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 evaluate the full operating range for each service.
a. Identify and define the design point conditions and all possible alternate conditions.
b. Define the gas analysis, including off conditions, to address any special requirements for
condensation or materials.
c. Confirm all operating conditions, including off conditions, are within the limitations defined by the
Ariel Application Manual and Performance Software.
d. Define the site conditions, including ambient temperature and elevation, as these can impact
performance predictions.
e. Define the duty cycle of compressor operation for its impact on compressor and package
component selection and design.
f. Confirm capacity control sequence and limitations of the specific capacity control devices,
including actuation pressure requirements for pneumatically actuated devices.
g. Confirm operating conditions for valve design.
Define the full operating range. Valve lift can impact power usage, rod load, and discharge
temperatures. Valve lift is a function of the application as well as the range of operating
conditions. Wider fluctuations in speed, pressures, and gas composition can require low lift
valves for acceptable valve life. Contact Ariel with the full definition of the operating range and
application type for valve lift review.
Once installed, confirm that the unit is operating within the expected operating conditions. If
not, valve springing and lift should be confirmed. Contact Ariel with the unit serial number and
actual operating conditions / range of conditions for valve component confirmation.
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.

1. "Packager Responsibilities", #5: Completely re-written.

2. Added "Packager Responsibilities", #6i.
3. "Packager Responsibilities", #7: "The Ariel Performance Program calculates gas properties based
on either:" was "Some calculations in the Ariel Performance Program may need additional
explanation:". Deleted 7a, 7b, and 7c.
4. "Guaranteed Performance", third paragraph to end of section:Completely re-written.

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ER-56.02

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.

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).
i. Special unloading configurations, including single acting, non-acting, stage deactivation, and
blow thru.
7. The Ariel Performance 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 can be guaranteed to a tolerance of 3% for:
1. Specific gravity between 0.50 and 0.80 (14.48 to 23.17 molecular weight)
2. Suction pressure greater than 10 psig (0.7 barg)
3. Discharge pressure less than 2500 psig (172 barg)
4. Compression ratio greater than 1.8
5. Compression ratio less than 4.0, else suction VE > 50%)
Rated capacity and power can be guaranteed to a tolerance of 6% for conditions outside those listed
above.
NOTE: Performance predictions are not guaranteed for unloading configurations including
single acting or non-acting cylinder, deactivated stage, or blow thru operation.

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.
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.

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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.

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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