September 2012

Issue XV

Inside this issue:

ACI Supports Zane State Oil & Gas Technology Program

2

A Commitment to Our Customers

2

Nuts & Bolts 3

ACI Team Profile– Marty Flach

3

Norm’s Notes 4

Compressor Works

Wyoming Natural Gas Fair

Sept. 12th-14th (Booth #93)

GMC 2012 Oct. 1st– 3rd (Booth #722)

Dynamic Torque Effort and Harmonic Analyses

We Optimize it

We Design It

We Build It

ACI has recently enhanced GE Oil & Gas’s HSR Software to include Dynamic Torque Effort and Har-monic Analysis features. Packagers, engineers and end-users can now review the effects on Torque Effort on both a per-throw and on a unit’s combined torque basis. The dynamic feature is a first for reciprocating compressor performance software.

Dynamic Torque Effort means that as soon as any change is made (suction pressure, discharge pressure, speed, suction temperature to any stage, adjustments to clearances via VVCPs, deactivation of cylinder ends, or entire cylinder deactivation) to any service, then the new resulting torque effort is displayed instantly. Thus,

a user can drag a VVCP slider to dynamically add clearance to a head end cylinder, and the Torque Effort curves will effectively animate to properly correspond with the dynamically added clearance. Or they can drag sliders for pressures, temperatures and speed. The torque effort is instantly recalculated and dis-played onscreen resulting in animated Torque Effort Curves.

Furthermore, if harmonic orders are of interest, then these can be added to the Torque Effort display. Now, users can see how changes

in operating conditions and/or unloading configurations impact the potential stimulation of torsional and acous-tic frequencies.

For example, in the case of a 4-Throw unit (two 1st stage cylinders on throws 2 & 4 and two 2nd stage cylinders on throws 1 & 3), the first image in the se-quences of images displays the Torque Effort plot when the unit has all four (4) cylinders operating in double acting mode. A moderate 1st-order harmonic is pre-sent, as to be expected.

The next image shows the effect of deactivating one of the 1st stage head ends. Moderate level 2nd and 3rd order harmonics are now present along with the

moderate 1st order in this unloading mode. The final image shows the effect of deac-tivating both of the 1st stage head ends. A moderate-to-high 3rd order harmonic is now the only harmonic present of any real interest. By reviewing the effects on torque demand vs. crank angle, better load steps and unloading sequences can often be developed, leading to smoother operation,

potentially lower pressure drops, avoidance of prob-lematic torsional stimulation, and lower mechanical stresses – all pluses for end users.

Look for ACI at these events:

www.ACIServicesInc.com

2‐Stage, All DA Cyls

1st Order

2‐Stage, 1 SA 1st Stage Cyl

1st – 3rd Orders

2‐Stage, 2 SA 1st Stage Cyls

HIGH 3rd Order

Page 2 Compressor Works

ACI Supports Zane State Oil & Gas Technology Program

The oil and gas industry is experiencing tremendous growth in the Appalachian region of the U.S.A. due to the emergence of the Marcel-lus and the Utica Shale plays. This has created job opportunities and spawned the urgent need for training programs. The state of Ohio, Zane State College and operating companies in the region has collaborated to fill this need. Zane State’s two-year oil & gas engineering technology program in September 2010 with ten students and has already grown to about forty students this fall.

The program focuses on drilling and com-pletion, production, and gas compression and distribution. The college also recently initiated a one-year natural gas compression certificate program, which consists of six specific gas com-pression related courses and a co-op field expe-rience course. The Zane State administration worked closely with the Eastern Gas Compres-sion Roundtable (EGCR) and area industry lead-ers, including ACI’s Norm Shade, on develop-ment of the curriculum for the certificate pro-gram and on a short term training program that the government has funded to provide more

entry-level workers to meet the demands of Ohio’s oil & gas patch. The first short term pro-gram was completed this past August.

The local college is in the midst of major facility expansions at both its Zanesville and Cambridge, Ohio campuses. The oil & gas engi-neering technology program facility will ultimate-ly be part of the expanded Cambridge campus when construction is completed. In the interim, the program is using existing facilities at the Zanesville campus. Since neither facility has com-pression lab facilities for the foreseeable future, instruction includes student field trips to area compressor facilities, including several mainline compressor stations. In addition, ACI has sup-ported the new program by providing its closed loop reciprocating compressor facility for hands-on lab experience in the training program. In August, eleven students in the course “Compressor Station Operator 1”, spent half a day (split into two groups) at ACI with Terry Baker, Development Engineer and John Bazaar, Manager of Development & Technology, learning about the compression of natural gas, operation of compressors, and safety.

The students were shown different types of compressor cylinders and valves. Terry then demonstrated the operation of ACI’s 200 HP, 1200 rpm closed loop test compressor, showing a PV card and examples of the sensors that are used for acquiring and recording operational data. The students reviewed the controls and annunciator system were allowed to change parameters, which led to an “emergency trip” that demonstrated operation of the automatic safety systems. This was an open forum where students freely asked questions about many as-pects of gas compression.

A Commitment to Our Customers

Our Mission

To provide high value, quality manufactured products, engineered solutions and performance software for reciprocating compressors;

To earn customer recognition and respect for our innovation, technical superiority, customer service and product quality;

To provide a safe, secure, team-oriented, rewarding and growing working environment for our staff; and

To provide increasing economic opportunities for our owners and all team members.

The Experts at Optimization & Revitalization of Reciprocating Compression Assets

Page 3 Issue XV

ACI Team Profile - Marty Flach

Nuts & Bolts

Marty Flach – Regional Sales Manager

We are pleased to announce that ACI was presented the Chairman’s Choice Award at the 2012 Eastern Gas Compressor Roundtable (EGCR). This award recognized ACI’s continued support of the EGCR mission.

The EGCR mission states: “Our goal is to provide comprehensive training and education pro-grams to meet the needs of industry groups closely involved with Compressor Stations and other associat-

ed areas. The Roundtable conference is promoted by people directly involved in oil and gas for the benefit of those in the industry.”

Both Joe Reiheld and Bob Painter and have been involved with the EGCR for many years, serving on various committees and in leadership roles. ACI has always supported the mission of the EGCR since its days in Morgantown. Joe and Bob have been greatly involved in helping move the organization forward as the EGCR becomes one of the best regional oil & gas industry shows in the country.

Marty comes to ACI with a diverse back-

ground in manufacturing, applications engineer-ing, project management, and outside sales. He graduated from Mt. Vernon Nazarene University with a degree in Business Administration – Man-agement. After college he worked at AMG In-dustries as Production Scheduler. Marty first entered the natural gas industry as the Master Scheduler for Cameron (Superior Compressors) in 2000 and later entered the pump industry in 2003, working for Seepex Inc. During his seven years at Seepex Inc., Marty held several positions: Production Manager, Applications Engineer, and South Texas Territory Manager.

He then joined NETZSCH Pumps North America, LLC., as Southwest Regional Sales Man-ager. He gained valuable experience while work-

ing in the pump industry, selling pumps into the Oil & Gas, Chemical, Pulp & Paper, Municipal, and Food & Beverage Industries.

In his free time, Marty enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing and watching sports and is slowly working on attending a base-ball game in every major league baseball park. Marty and his wife Stacy are expecting their se-cond son in January 2013.

Marty will continue working with John Gower and Dick Eaton servicing ACI customers in the Gulf Coast Region.

He is excited to work with you and is look-ing forward to your call at: 1-281-743-2405. Please make a point to give him a call so that you can find out how ACI Services, Inc. can help your company with reciprocating compressor needs.

You may also contact Marty via e-mail at: mflach@ACIServicesInc.com

Chairman’s Choice

TANK You

ACI would like to thank TANK Services, for painting our Double T TST at no charge. It has always been a pleasure working with Mike LaCroix and his team and this is no exception. We are very excited to display the Double T TST at the GMC this year in Austin, Texas.

www.tankservices.com

3D Printing

From printing training models to pat-terns, ACI now has the capability in-house to print 3D models that can perform just like the final product. The strength of the thermo-plastic parts will also allow us to test our innovations on a much smaller scale in our Cambridge office.

This printing process has opened up endless possibilities for our Engineering, Sales and Marketing teams, allowing it to be diverse in its uses.

While the uPrintSE began printing our first model, it captivated the attention of ACI employees. Pictured here, watching the first model being printed, are John Bazaar (Engineering Development Manager) and Craig Ferrari (IT Manager).

125 Steubenville Ave. Cambridge, OH 43725

Phone: (740) 435-0240 Fax: (740) 435-0260

E-mail: rpainter@ACIServicesInc.com

The Innovation Resource for Reciprocating

Compressors

www.ACIServicesInc.com

Norm’s Notes

W. Norm Shade, PE, President

Brain Teaser Be the first to submit the correct answers to both Brain Teasers and win.

Send your answers to:

kmcmullen@ACIServicesInc.com

1. Get the number of that car! A few years back, Parade Maga-zine ran a contest on zany li-cense plates. Here are some of the winners. Can you translate?

IRIGHTI

RUD14ME

XQQSME

AXN28D

H2OUUP2

IM12XL

2. There are six state capitals

which start with the letter “S”. What are they? “Only those who risk going far can possibly know how far

one can go.”…T.S. Eliot

Thanks to the confidence of our loyal custom-ers and the dedication and hard work of our team, ACI is enjoying a phenomenal 2012. By the end of June, we had already set a new annual sales record, and business has continued at a high level right on through the summer months. Despite the exceptionally heavy production load, we’ve man-aged to work on some important product devel-opments, provided research and training for the advancement of the gas compression industry, and continued to advance our internal technology and capacity.

Our AutoPocketTM variable volume clearance pocket is ready for field use and we are tooling up for our new FlexBoreTM cylinder series. Both of these new products are the result of extensive design and development effort and they have the potential to greatly improve the flexibility, efficien-cy and productivity of reciprocating compressors.

ACI is involved in organizing presentations for the Gas-Electric Workshop on Sept. 6, 2012 in Dallas (New Demand Opportunities for Natural Gas) and the Gas Machinery Conference on Oct. 1-3 2012 in Austin (3 Short Courses: Principles of Business Ethics for the Gas Compression Industry; Best

Practices for Specifying and Procuring a Successful Large, High-Speed Reciprocating Compressor Package; & Development of Safe, Effective, and Practical Load Step Sequences for Reciprocating Compressors; plus a Tech Update on the new ACI AutoPocketTM VVCP).

Our team has introduced a number of useful Smartphone Compressor Apps that are available for download from ACI’s website and developed in-house capability to “print” working 3-D plastic components directly from digital CAD files. Re-cent capital investments in the Cambridge shop include an additional large horizontal boring mill, a vertical turret lathe, a small vertical mill, loading dock improvements, and paving of the entrances ramps and alley between our east shop and yard.

Finally, I want to welcome Marty Flach as our new Houston based Regional Sales Manager and encourage Glenn Shafer in his recovery from a life-threatening traffic accident earlier this summer.

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ACI Services, Inc.