ENGINEERING REFERENCE

The contents of this document are proprietary and confidential. They are the
property of Ariel Corporation and may not be disclosed, reproduced, or used for
manufacture in part or in whole without written permission from Ariel Corporation.

Packager Standards: Applications

Packager Responsibilities
1. Utilize the most current version of the Ariel Performance Program for compressor selection, performance evaluation, pricing, and access to other application information and data.
2. Develop complete familiarity with all compressor frame and cylinder design limitations, such as:
speed, power requirements, rod load, maximum allowable working pressure, discharge temperature, capacity control arrangements, balance, and lubrication.
3. Properly price each compressor with all options to meet the design service. For questions, contact
Ariel.
4. When evaluating existing equipment, obtain equipment serial numbers. Check with Ariel for design
ratings of older equipment as they may differ from current ratings.
5. Understand and properly evaluate customer specifications and take necessary exceptions and precautions. Since operating conditions may change, make every effort to identify:
a. Design point conditions and any possible alternate conditions.
Valve selection is based on operating conditions provided with the order. Multiple/alternate conditions can affect valve application. Note startup conditions (or average first year operating conditions) with order for best valve selection.
Suction valve unloader application is based on all operating conditions provided with the order.
Operating conditions and available on-site actuation pressure determine suction valve
unloader design and actuation pressure. The packager must provide available site actuation
pressure information to Ariel at time of order.
Valve performance is a function of valve lift. Applications with a wide range of operating conditions may require low lift valves. Low lift valves may increase compressor power requirements. Using low lift valves to extend valve life for site conditions not normally requiring them
may negatively affect valve efficiency and compressor performance. Contact Ariel for specifics
before requesting low lift valves.
b. The gas analysis to properly identify and address any special components.
c. Site conditions, including ambient temperature, elevation, dust, humidity, rainfall, wind velocity,
etc., and the impact of these conditions on package design.
d. The duty cycle of compressor operation and its impact on compressor and package component
selection and design.
6. For any special application, see the Ariel Application Manual. For questions or details, contact the
Ariel Application Engineering Department. Special applications include:
a. Suction pressures below 10 psig (0.7 barg).
b. Gas with specific gravity less than 0.35 or greater than 1.5.

For the most recent edition of this document, visit www.arielcorp.com.

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The contents of this document are proprietary and confidential. They are the
property of Ariel Corporation and may not be disclosed, reproduced, or used for
manufacture in part or in whole without written permission from Ariel Corporation.

c. Applications such as air compression, under-balanced drilling, natural gas compression for
vehicle fuel, refinery and petrochemical process systems, acid gas, etc.
d. Drive systems such as turbines, belt drive systems, variable speed motors, etc.
e. Non-lubricated compressor cylinders.
f. Special unloading or control systems.
g. Wet gas (natural gas produced along with crude petroleum in oil fields or from gas-condensate
fields; it contains methane, ethane, propane, butanes, and some higher hydrocarbons such as
pentane and hexane). See Table 5 in ER-56.06.
h. Discharge pressures above 2500 psig (172.4 barg).
7. Some calculations in the Ariel Performance Program may need additional explanation:
a. De-Activated Stage of Compression: In choosing this option during the selection procedure,
the program estimates horsepower and flow losses for a de-activated stage.
b. Cylinder Blow Through: For this condition, the program generates estimated results.
c. Gas Property Calculation: The program calculates gas properties based on either:
The gas analysis components entered.
The specific gravity entered, assuming a gas composed of typical natural gas components.
Non-typical natural gas mixtures require entry of the complete gas analysis to yield proper compressor performance results.

Guaranteed Performance
Obtain all guaranteed performance in writing from Ariel.
Ariel guarantees a single design point as calculated by the current version of the Ariel Performance
Program for each compressor manufactured. All other performance is "expected" and not guaranteed.
A gas analysis is required to validate this guarantee. At this guarantee design point, performance is
based on gas conditions at the cylinder flanges free of pulsation effects.
Rated capacity and power are guaranteed to a tolerance of 3% for specific gravity between 0.50
(14.482 molecular weight) and 0.80 (23.171 molecular weight).
Rated capacity and BHP are guaranteed to a tolerance of 6% for any one or more of these conditions:
1. Specific gravity greater than 0.80 (23.171 molecular weight)
2. Specific gravity less than 0.50 (14.482 molecular weight)
3. Suction pressure less than 10 psig (0.7 barg)
4. Discharge pressure greater than 2500 psig (172.4 barg)
5. Compression ratios less than 1.8
Where:
Molecular or Molar Weight of dry air (U.S. Standard Atmosphere) = 28.964
Molecular Weight = Relative Molecular Mass
Specific Gravity or Relative Density = Molecular Weight of gas divided by 28.964

Performance Testing
1. Testing for guaranteed performance must occur within 90 days of commissioning. If the design point
cannot be reached in this time frame, a mutually agreed upon alternate point will be tested.

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The contents of this document are proprietary and confidential. They are the
property of Ariel Corporation and may not be disclosed, reproduced, or used for
manufacture in part or in whole without written permission from Ariel Corporation.

2. In questions of capacity delivered or horsepower consumed by an Ariel compressor, check these

common discrepancies: inlet pressure drop, excessive interstage pressure drop, leaking bypass
valves, volume decrease due to liquid drop out, gas analysis different than the quoted gas analysis,
compressor and driver mechanical condition, driver fuel gas consumption, etc.
3. If doubt still remains, conduct a performance test. Ariel reserves the right to conduct or supervise
any performance field test. All comparisons to predicted performance will comply with this document. Ariel is not responsible for test costs.

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