATUM product line. The
second selects components for the DATUM P
product line. The third is the SmartPerf revamp
option.
The SmartPerf revamp option is specifically
designed to address revamps for Dresser-Rand
legacy product lines, allowing the company’s
revamp specialists to select the components for
any unit previously sold by Dresser-Rand. Since
the SmartPerf revamp option is PC-based, the
Dresser-Rand revamp specialist can use a PC laptop
and work on site with the client to add or delete
stages, alter impeller line-ups, change guide vanes,
and evaluate various options available to the client.
The SmartPerf revamp option takes Dresser-Rand
Services to a client’s doorstep and offers a quick
Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. ®
candid visions
3

candid visions
4 insights
Revamped equipment.
response, saving the client both time and money.
insights: What is the difference between a
revamped unit versus an upgraded unit?
RH: A revamp is a modification of the nameplate
rating and original operating conditions. This
includes any application resulting in thermodynamic
or aerodynamic performance changes to the original
equipment design. The definition may vary due to
the extensive use of our engineering resources on
specific projects, where the result in a change and/
or improvement to flow, efficiency, power produced,
power consumed, pressure, and/or emissions are
involved.
Revamping installed equipment has become an
integral part of providing clients with total solutions
to meet their specific needs. By revamping a
compressor, clients can meet new or changing
compression requirements within the parameters
of their existing equipment. It provides them with
a cost-effective and timesaving alternative to
purchasing new equipment.
On the other hand, an upgraded unit usually
maintains the existing performance with the added
benefit of “newer technology” that may improve
the reliability of a machine (such as polymer labys,
material and process seal upgrades).
insights: Why would a client select Dresser-Rand
to upgrade or revamp another manufacture’s unit
as opposed to selecting the OEM for that piece of
equipment?
RH: Dresser-Rand offers proven technology that is
well respected in the client community. When an
OEM fails to support changing needs, Dresser-Rand
becomes a valuable engineering alternative. Our
value propositions often support clients’ capital
projects criteria for investments along with our
ability to increase equipment reliability. Generally
speaking, a client having performance or reliability
issues with their current machine wishes to benefit
from the technology improvements we have made
as a company, without having to purchase a new
unit. This type of solution saves valuable time
and money, as well as improves unit throughput
and efficiency. Such a solution demonstrates how
Dresser-Rand continually strives to provide the
lowest total cost of ownership to our clients and
aligns us to earn client loyalty for life. •

Houston Service Center
Unveils Dry Gas Seal
Repair and Test Cell
Dresser-Rand Services is delighted to announce the opening
of the new Dry Gas Seal Repair and Test Cell located in the
Houston Service Center in Houston, Texas, USA.
The cell is fully functional and has been initially
equipped to handle the repair and static and
dynamic testing of more than 70 percent of the
Dresser-Rand dry gas seals sold and operating
in North and South America. This covers most
compressors in the size range of DATUM® model
D6 to D14, as well as 60PDI and 70PDI. The cell
will eventually be able to service nearly all the
Dresser-Rand dry gas seals in operation in North
and South America.
The dry gas seal team worked extremely hard for
many months to construct and equip the test cell
and received extensive training, both in Houston
and in Le Havre, France, to become certified in the
repair and testing of dry gas seals.
First Seal Successfully Repaired
and Tested in New Cell
In October, a team from a major North American
gas transmission company traveled to the Houston
Service Center to witness the successful dynamic
test of a dry gas seal for a 60 PDI compressor. A
second dry gas seal (duplicate) is currently being
repaired (prior to testing).
A Track Record of Success
Our dry gas seal experience dates back to the
1970s when Ingersoll-Rand began applying the
technology in natural gas lift compressors. In 1982
Ingersoll- Rand began using gas seals in process
gas compressors. Since 1996, more than 1,400
Dresser-Rand gas seals have been delivered or are
currently being used in compression services. Some
D-R gas seals have been running continuously for
more than 11 years. The total running experience
now exceeds 10 million hours with no “hang-ups.”
That makes D-R one of the most experienced gas
seal manufacturers in the industry.
Dresser-Rand dry gas seals are available in a range
of dimensions (2 in / 50.8 mm to 13.5 in / 342.9
mm), pressures (up to 2900 psi / 200 bar), and
speeds (5,000 to 32,700 rpm), as well as various
arrangements (single, tandem, double, etc.), to
provide the best solution for each application. The
standard materials accommodate a large range of
conditions and comply with NACE standards.
Any questions regarding repair and testing of dry
gas seals in Houston should be directed to Omar
Melendez at (Int’l +1) 713-346-2232 or Craig
Morehouse (Int’l +1) 713-346-2235. •
Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. ®
5

6 insights
acquiSition:
Synchrony
Magnetic Bearings
®
Added to Portfolio of
Advanced
Technologies
Clean. Efficient. Reliable. These are among
the attributes often used to describe
magnetic bearings. With no need for lubricants,
with no mechanical wear or friction and with the capability
to tailor bearing characteristics to optimize performance, Dresser-Rand
decided late last year to acquire a company that excelled in the
technology, design and manufacture of active magnetic bearings (AMB).
According to Christopher Rossi, Dresser-Rand vice president of technology
and business development, “After an extensive assessment process, we
concluded that we have found what we believe to be the best technology
that exists today in the form of Synchrony.”

Founded in 1993, Synchrony, Inc. is a Roanoke
county, Virginia-based company specializing in the
development and production of magnetic bearings,
controls and power systems for high speed rotating
machinery.
Why magnetic bearings? In addition to the
elimination of the oil lubrication system, the use
of magnetic bearings in rotating machinery means
reduced process downtime, longer machine life,
improved machine efficiency through the use
of high-speed motors, elimination of gears, and
reduced maintenance costs.
In the past, magnetic bearing applications were
limited because of their large size, the complexity
of integrating the bearings into the machine, and
cost. However, recent advances in magnetic bearing
technology, including miniaturization, simplicity and
integration, have helped the industry overcome
many of these limitations. Moreover, through
standardization and manufacturing advances the
cost of magnetic bearings has decreased.
The use of magnetic bearings also reduces environmental
footprint by eliminating ancillary equipment,
including oil lubrication systems. They have
also shown to help reduce energy consumption. By
reducing bearing losses, eliminating gearbox losses
and improving aerodynamic efficiency, improvements
in energy efficiency greater than 10 percent
can often be achieved in rotating machinery.
In reviewing the decision to purchase Synchrony,
Rossi recaps the company’s value proposition for
eliminating auxiliary oil systems: It centers around
three principles: (1) reduced footprint and weight
in platform and FPSO applications that generate
overall CAPEX savings in the construction phase;
(2) oil-lubricated bearings in subsea applications
are neither practical nor reliable; and (3) lubrication
oil in compressor and steam turbine applications in
general needs to be reconditioned and ultimately
discarded as it is mixed with process gas or steam,
making it environmentally unfriendly.
The rationale behind the decision Dresser-Rand
made to purchase Synchrony is clear, as interest
in using magnetic bearings in high
performance machinery such as
turbines and compressors continues
to grow. •
“We are truly excited
about becoming part
of Dresser-Rand as
we believe its global
presence and resources
will accelerate our
growth. I am confident
that the combination
of Dresser-Rand and
Synchrony provides for
new opportunities and
unparalleled value for
our business partners.”
Dr. Victor Iannello, Synchrony’s
general manager and Venture founder
Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. ®
7

profile
Mark Jones,
client training
manager
8 insights
Mark Jones
New Training Facility
Opens in Houston
2012 Training Schedule Available
Editor’s Note: The following article was written by Mark Jones, client training manager at Dresser-Rand.
Jones began his career with the company in 1982 when he joined Ingersoll-Rand Compression Services in
Okmulgee, OK. In his current role, he is responsible for all aspects of client training, including marketing,
quoting, forecasting, development and execution, and invoicing of training programs for all equipment
manufactured by Dresser-Rand North American Operations. Throughout his training career, Jones has been
instrumental in the development of the company’s training record retention system, web-based training (WBT)
programs, and Field Operations’ training and certification programs.
Jones describes how he appreciates that his efforts
can make a difference in a person’s career.
New technology, regulatory compliance, personnel
safety, environmental concerns, and the importance
of machine reliability and maintenance are all
creating new demands for training. To meet these
challenges, Dresser-Rand recently expanded its
training capabilities with the opening of a new
8,700 square foot (808 square meter) training
center in Houston, dedicated to training both
Dresser-Rand employees and client personnel. The
facility is located on Lumpkin Road, adjacent to our
world-class Houston Service Center.
The centerpiece of the facility is the large “handson”
area equipped with a slip-resistant epoxy
floor for safety. Here, one 15-ton and two 5-ton
overhead bridge cranes facilitate the movement of
full-sized training equipment such as compressor
bundles and a multi-stage steam turbine, while two
half-ton jib cranes are available for disassembling
and reassembling smaller components such as
compressor cylinders and single-stage turbines.
These premises provide ideal circumstances wherein
clients, as well as employees, become familiar with
the machines and the technology. Participants are
presented a very practical and concrete way of
looking at a problem as everything can be discussed
and demonstrated on-site.
To complement the well-equipped, hands-on area,
the facility includes a large, generously-spaced
classroom that comfortably seats 30, and a smaller
room for up to 12 attendees. Each classroom is
outfitted with up-to-date audio-visual
equipment and the latest in training
tools. The larger hands-on area and the
extra classroom allowed us to set up
permanent equipment workstations
and computers that are readily available,
making it more efficient for service
personnel to meet training and
certification requirements. To achieve
maximum effectiveness of the new
facility, designers employed LEAN
methodology in the layout of this new
center to permit several classes to be
conducted simultaneously.
This new Houston-based training center adds to
the mix of worldwide Dresser-Rand training centers
and regional service centers that offer training.
Existing training centers are strategically located

in Le Havre, France; Peterborough, England;
Kongsberg, Norway; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and at
our facilities in Painted Post, and Olean, New York,
USA.
At each training location, full-time instructors
employ “building block” and “team teaching”
techniques to go from equipment fundamentals
for the newer student, all the way to complete
machinery overhauls for more experienced
attendees. Generally, the programs offered at
Dresser-Rand can be any combination of hands-on
training, classroom-focused instruction or even webbased
courses.
Classes can also be held at a client’s site and can be
customized to accommodate any skill level, class size
and site-specific equipment. Typically, courses target
operators, mechanics, supervisors, and engineers.
The comprehensive list of courses covers the full
range of Dresser-Rand products from reciprocating
compressors and integral engines to steam turbine
and turbomachinery products and control systems.
Aside from world-class facilities and equipment,
what really makes our training programs successful
is the team of seasoned training experts. We believe
training is essential and view it as an investment,
rather than an expense.
To access the Dresser-Rand 2012 Product Training
Programs catalog, get more information about
the programs or to register for a class, please
visit http://www.dresser-rand.com/service/
fieldoperations/training/training.php. •
Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. ®
profile
9

10 insights
Bringing Control Systems
Closer to Home
For companies that want to compete in an increasingly global
marketplace, local presence is a must. Such is the strategy behind
Dresser-Rand establishing additional presence in key regions of the
world to provide clients with our cutting-edge control systems and
condition monitoring systems for their rotating equipment.
For more than 50 years, Dresser-Rand has been
designing and manufacturing control systems
for rotating equipment, and plant, station,
supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)
for both Dresser-Rand equipment and equipment
manufactured by other OEMs. Standard and custom
designed control systems are built to meet clients
exacting specifications for controlling, monitoring
and protecting gas and steam turbines, motors,
pumps, expanders, generators, and centrifugal
and reciprocating compressors. These intricate,
highly sophisticated, yet easy-to-use systems equip
operators with the tools they need to assess the
health of their equipment and predict failure
before it occurs.
Add to these state-of-the-art control systems,
the Dresser-Rand Envision® suite of condition
monitoring software and you have some serious
capabilities when it comes to equipment
monitoring. By linking the Envision suite to a
standard Dresser-Rand control system, machinery
performance can be viewed, adjusted and problems
diagnosed from a single user platform. Moreover,
you can monitor your equipment from a remote
location.
Dresser-Rand Control Systems established its center
of excellence in Houston, Texas in 1959. However,
the company realizes that it can better serve its
clients by being local. So the decision was made
to establish another Control Systems facility in
Kongsberg, Norway.
The Dresser-Rand Kongsberg Operation is best
known for its gas turbine generator sets. “In fact,”

says Dan Levin, general manager, Control Systems,
“our Kongsberg operation is world-class in this
area.” The Kongsberg facility has expanded its
gas turbine capabilities beyond the LM2500® and
LM6000® packages traditionally handled there.1
For example, aftermarket projects using Avon®2 gas
turbines will be manufactured in Kongsberg. And
the Kongsberg engineering team is very skilled when
it comes to applying and programming Envision
condition monitoring software (reciprocating
compressor and SCADA capabilities are expected to
be added in the future).
In line with these localization efforts for
Dresser-Rand Control Systems, another facility
equipped to handle control systems and condition
monitoring is planned for Baroda, India. Once
operational, the facility will manage all Asian
business, including control systems activity in
Naroda, India.
“By expanding our control capabilities globally,
we can be more responsive, there are fewer time
zone delays and clients need not travel as far for
meetings and factory acceptance tests,” Levin
asserts. “There is also the added flexibility to meet
local variations in specifications, and a local contact
for any necessary clarifications.”
This localization also helps ensure that
Dresser-Rand complies with all the governmental
rules and regulations applicable
to that particular region.
Furthermore, multiple
manufacturing locations insulate
clients from supply disruptions
in the event of unforeseen
production interruptions, natural
or man-made, at any single
location.
Standardization is Key
Levin explains that the
localization or “branch” concept
was formed following the
implementation of a companywide
program that created
standardized software libraries
and tools. As part of this program,
the standards are defined in
Houston and disseminated to the
branch locations that handle that
particular product throughout the
1("LM2500" and "LM6000" are registered trademarks of General Electric Company.)
2(“Avon” is a registered trademark of Rolls-Royce PLC.)
company, worldwide. Over time, the branches are
expected to improve upon and develop additional
standards that are then returned to Houston for
finalization and distribution company-wide. As Levin
noted when explaining the program, “Documents,
drawings, photos, etc. are a computer click away
and everyone has access to the same, up-to-theminute
information.”
Levin reports that once the localization strategy
is fully implemented, the Houston facility will
serve clients in the Americas; the Kongsberg
facility will serve Europe and the Middle East
and Africa; and Baroda will serve the Asia Pacific
region. The advantages to this regionally-focused,
localized approach for equipping existing facilities
with control systems manufacturing and service
capabilities increases response time to clients and
minimizes transportation and logistics costs. “And
finally,” notes Levin, “it allows us to customize
products tailored to the unique preferences of our
clients in various regions throughout the world.” •
Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. ®
11

off-grid EnErgy SyStEmS:
Sustainable Alternative
for Electrical
Energy Supply
12 insights
Editor’s note: In mid-2011, Dresser-Rand completed the acquisition of Guascor, a supplier of diesel and gas engines that
provided customized energy solutions across infrastructure markets based on reciprocating engine power systems technologies.
Guascor also brought substantial experience in bio-energy and distributed generation applications. Distributed energy is the
generation, storage and administration of energy resources in locations where they are consumed. Often, these sites are remote,
off-grid locations, where extended grids are not economically feasible. One such location is Buritis, a city of approximately 30,000
inhabitants in the state of Rondonia in northwestern Brazil, in the heart of the Amazon rainforest region.

Supplying power for off-grid sites has always
been a challenge. Not only does it require a highly
technical, specialized team that is well-trained in all
facets of off-grid power applications, but with the
closest maintenance center often hundreds of miles
away, clear-cut, well thought-out maintenance
procedures are essential to a successful venture.
These were the circumstances Brazilian officials
encountered when they were asked to establish
an off-grid power plant to include the latest
technology and more efficient energy consumption
to meet an ever-increasing demand for power in
the city of Buritis, Rondonia state, in northwest
Brazil.
When the new facility was in the planning stages
in 2007, plant officials, following a well-defined
course of action, developed a strategy wherein
the operator was to control all plant equipment by
computer. In addition, maintenance procedures
aimed at assuring the expected results were to be
employed. Spare parts administration and engine
recovery systems were also to be put into place
Today, the plant employs nine operators, one chief
and three technical maintenance operators that
specialized in electrical and mechanical systems.
The facility also manages a repair shop, well
prepared to provide both corrective and preventive
measures on plant equipment.
Nova Buritis, as it is called, operates with 17
Guascor® Model SF 360 generators plus three
model SF 480s, and is capable of expansion up to
24 generators total.
These diesel-powered generators are mounted
in shipping containers, fully soundproofed, and
equipped with all essential controls and protective
systems to help assure plant personnel safety
Located in proximity to the city of Buritis, the new
plant covers an estimated area of 30,000 m2, but
residents say it has not caused any disruption to
the city dynamics. In fact, the plant even features
its own community garden with an area reserved
for planting native trees.
As noted, remote systems are in place, providing
operators with complete control of production.
Moreover, pertinent data is transmitted daily to the
appropriate Brazilian federal agencies, including
ANEEL, the federal electricity regulatory agency
responsible for monitoring fuel consumption. This
agency monitors all diesel-powered plants in Brazil
and has registered a cumulative savings of more
than 50 million liters of diesel through 2010.
The Buritis facility received an award from ANEEL
for its lower fuel consumption of 275 I/MWh, well
below the upper limit of 300 I/MWh required by
law. Reducing energy consumption levels by using
diesel fuel for power generation in off-grid systems
is supported by federal funding, so these limits
must be strictly adhered to.
Plant officials have also made a major investment
to provide a significant increase in the installed
capacity, with a target of 15,000 KW by the end
of 2011 and a long-term goal of 24,000 KW,
depending upon future demand.
In looking at the Buritis facility, plant officials
have learned lessons that might well be applied
to similar geographically isolated regions where
extended power grids are not possible. Among
their findings is the importance in developing
local suppliers, hiring local workers and being
active in community affairs. In fact, plants where
Dresser-Rand (formerly Guascor) has been involved
have a history of community participation and
employees are highly encouraged to engage in local
concerns.
Also, by providing electrical power to areas that
previously lacked adequate power, the plant is
vital to the economic and social development in
the region and may eventually lead to upgrades in
the infrastructure – new road and enhancements
in public services, including an improved school
system.
Indeed, Buritis is an example of one model by
which Dresser-Rand provides for a sustainable and
reliable solution to off-grid power applications. •
Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. ®
13

14 insights
“Fazendo Acontecer no Brasil” (Making it real in Brazil) has become a
rallying call at the Dresser-Rand service center in Campinas, Brazil, and
it’s not just an empty slogan. With its characteristic Brazilian passion, the
local team significantly accelerated local growth during 2011. Year-overyear
aftermarket growth at the Campinas Service Center was up by 61
percent because of new product and service introductions.
W“We embraced our Company’s vision to ‘earn client
loyalty for life’ to overcome several challenges
during 2010 and 2011. We redefined roles and
aligned responsibilities to our business strategy to
accelerate our growth,” Chris Cowden, director of
Services for Latin America South, proudly recounts.
Cowden aligned the Campinas team’s roles and
responsibilities to harness the branch concept.
The branch concept, introduced worldwide by
Dresser-Rand Services in 2009, is structured
such that there is a single point of contact for all
aftermarket activity. Branch managers and their
teams are the “voices” of Dresser-Rand Services,
comprising all essential support functions necessary
to meet client needs in any given region, including
account managers, product engineers, project
managers, supply chain personnel, etc.
“Our growth is a result of a true team effort that left
no one out,” said Cowden. “We worked together
to create a sense of autonomy among functional
leaders while cultivating a culture of discipline.”
Cowden has every reason to be proud. Harnessing
the Campinas’ team’s individual talents along
with great teamwork has resulted in record-level
performance in bookings, sales, backlog, margin,
and income.
Fazendo

Part of the Company’s Largest
Order in History
In September, 2011, Dresser-Rand secured a $731 million
USD contract for compression equipment and services
from a consortium of companies led by Brazil’s state
run petroleum company, Petrobras. The equipment,
which includes up to 80 DATUM® compressor trains,
will be installed on eight “replicant” floating, production
storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. Consistent with
the company’s commitment to support local initiatives, a
significant portion of the added value on this project will
be performed in Brazil. This will include sourcing, project
management and engineering, further development of
local service support capabilities, and packaging in the
new facility being built in Brazil.
Investing in People
While empowering employees to manage risk, yet remain
flexible and reactive to clients’ needs, we were able to
lay the foundation for the service centers’ remarkable
upturn. Training too was a key success factor. The facility
hosted its first Quality of Leadership (QOL) training course,
a company-wide program designed to instill exemplary
leadership traits and best practices. Several employees
completed the company’s Business Acumen training, while
many others obtained Yellow Belt certification and now
apply Lean Six Sigma philosophy on a day-to-day basis.
Two teams of employees completed a comprehensive,
three-month industrial gas turbine training program in
Houston. The training was part of worldwide Services
strategic plan to localize repair capabilities of industrial
gas turbine (IGT) and large steam turbine products, and
to capture market share by globalizing the capabilities of
Dresser-Rand Turbine Technology Services. This strategy
is working: the Campinas facility recently secured a major
gas turbine overhaul project valued at approximately
$5 million USD.
In addition, on-site technical product training courses
were taught in Campinas by rotating equipment product
specialists on turbocompressor and expander products
from Dresser-Rand Olean, NY and Houston, TX engineering
centers.
Current plans call for a training “center of excellence”
in Brazil in the near future which will further accelerate
profitable growth. “Taken together, these programs mark
the beginning of our journey,” said Cowden.
Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. 15 ®
Acontecer no Brasil!

Giving Back to the Community
Participation in community activities also contributes to
the facility’s sense of achievement and camaraderie, and
key events are typically done quarterly. During Health &
Safety Week, for example, employees were involved in
a food collection drive for the Paulo Freire Institute, an
organization dedicated to community-based learning.
Their efforts netted just over 2,200 pounds of food
destined for 120 needy children. During the Easter holiday
in 2011, several employees made personal donations and
gathered together to celebrate the holiday with children at
a local orphanage.
More recently, the facility donated coats, sponsored
a Christmas meal, and provided school supplies and
uniforms for the students at the Paulo Freire Institute.
Healthy, Safety and Training Remain
Top Priorities
How do you top all of this? You achieve a world class
safety record.
At the time this article was developed, the facility had
surpassed more than 1,424 days (almost four years)
without a recordable event. It’s obvious that the
employees’ awareness, appreciation and commitment to
safety contributed to this record achievement.
As with the food drive, also during Health & Safety Week,
this year’s many activities included medical evaluations for
each employee, classes on defensive driving techniques,
alcohol and tobacco prevention, and education on
hypertension and myocardial diseases.
With its client-focused drive and personal and professional
passion, the Dresser-Rand Campinas service center team is
well positioned to do its part to support the Petrobras presalt
project. When asked about the near-term objectives
for the Brazilian service center, local managers agree that
Brazil will be the next “flagship” location for the company.
“At our accelerated rate of improvement,” says Cowden,
“this goal can be reached. It’s truly exciting to share our
accomplishments, the passion of Brazil and to be part of
a winning team.” •
Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. ®
16

“Nossos planos para amanhã dependem da segurança de hoje”
"Our plans for tomorrow depend on today's safety."
P55 Rio Grande shipyard project
Leadership team
E-156 assembly
Formula 1 performance
Campinas, Brazil facility
Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. 17 ®
Acontecer no Brasil!

18 insights
CAES PowEr PlAnt
20 Years and Going Strong
Two decades ago, the first compressed air energy storage (CAES)
power plant in North America went online.
TTwenty years ago, the first compressed air energy
storage (CAES) power plant in North America – and
one of only two in the world – went “live.” Located
in McIntosh, Alabama, USA, the plant has since
been producing up to 110 MW of electrical power
during periods of peak demand. PowerSouth, the
facility’s owner, uses it to boost its generation
capabilities during the peak hours when energy
demand escalates, usually short periods of time
during early morning or evening hours. At full
capacity, the CAES facility produces sufficient
electricity to power approximately 110,000 homes.
In a CAES plant, off-peak or excess electricity is
used to power a motor that drives compressors to
force air into an underground storage reservoir at
high pressures. During peak demand, the process
is reversed and this compressed air is released and
heated, then flows through a turbine generator
to produce electricity. This has proven much less
expensive than using traditional gas turbine peaking
units or purchasing power from other sources.
In the mid-1980s, Alabama Electric Cooperative
(AEC), renamed PowerSouth Energy Cooperative,
had a problem with very high summer and winter
seasonal peak demand that far surpassed their
normal generating capacity. They leased a parcel
of land in McIntosh which sat atop a huge salt
dome, an ideal site to construct a storage reservoir
using solution mining technology. A local chemical
company at the same site was willing to take the
huge amounts of brine that would be produced by
the mining process. It was this set of circumstances
that prompted PowerSouth to investigate the design
and construction of a CAES plant. All that was
missing was an agreement with neighboring utilities
to purchase off-peak power in order to charge
the storage cavern at a relatively low cost. Such
agreements were soon negotiated.

140 Feet – One of the World’s
Longest Trains
Commenting on the scope of the project, Phil
Hoffmann, who at that time was the General
Manager of Power Generation for Dresser-Rand,
says “There were numerous challenges, but the
biggest challenges involved time, resources and
dealing with the unknowns of designing and
building a first-of-its-kind power generation facility.
There was no question we had the engineering
and manufacturing talent and experience required
to do the job, but the real test was to focus all the
needed resources in a productive manner while at
the same time maintaining support for the rest of
the business.”
To appreciate the enormity of this undertaking,
one must bear in mind that one of the initial steps
in the construction process was to carve out a
suitable area in the salt dome. According to current
McIntosh plant manager, Lee Davis, “We solution
mined it, or in other words, created an underground
cavern in a huge salt formation, for 629 days. That
created 19 million cubic feet of cavern storage.”
Davis, who has been with this project since 1989,
adds, “You have to remember this was not an
established technology here in North America, it
was a prototype. As a result, we had some startup
issues the first three years.” He adds, “Once
those issues were fixed, the system has run well,
functioning at more than 95 percent reliability.”
As for the plant’s equipment, the 140-foot
machinery train, one of the longest in the world, is
almost exclusively Dresser-Rand equipment, derived
from Dresser-Rand product lines that have been
time-and field-tested for decades. That experience
includes single-stage turbines, standard multi-stage
turbines, packaged geared turbine generators and
engineered turbine generators, centrifugal and
axial compressors, gas turbines, and reciprocating
compressors. Dresser-Rand proved it was capable
of custom-engineering a CAES train to provide a
system to meet a site’s operating and geological
requirements.
Technology That’s Proven
the Test of Time
According to Davis, “It’s been a proven technology
for us. Normal start-up time is just 14 minutes to
reach 110 MW. And it can run down to 20 MW.
It’s a good regulating tool.” He adds, “Our load is
primarily residential. CAES is the best solution with
our load shape and I’m very much in favor of the
CAES concept.”
A Clean, Renewable Solution
CAES has environmental advantages compared to
conventional gas turbines since a CAES plant burns
roughly one-third the natural gas/KWH consumed
by a conventional combustion turbine, thus
producing only about one-third the pollutants.
For new CAES projects Dresser-Rand offers its
SmartCAES energy storage system, which is
based upon the successful installation in McIntosh,
but with several important enhancements. The
SmartCAES system takes advantage of the industryleading
DATUM® centrifugal compressor technology
to maximize the efficiency of the compression
mode. While in power generation mode, the
SmartCAES system’s turbo-expanders can now
produce 135 MW while meeting all current air
quality requirements.
Dresser-Rand offers its SmartCAES solution as a fully
integrated power island including all of the rotating
machinery, heat exchangers, auxiliaries, and plant
controls with guarantees for performance, system
operating characteristics and emissions.
As for the future of CAES, Jim Heid, vice president,
Dresser-Rand, believes that the current push for
renewable energy in the form of solar and wind
power has produced a new market focus for this
technology. “Since the sun doesn’t always shine and
the wind doesn’t always blow when the demand
for electricity is greatest, CAES is an enabling
technology that allows you to store bulk electrical
power on a utility scale and withdraw it on demand
when the power is needed. It also provides a much
needed load source when in compression mode
that prevents curtailment of renewables and base
load electrical generation.” •
Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. ®
19

engineer’s notebook
20 insights
High Pressure CO2 Compressor
Testing for Tupi I, Tupi II and Tupi III
Editor’s note: This paper was presented at the 8º Fórum de Turbomáquinas Petrobras in Rio de Janeiro;
August 9 – 12, 2011.
SUMMARY
This paper describes the mechanical and aerodynamic testing of the highpressure
CO2 compressors for the Tupi I (Cidade de Angra dos Reis FPSO /
TUPI Field), Tupi II (Cidade de São Paulo FPSO / Guara Field), and Tupi III
(Cidade de Paraty FPSO / Lula North East) projects. This includes the results
of the API 617 mechanical test and a special magnetic bearing exciter test
to demonstrate rotordynamic stability at design operating conditions. Also
included are the results of the ASME PTC-10 Type 2 inert gas performance
test and the ASME PTC-10 Type 1 full load – full pressure test on a CO2
– hydrocarbon gas mixture equivalent to the actual process gas. A brief
description of the compressor design and manufacture is also presented.
Description of Compressor Application
TUPI (Pilot) I – Cidade de Angra dos Reis
FPSO / TUPI Field
This pilot project for the Petrobas FPSOs in the Tupi
Field is located on the FPSO Cidade de Angra dos
Reis MV22, moored in the Santos Basin in 2149
meters of water.
The process begins with a mixture of CO2 and
Figure 1: TUPI (Pilot) I configuration.
natural gas in the Main A compressors where it is
compressed and delivered to the CO2 membrane. At
this point, CO2 is separated from the gas stream and
is directed to the CO2 compressor and compressed
from very low pressure to 310 bar. The CO2 is then
cooled and pumped from 310 bar to 550 bar and
injected back into the ground. Conversely, the
CO2-free natural gas is transported to the export B
compressors where it is compressed to 250 bar and
either exported onshore for pipeline
service and / or further compressed
and re-injected back into the ground at
550 bar for continued oil production.
Dresser-Rand provided a unique
CO2 compression train solution
that discharged the CO2 at a higher
pressure than any of our competitors’
equipment, allowing the client to
reduce the number of pumps in series
and supporting process equipment.
We presented the client with this
unique solution to take the discharge
pressure up to 310 bar instead of 250

ar, thereby reducing the required number of CO2
pumps in series from five to four. The segregation
of CO2 and natural gas was one of the client’s
requirements for this particular FPSO.
TUPI (Pilot) II – Cidade de São Paulo FPSO /
Guara Field
The next FPSO, Cidade de São Paulo, will operate in
the Guara Block BM-S-9.
The process is similar to the first FSPO, with a
mixture of natural gas and CO2. The mixture enters
the Main A compressors, where, again, the gas is
Figure 2: TUPI (Pilot) II configuration.
compressed and sent to the CO2 membrane where
the CO2 is separated from the gas stream. The
CO2-free natural gas is transmitted to the Export
B compressors, compressed to 250 bar and either
exported onshore for pipeline service and / or
further compressed and re-injected back into the
ground at 550 bar by the combined CO2 and natural
gas injection compressors. The now separated
CO2 gas stream is sent from the CO2 membrane to
the CO2 compressor and compressed from very
low pressure to 250 bar. The CO2 is then
transmitted to the combined CO2 and natural
gas injection compressors and compressed to
550 bar and re-injected back into the ground.
What is unique about this arrangement is
that there is only one set of compressors. The
combined CO2 and natural gas compressors
compress both natural gas and CO2 and
combinations of both natural gas and CO2 to
550 bar for re-injection, eliminating the need
for pumps.
The client agreed with our approach of
compressing both natural gas, CO2 and
mixtures of natural gas and CO2 using one set
of compressors instead of having a separate set of
compressors and pumps to take a CO2-only stream
to 550 bar. They also preferred a constant speed
motor drive for this application, thus, the process
was controlled with suction throttle valves.
Dresser-Rand demonstrated the combined CO2 and
natural gas injection compressor at constant speed.
TUPI (Pilot) III – Cidade
de Paraty FPSO / Lula North East
The third FPSO, Cidade de Paraty, will operate in the
Lula NE (formerly Tupi NE; BM-S-11) field.
The procedure here is identical to
the one just described with the
mixture of natural gas and CO2 being
separated before going through a
series of compressions. Again, the
client agreed to the use of a single
set of compressors for combined CO2
and natural gas injection instead of
a separate set of compressors and
pumps.
This particular application used a
variable speed drive with a Voith
Vorecon (variable speed increasing
gear), thus the process was speedcontrolled.
Again, Dresser-Rand
demonstrated the combined CO2 and natural gas
injection compressor with variable speed.
Compressor Description
The high-pressure compressors for the Tupi I, Tupi II
and Tupi III CO2 injection service are, in all instances,
Dresser-Rand DATUM® multi-stage centrifugal
compressors. The impellers in each compressor are
arranged in a “back-to-back” configuration affording
Figure 3: TUPI (Pilot) III configuration.
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21

engineer’s notebook
22 insights
the capability of two sections of compression in
one casing. These sections may be intercooled or
non-intercooled as required by the application.
The completed compressor train for Tupi I and the
bundle (internal cartridge) with the impellers and
stationary flow path appear in Figure 4 below.
The high-pressure CO2 compressor for Tupi I is
designed for a discharge pressure of 309 bara
(4,481 psia). The Tupi II and Tupi III compressors
are slightly larger in size, due to the higher design
condition inlet volume flow rate, and a higher
design condition discharge pressure of 550 bara
(7,975 psia). Details for the reinjection compressor
duty for Tupi II and Tupi III are as follows:
TUPI II
Figure 4: Tupi I CO 2 compressor train.
Figure 5: Tupi I high-pressure compressor cartridge.
• Molecular weight: 23 – 37
• Flow: 2.35 – 4.25 mmNM^3/D
• Discharge pressure: 550 barg
• Process control: suction throttle
TUPI III
• Molecular weight: 23 – 39.5
• Flow: 0.20 – 4.19 mmNM^3/D
• Discharge pressure: 550 barg
• Process control: variable speed
In order to predict compressor performance, it
is critical to use the proper equation of state to
predict the gas properties. Extensive gas properties
testing were done at Southwest Research Institute.
Compressor Performance Testing
Tupi I Testing
The Tupi I CO2 compression unit consisted of a two-
Figure 6: Tupi 1 section 1 performance curve.
Figure 7: Tupi 1 section 2 performance curve.

Figure 8: Tupi I “full load-full pressure” test conditions.
case compressor train: A “low-pressure” compressor
boosted the gas from an initial inlet pressure of 2.97
bara (43.1 psia) to a pressure of 35.7 bara. and a
“high-pressure” compressor compressed the gas to
a final discharge pressure of 308.9 bara (4,479 psia).
Each compressor received an ASME PTC-10 1997
Type 2 inert gas performance test and an API 617
7th edition mechanical test.
Figure 6 and Figure 7 represent the expected
performance curves for section 1 and section 2
respectively. A variety of parameters are plotted
against inlet capacity for each section and the
design point is shown on each as well. These curves
are typical for a constant speed driven compressor
which is controlled by an inlet throttle valve. These
figures as well as some others which follow do not
have numerical values shown on the axis either due
to confidentiality agreements with the purchaser or
due to being proprietary in nature to the OEM.
One train received a “full load – full pressure”
(“FL-FP”) inert gas test on a mixture of carbon
dioxide and nitrogen closely approximating the
actual aerodynamic cross-coupling force that would
be experienced in the field. The purpose was to
evaluate the rotor-dynamic stability and mechanical
integrity discussed later in this paper. The “FL-FP”
test was conducted so that the MPACC number
and volume reduction for each stage were within
approximately 2 percent of the design condition
values as shown in Figure 8. The “MPACC” number
is the modified Wachel number used to quantify
the aerodynamic cross-coupled stiffness force as
described in API-617, as well as
in numerous technical works on
rotordynamic stability.
Tupi II Testing
The performance testing of the
Tupi II high-pressure combined
CO2 and natural gas injection
compressor consisted of an
ASME PTC-10 Type 2 test,
followed by an ASME PTC-10
Type 1 test. The Type 1 test
was conducted at full discharge
pressure, 55,000 kPaG (7,977
psig), over a range of capacity
and two different hydrocarbon +
carbon dioxide gas blends. The
observed hydraulic performance
validated the results of the Type
2 test. A comparison of the Type
2 test to the predicted performance appears in
Figure 9: Tupi II type 1 test results.
Figure 9, and a comparison of the Type 1 test and
Type 2 test results is indicated in Figure 10.
The Tupi II compressor, operating with constant
speed and suction throttling, was tested in the same
manner. As illustrated in Figure 9, the compressor
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engineer’s notebook
24 insights
Figure 10: Tupi II type 1 test results.
head was very close to the prediction but the
efficiency was slightly higher than predicted. It
is important to note that the compressor flow
was throttled all the way down below the surge
control line. Since the value of the compressibility
Figure 11. The two TUPI II compressor train packages complete
with drive motors, gears, lube oil systems, dry gas seal systems, and
controls all mounted on single lift baseplates.
(z) changes as the unit is throttled, the “relative”
speed changes between approximately 99 percent
and 103 percent, as indicated in Figure 10. The
design discharge pressure of 550 bar (7975 psi)
on a mixture of hydrocarbon gases and carbon
dioxide was demonstrated with the power required
well within the guaranteed value. The mechanical
integrity was also demonstrated at full load
conditions as discussed later in this paper.
Figure 12: Tupi III type 1 test results.
Figure 13: Tupi III type 1 test results.

Tupi III Testing
The Tupi III units are operated as variable speed
units in the field and were tested as such. In
addition, the Tupi III units had three operating
conditions specified, each with a different molecular
weight gas mixture (hydrocarbon + carbon dioxide),
but all with the same 550 bar (7975 psi) discharge
pressure. Hence, each operating condition had a
different operating speed. Figures 12 and 13 show
the test results of the ASME PTC-10 Type 1 test. The
solid lines point to the prediction based upon the
Type 2 test.
As was with the Tupi II unit test, the Tupi III unit
was tested all the way to the surge control line. The
efficiency and head measured were both slightly
higher than predicted. The compressor was well
within the guaranteed power tolerance and the
mechanical integrity at full load was demonstrated,
Figure 14: Tupi III HP CO 2 compressor on test in Olean.
as discussed later in this paper. It is very important
to note that the highest discharge pressure tested
was 581.4 bara (8432 psia) as denoted by the
solid red circle in Figures 12 and 13. Similarly, the
highest discharge gas density tested was 556.1
kg/m3 (34.72 lb/ft3) as denoted by the solid red
upright triangle in Figures 12 and 13. Dresser-Rand
considers this to be the highest discharge gas
density ever achieved in a centrifugal compressor.
Rotordynamic Stability
Establishing inherent rotordynamic stability of highpressure,
high-density centrifugal compressors can,
at times, be a challenging task. Nevertheless, it is
critical in order to obtain long term stable operation
of the compressor in the field. State-of-the-art
analytical prediction techniques, as well as test
verification procedures, are necessary to ensure
acceptability of the design of such machinery. These
techniques have been previously demonstrated to
provide a clear correlation with measurements [1].
High-pressure, high-density gases produce
significant excitation and reaction forces on the
rotor that may cause rotordynamic instability. As
such, there is a need to reduce these forces. The
most significant forces usually arise at the impeller
shroud and seals with high-pressure differential.
Technology, such as swirl brakes on labyrinth seals
and damper seals, have been developed by the
OEM in order to reduce the excitation forces and
increase damping in the rotor in order to prevent
rotordynamic instabilities.
Rotordynamic instability occurs when the forward
driving forces exceed the resisting dissipation forces,
leading to self-excitation of the whirling mode of
the rotor. This, in turn, may lead to subsynchronous
vibration that, in the worst case, is limited only by
the rotor rubbing the stator.
Rotor natural frequencies,
and the log decrement
associated with each
mode, can be
estimated
based on the
measured
frequency
response.
This permits
the validation of
the rotor dynamic
modeling techniques
used by Dresser-Rand and demonstrates the
compressor stability at both full- and part-load test
conditions. Using rotordynamic stability testing,
we can validate the performance of damper seals,
de-swirl components and the bearing system. It
also provides a significant risk mitigation tool, with
quantifiable results, to demonstrate the reliability of
the compressor.
Rotordynamic Modeling
Detailed rotordynamic modeling of this class
of centrifugal compressors is crucial in order to
accurately estimate the stability margin of the
machinery.
The rotordynamic problem can be modeled using
techniques resulting in a general linear system of
differential equations
where M, C, and K are the mass, damping and
(1)
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engineer’s notebook
26 insights
stiffness matrices, respectively. The time dependent
vectors x(t) and F(t) are the displacement and force
vectors, respectively. For a homogeneous solution,
i.e., free vibration with F(t) = 0, a harmonic solution
is obtained as
(2)
The eigenvalue, λ, may then be solved for and takes
the form of
(3)
The real part of the above eigenvalue determines
the level of damping (or stability). ζ is defined as the
damping ratio. The logarithmic decrement (log dec)
may then be defined as
(4)
As can be seen above, the log dec is related to the
damping ratio and is another common way to state
the damping in the rotor system.
Magnetic bearing exciter.
Validation through testing.
Rotordynamic stability example.
Stability Predictions
The rotor stability can be calculated by means of
state-of-the-art numerical prediction methods.
Below is a brief summary of the methods used for
these particular machines.
The rotordynamic asynchronous stiffness and
damping coefficients, as well as leakage, for the
damper seal is estimated using the code developed
by Kleynhans and Childs [3] which solves the
turbulent bulk flow equations and has been
extensively validated. The rotordynamic stiffness
and damping coefficients for the labyrinth seals
are also estimated by means of a bulk-flow code.
Here, the code developed by Kirk [4] is used. The
excitation arising from the centrifugal impellers is
estimated using a modified version of the Wachel
number, developed by Memmott, [5]. The tiltingpad
journal bearing coefficients are obtained using a
bearing code developed by Nicholas, et al. [6].
All the component models mentioned above are
incorporated into an automated rotordynamic
software suite developed
by the OEM and integrated
into the OEM’s aerodynamic
and solid modeling software.
Component selection, model
creation, analysis execution,
and report generation are
automated as described in
Ramesh [7]. The guidelines
and criteria of the American
Petroleum Institute (API)
617, 7th ed., have also been
incorporated. The software
simplifies the modeling of the
compressor.

TUPI III response results.
The predicted stability according to the above
outlined procedure for Tupi I, II and III can be seen
in the table below. The results are presented for
maximum continuous operating speed (MCOS)
at full load and full pressure. Note that a log
decrement greater than 0 is indicative of a stable
system. The minimum acceptable log decrement
required by API 617, 7th ed., is 0.1 for the first
forward damped mode. Note also that the
estimated log decrement values shown in Table 1
are, in all cases, much greater than 0.1 (more than
an order of magnitude higher) and representative of
highly damped (very stable) systems.
Table 1: Predicted stability at MCOS and max discharge pressure.
Stability Test Setup
To validate the rotordynamic predictions, the
rotors were dynamically excited when operating at
full load and full pressure by a magnetic bearing
exciter (MBE). The MBE injects an asynchronous
force into the rotor system in order to excite the
bending mode (forward or backward) while, at the
Figure 15: Magnetic bearing exciter assembly.
same time, the corresponding
rotor response is measured.
The log dec can be estimated
from the rotor response to the
MBE force. It should be noted
that the rotor speed remains
constant while the injecting
force sweeps through the frequency range, resulting
in peak responses at the rotor natural frequencies.
The MBE was mounted on the free end of the rotor
shaft as shown in Figure 12.
As can be seen in Figure 15, minimal modifications
of the original compressor design are required
to accommodate the magnetic bearing. Only a
small extension of the original shaft was needed.
The influence to the rotordynamics of the shaft
extension has been previously investigated [2] and
it was concluded that it has negligible contribution
to the measured log dec. It is also important to
note that the MBE does not support the rotor radial
loads.
A digital control
system was
custom designed
for the application
and allows control
of the excitation
frequency range
and magnitude.
A digital tracking
filter, trigged by the excitation signal, was used to
isolate the exciter response from other frequencies
in the spectrum, yielding a good signal to noise
ratio.
The compressors were driven by a steam turbine
through a speed-increasing gearbox. In all cases, the
field couplings were used between the gearbox and
compressor in order to closely duplicate the field
conditions.
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27

engineer’s notebook
28 insights
Stability Test Results and
Comparison With Predictions
For all three compressors, the MBE sweeps were
performed at several different discharge pressures
ranging from low up to maximum discharge
pressure. One common behavior of all machines is
that the stability of the first forward bending mode
increases with increasing discharge pressure. This
behavior has been previously observed and is due,
in part, to the advantageous location and positive
damping feature of the damper seal. Since the
first bending mode at high pressures is very well
damped, i.e., high log dec, it is sometimes hard
to estimate this log dec from the measured rotor
response.
Tupi I Stability Test Results
The result of the measured log dec for Tupi I at
three different discharge pressures is presented
in Figure 16 below: the stability increases with
increasing discharge pressure. As mentioned, this is
the expected trend when using damper seals. The
log dec of the first forward mode at full pressure,
310 bara (4481 psia), was measured to be 4.7,
which is inside the estimated interval of 4.2-5.0.
Figure 16: Measured log dec during MBE test of Tupi I.
Tupi II Stability Test Results
The result of the measured log dec for Tupi II at
four different discharge pressures is presented in
Figure 17. As with Tupi I, the stability increases with
increasing discharge pressure. The log dec of the
first forward mode at full pressure, 560 bara (8120
psia), was measured to be 4.8, slightly below the
estimated interval of 5.1-6.3.
Figure 17: Measured log dec during MBE test of Tupi II.
Tupi III Stability Test Results
The result of the measured log dec for Tupi III at
four different discharge pressures is presented in
Figure 18 below. As with Tupi I and II, the stability
increases with increasing discharge pressure. The
log dec of the first forward mode at discharge
pressure of 526 bara (7627 psia) was measured
to be 2.9, which is inside the estimated interval
of 2.9-4.2. Note, however, that the estimated
stability value was at 526 bara (7627 psia) and not
at maximum discharge pressure of 560 bara (8120
psia). An increase of discharge pressure is expected
to further increase the measured log dec.
Figure 18: Measured log dec during MBE test of Tupi III.

Conclusions
Performance tests for the high-pressure
compressors for Tupi I, Tupi II and Tupi III resulted
in each compressor meeting or exceeding all
aerodynamic and mechanical requirements. Of
special importance is that rotordynamic stability was
also measured at full load conditions and proven
to be very stable. In addition, the Tupi III units
achieved the highest pressure ever recorded by a
centrifugal compressor operating with a CO2 rich
gas, and the highest discharge gas density for any
gas compressed by a centrifugal compressor, to the
best of the authors’ knowledge.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Petrobras for inviting
Dresser-Rand to prepare and present this paper.
The authors also wish to thank Dresser-Rand for
permission to prepare and present this paper.
References
[1] Moore et al., Rotordynamic stability
measurement during full-load, full-pressure testing
of a 6000 psi re-injection centrifugal compressor,
Proceedings of the 2002 Turbo Symposium.
[2] Kleynhans and Childs, The Acoustic Influence of
Cell Depth on the Rotordynamic Characteristics of
Smooth-Rotor/Honeycomb-stator Annular Gas Seals,
ASME International Gas Turbine and Aero Engine
Congress and Exposition, June 10-13, 1996.
[3] Kirk R.G., User Manual for the Program DYNPC28
– A program for the Analysis of Labyrinth Seals,
Negavib Research and Consulting Group, Virginia
Tech, 1990.
[4] Memmott E.A., Empirical Estimation of Load
Related Cross-Coupled Stiffness and The Lateral
Stability of Centrifugal Compressors, Proc. Of the
18th Machinery Dynamics Seminar, CMVA, 2000.
[5] Nicholas et al., Stiffness and Damping
Coefficients for the Five Pad Tilting Pad Bearing,
ASME Transactions, 22, 113-124, 1979.
[6] Ramesh K., State-of-the-art Rotor Dynamic
Analysis Program, Presented at the 9th International
Symposium on Transport Phenomena and Dynamic
of Rotating Machinery, Feb 10-14, 2002.
[7] Gupta M K., Centrifugal Compressor Design
Challenges for CO2 and other Acid Gas Injection,
Presented at the ASME Turbo Expo, June 6-10, 2011.
[8] Soulas et al., CO2 Compression for Capture and
Injection in Today’s Environmental World Middle
East Turbomachinery Symposium, February 13 – 16,
2011.
[9] Memmott E.A., Stability of Centrifugal
Compressors by Applications of Damper Seals
Presented at the ASME Turbo Expo, June 6-10, 2011.
[10] Kidd and Miller, Unique Compression Solutions
for CO2 Applications, Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle
Symposium, May 24-25, 2011. •
Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. ®
engineer’s notebook
29

30 insights
cHP SyStEm:
Dresser-Rand TG Helps
“Power” UMass to Energy Award
An incoming freshman sits in a warm, well-lit
classroom at the University of Massachusetts
(UMass) in Amherst. She is unaware that the
heat and power that make the room comfortable
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plant’s steam turbine exhaust to heat the premises.
The CHP technology at UMass is part of a 14 MW
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Dresser-Rand Burlington, IA, steam turbine
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and maintenance of both turbine generator sets at
UMass.

Typical of CHP systems, a portion of the exhaust
steam from this additional Model R turbine is used
for campus heating while the remainder is fed to
an existing Dresser-Rand Model R steam turbine
that is driving a 4000 KW generator which supplies
power to the campus. This 4MW Model R turbine
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100,000 lb/hr will now come from the exhaust of
the additional Model R turbine.
By installing a CHP system designed to meet the
heating and electrical base loads, the University has
greatly increased the campus’ operating efficiency
and reduced overall energy costs. At the same
time, by reducing the amount of fuel burnt, the
CHP system has reduced the amount of greenhouse
gas emissions such as CO2. Thus, the University’s
carbon footprint is so efficient that it was recently
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The UMass’ CHP plant currently uses natural
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Part of the University’s ongoing improvement was
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Bringing energy and the environment into harmony. ®
31

Cover photo caption: Rio de Janeiro at night.
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