More than 11,000 stationary rotary screw air compressors — ranging from 50 to 800 hp and producing from 100 to 150 psig of air — are sold annually in North America. Virtually all are electric-driven. Custom-designed natural gas engine-driven air compressors have been in use for 30 years and have provided reliable and economic operation for many users. Advances in engine control technologies and standardized packages from several manufacturers have improved reliability and lowered equipment operating costs even further so that gas equipment is now competitive with electric in an increasing number of applications.
Additional advantages result from the gas engine's variable-speed capability, which produces higher part-load efficiency than its constant-speed electric counterpart and the ability to use waste heat from the engine and produce air from the compressors even during electric interruptions.
Gas companies benefit from marketing natural gas engine-driven air compressor systems because they help boost gas sales. However, many decision-makers in various industrial target markets are not very familiar with, or not even aware of, these systems.
The marketing information presented here is designed to increase the effectiveness of gas marketers' efforts and is divided into the following sections: