Rand-Air, part of the global Atlas Copco Group, has introduced an innovative and economical steam boiler to local industry. The new Atlas Copco steam boiler is a 20 foot containerised unit capable of delivering an output of 6.2 million BTU per hour (approximately 2 720kg per hour) at a temperature of 100◦C and a working pressure of 10.3 bar.
Steam boilers – large vessels containing water – transfer heat from a fuel source (oil, gas or coal) into steam, which is then piped to a point where it can be used in a variety of applications, including running production equipment, sterilising and steam cleaning.
The steam boiler offers significant value-addsto the user, according to Craig Swart, Fleet Manager at Rand-Air.
“Steam boilers arevery economical. They are also much more cost-efficient to hire,” says Swart.
Rand-Air, a compressor and generator hire company, focuses on offering effective, oil-free solutions to a wide range industries, delivering to point of need. The new steam boiler, the latest new addition to Rand-Air’s rental stable, is used in well testing in the on- and offshore oil and gas industry (in effluent heating). It also has an application in a number of other industrial processes, including effluent steam injection; mud transfer; chemical heating; steam cleaning; sterilisation (autoclave and hospitals), heating (domestic and industrial); batch cooking for mass production; spirit distillation; tyre and moulding production, and process heating in the refinery industry.
“The unit is packaged in a DNV-certified container, complying with international offshore standards,” says Swart. “It offers ease of use and accessibility as all operator controls are externally mounted, as well as improved autonomy through connection of an auxiliary fuel tank.Its many safety features include alarm warnings, a pressure safety relief valve, an apex gas detector, an inbuilt CO2extinguishing system, among others, ensuring the highest safety levels and operational efficiency.”
Steam boilers have been used with success at a number of well testing sites in the offshore African oil and gas industry, specifically in the heating of well effluents, according to Swart.
“It is often necessary to raise the temperature of well effluents to prevent hydrate formation, in order to reduce viscosity and to break down emulsions, thereby making separation of oil and water easier. To do this some form of heater is placed downstream of the choke manifold. There are two main types of heaters – an indirect fired heater and a steam exchanger. Indirect fired heaters are fuelled by diesel or gas, andfor that reason are often not permitted due to safety concerns in many operating environments, particularly in the offshore oil and gas envirnoment,” he explains.
“The integration of numerous safety features and protection devices in the Atlas Copco boiler has brought new levels of innovation to the steam boiler market, meeting the stringent safety requirements of the international oil and gas industry and offering significant long-term cost-saving benefits,” concludes Swart.
Rand-Air is a compressor and generator hire company and part of the Atlas Copco Group. With a fleet of more than 700 Atlas Copco compressors and generators, Rand-Air delivers to the point of need. With an infrastructure of 10 branches, Rand-Air is spread across South Africa, with representation in Angola, BotswanaandEast Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique).
Atlas Copco is a world-leading provider of sustainable productivity solutions.
Specialty Rental is a division within Atlas Copco’s Construction Technique business area. It serves customers in the industry segments around the world with temporary air and power rental solutions.
hi Robert Barnes
it is nice concept of boilers in good manner