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Podcasts

Myth Busters Klaus Brun and Rainer Kurz discuss what AI is and isn’t, its shortcomings and strengths, and how it’s changing the turbomachinery and power generation industries. 

TurboTime Podcast: Turbomachinery in the Age of AI and ML

In part II of the two-part podcast on LNG, Myth Busters Klaus Brun and Rainer Kurtz dive into how liquefaction works, why there are so many different ways to liquefy natural gas, and some trends in the sector, such as smaller production facilities, floating offshore vessels, and an overgrowth in the industry.

 There are primarily two processes involved, and they aren't all that complicated. First, there's the reverse Rankine cycle. This cycle involves a phase change, which is similar to what occurs in a refrigerator or air conditioning unit. In this system, a refrigerant—such as propane or ethylene—flows through the cycle, and this process is also known as vapor compression. Typically, you have a compressor and a Joule-Thomson valve in this system. In theory, you could replace the Joule-Thomson valve with a liquid, and it is also possible to use a gas expander, although this is less common.

The second process is the ultra-reverse Brayton cycle, which operates solely with gas. This is akin to a gas turbine cycle in reverse, where you have both a compressor and an expander. This process can also utilize a Joule-Thomson valve, but it is more suited for a gas expander, as it provides a higher efficiency for energy removal. Generally speaking, gas vapor processes tend to be more compact because Brayton cycles are often more efficient. However, it's important not to generalize too much, as efficiency can depend heavily on the specific application.

 As Klaus has mentioned several times, achieving the right refrigeration temperatures in the cycle is crucial for closely matching the energy content of the gas being cooled. To do this, you typically select a specific refrigerant for the initial cooling phase—often propane or a mixed refrigerant. A mixed refrigerant is a combination of several gases designed to achieve a certain thermodynamic behavior.

In one or two stages, you can perform subcooling. This can be done using pure gases, such as ethylene for the first stage and methane for the second stage, or again, through a mixed refrigerant, which usually includes a blend of methane, ethylene, and propane, for example. This structured approach helps optimize the cooling process according to the desired outcomes.

Myth Busters Klaus Brun and Rainer Kurz discuss how liquefaction works and dive into trends like smaller production facilities. 

TurboTime Podcast: Part II: LNG Trends, Liquefaction, and More

In part I of this two-part podcast, Myth Busters Klaus Brun and Rainer Kurtz give an overview of LNG’s value chain and dive, the production process, and the role of turbomachinery.

Let’s start with a basic overview of what LNG is and explore the value chain, including where turbomachinery plays a role.

 To begin with, let’s examine the entire natural gas value chain. This process starts with the production of natural gas, which then moves to processing facilities—often referred to as gas plants. After processing, the natural gas is transported to a liquefaction plant or LNG plant. This stage involves further processing, primarily refrigeration, followed by storage and loading onto marine transport vessels. Once the LNG is transported, it is unloaded and sent through pipelines to reach the end user.

The value chain includes a significant amount of turbomachinery. For every 1,000 horsepower of refrigeration in an LNG plant, there’s approximately 10,000 horsepower of other turbomachinery throughout the value chain.

On the production side, gas gathering machines are employed, followed by compression equipment for transporting gas to processing facilities. In gas processing, various operations occur, including acid gas removal, dehydration, and mercury removal, utilizing off-gas and boil-off compressors. There’s also the removal of natural gas liquids (NGLs)—which include heavier components like butane, pentane, and propane—that are sold as separate products.

After processing, the gas is transported through pipelines involving compression stations, and eventually, it reaches the LNG plant where refrigeration processes take place. These can include cascade types or mixed refrigerant processes, often utilizing reverse Brayton or reverse Rankine cycles (also known as vapor compression processes). From the plant, the LNG is stored, and off-gas or boil-off gas compressors are used again. Additional turbomachinery, such as pumps, is involved in the loading process.

Finally, the LNG undergoes regasification before being delivered to consumers. The entire process contains numerous turbomachines, which vary in size from small to large, and each plays a vital role.

The primary advantage of LNG is its ability to transport natural gas over long distances, far beyond what pipelines can accommodate. For example, transporting natural gas from North America to Europe via pipeline is impractical due to the complexity and length of the required infrastructure. By liquefying natural gas, which involves cooling it to approximately -260°F (where it condenses into a liquid), we significantly reduce its volume—making it about 600 times smaller than its gaseous state—allowing for easier transport. Once it reaches its destination, the LNG is regasified for use.

Currently, natural gas is abundant worldwide, making it an effective energy carrier. It’s important to note that during the LNG refrigeration process, there is some energy loss—typically around 15% to 20%. In comparison, the entire value stream experiences a lower energy loss of about 5%. Overall, while refrigeration is energy-intensive, the convenience of transporting natural gas as LNG justifies the process.

 The heart of the LNG production process is the refrigeration process, which cools the feed gas (natural gas) to temperatures where it becomes a liquid at or slightly above ambient pressure. There are several different methods to achieve the low temperatures necessary for liquefying natural gas.

It's important to note that the gases used in the refrigeration process operate in closed loops and do not come into contact with the natural gas being liquefied. The two main methods for achieving these low temperatures are called vapor compression and expansion.

Vapor compression is similar to the method used in air conditioners or refrigerators. In this process, a gas is compressed, which raises its temperature. The gas is then cooled to a lower temperature before being expanded, which causes it to drop to very low temperatures. At this point, it can be used to cool another gas, in this case, liquefied natural gas.

The second method involves compressing the gas and then expanding it through expanders to achieve very low temperatures. A key point, as Klaus highlighted, is that a significant portion of the energy consumption in the liquefaction process within the LNG value chain occurs during liquefaction itself. Therefore, minimizing energy use during this stage is crucial.

Typically, the refrigeration process is conducted in multiple stages. First, one refrigeration loop pre-cools the natural gas to a moderately cold temperature. Then, another process is used for sub-cooling, followed by a third method—either by reducing the pressure of the natural gas or through a separate process—to achieve complete liquefaction.

Additionally, constructing LNG plants requires a substantial increase in activity related to building the natural gas pipelines that supply these facilities with large volumes of gas.

Myth Busters Klaus Brun and Rainer Kurz discuss the LNG value chain, where and how turbomachinery fits in, and an overview of the market. 

TurboTime Podcast: Part I: The LNG Value Chain

 deep dives into our recent State of the Industry survey results and the dynamic factors shaping the turbomachinery sector. We've gathered insights, identified trends, and asked about solutions on the persistent supply chain constraints, the impact of rising material costs, and the ongoing challenge of labor shortages and skill gaps. The in-depth market report also explores the adoption of modular solutions and the accelerating drive toward decarbonization, offering a comprehensive look at the challenges the industry is facing and its adapting and innovating in response to these dynamic conditions.

We are releasing a series of preliminary interviews related to our market report. The first interview features Ulrich Schmitz, Vice President of Marketing in the Gas and Processing Division at Atlas Copco. He discusses the pressing issues facing the turbomachinery industry and addresses the challenges outlined above. Additionally, he highlights the technological solutions that Atlas Copco is implementing to meet the growing power demands, particularly those driven by the expansion of AI and data centers.

Energy Industry Outlook: Strategies to Tackle Supply Chain Issues, Power Demand, and Decarbonization.

A few factors that are greatly impacting decisions within the turbomachinery industry are global economic conditions and energy market volatility. What conversations is Atlas Copco having around these factors? How are you navigating the volatility and uncertainty your customers are experiencing?

 Yes, that is true. The move toward climate change, reducing emissions, and creating cleaner energy began around 10 years ago, possibly even earlier during the Paris Agreement discussions. In recent years, we've witnessed considerable changes due to the pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine, and various other global conflicts. Additionally, we have changing administrations in the United States. All these factors are causing significant attention on projects, and investors are not moving as quickly as we would expect. We navigate this by maintaining close conversations with our customers to ensure we are aligned with their needs. We adapt our offerings and products to suit the conditions they face.

How are you responding to supply-chain constraints and rising material costs? What solutions are you offering your customers to combat these concerns?

 Rising material costs vary by geographical region. Energy costs drive material costs, and we’ve noticed increases in the Western world linked to higher energy expenses and supply-chain constraints caused by logistical bottlenecks. We address these challenges by leveraging our global footprint. We have factories in various regions, including the United States, Europe, and Asia, which provide us with a broad pool of qualified vendors. This approach also helps when tariffs are involved; we can produce more locally if we have suitable suppliers. That’s one of our key initiatives.

Have you seen an uptick in modular and mobile technologies to meet increasing power demands or even the use of smaller micro turbines? If not these, which types of technologies are being used to meet increased demand?

 Regarding power demand, we have indeed seen an increase. There’s a clear rise in electricity production for decarbonization and its use in processes and mobility, including the utilization of natural gas. Our equipment is primarily designed for permanent facilities, not mobile projects or plants. However, modularization is a way to reduce onsite work, which is beneficial in regions with high labor costs, such as the United States or Europe, compared to Asia. So, we are seeing modularization in this context.

How are decarbonization technologies advancing within your organization? What’s the demand for these technologies?

Decarbonization is definitely a driving force in our business, especially in the Western world, and it is increasingly gaining traction in Asia. It’s a crucial effort for society, industry, and for us as equipment suppliers.

One of the biggest challenges facing the industry today is labor shortages and skill gaps. How is Atlas Copco working with industry to close the gap and raise a skilled workforce?

We strive to attract young talent early in their careers. We engage with universities and participate in job fairs to entice young people and offer them opportunities within our company. We also utilize various social media channels to reach potential talent. Although we see positive outcomes from these efforts, we recognize that we cannot rely solely on this approach. We are also employing artificial intelligence to enhance efficiency and address potential labor shortages.

Listen to industry leaders discuss strategies

—collaborating with academia, partners, and networking—to cultivate a skilled workforce and address labor challenges.

Ulrich Schmitz of Atlas Copco discusses industry challenges and how it’s adapting offerings, leveraging its global presence, and embracing decarbonization and AI.

Atlas Copco Addresses Industry Challenges, Increasing Energy Demand

In part II of the TuboTime episode on designing turbomachines, the Myth Busters, Klaus Brun and Rainer Kurz, discuss the accuracy of these design tools, which benchmark testing is still required, and current state-of-the-art tools.

How accurate are these tools? Are the software limitations a part of the software, or are they human input issues?

 It depends on the software, right? There are situations where you need to be fairly accurate. Most finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are reasonably accurate, depending on the input of your boundary conditions. You really need to consider what you're trying to accomplish. Structural FEA is more advanced than CFD. Additionally, the equations being solved are fundamentally more linear, and therefore, the expected results tend to be more precise. You can generally expect to be within a couple of percent. In contrast, with CFD, the equations, as Rainer mentioned earlier, the Navier-Stokes equations, are highly complex and nonlinear partial differential equations. These equations are difficult to solve, and you can end up with very inaccurate results because many approximations are made, especially regarding turbulence modeling and boundary layers. The fidelity of the model is essential since you can't delve down to a molecular level; there's a limit to the size at which you can operate before you must make turbulence assumptions and consider steady state versus transient conditions. There are numerous opportunities for error here, and those are some of the significant ones.

 The issue is fundamentally this: What problem are you trying to solve? If you ask a designer to create a new compressor stage that aligns with the experience level of that company's database, you can likely determine things like efficiency or head-making capability, particularly in terms of aerodynamics, probably within a few percent without ever testing it. However, if you are dealing with something for which there is no reference data—essentially operating in uncharted waters and relying solely on your code—the accuracy is significantly and dramatically lower than that.

How accurate are advanced computational tools like CFD and FEA? Find out in part II of designing turbomachines with the Myth Busters.

TurboTime Podcast: Designing Turbomachines - Part II

In this episode of the TurboTime podcast, Myth Busters Klaus Brun and Rainer Kurz discuss the design of turbomachines. They describe the typical design process for a turbomachine, outline the required engineering tools, and explain each analytical tool's function: finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and rotor and blade dynamics. They also discuss how compressors, pumps, and turbomachines were designed before these advanced computational tools existed.

TURBO: Can you describe the typical design process of a turbomachine and what engineering tools are required?

 You begin with what's known as a 1D analysis, then move to a 2D analysis, also called a blade passage flow analysis. After that, you proceed to 3D and conduct some testing before refining your geometry. In essence, that's the aerodynamics part, right? However, there’s an initial step that is often overlooked, which is your own experience. You start your design based on your experience and your existing machinery portfolio. If you’re a turbomachinery manufacturer with 50, 60, or 70 years in the field, you’ve likely worked on various types of machines. Therefore, before designing a new machine, impeller, or expander, you review your existing portfolio; that's usually your starting point. You examine what's closest to your needs within that portfolio to determine if you can build upon it or if you need to start from scratch. Besides the aerodynamic design process, there's also a review of structures and dynamics that runs parallel to your aerodynamic process. You perform aerodynamic design followed by structural checks. Essentially, you assess the solids and dynamics to ensure there’s no risk of failure due to vibration. You conduct these evaluations throughout to avoid potential failures. These are generally well-known considerations. Additionally, a third aspect that often gets overlooked is manufacturability. It’s crucial to ensure that what you're designing can actually be manufactured, as it wouldn’t make sense to design an impeller or a machine that ultimately cannot be produced due to a lack of available technology or machinery. This consideration relates closely to materials, so manufacturability and materials fall into the same category, requiring a review of your materials, coatings, etc., throughout the design process to ensure that your design is feasible for production.

 I’d also like to point out that, as engineers, we don't design these machines out of thin air. There’s usually a use case, a customer, or a market assessment that indicates we need something that fits specific requirements. This could be a gas turbine that produces 20,000 horsepower or a compressor that can deliver more throughput than what my competitors can achieve within a given casing size, and so on. Then, we enter a process where engineering is asked, "Hey, can you guys do that?” Of course, someone also inevitably asks if we can achieve that at a cost that makes the project feasible. Yes, Klaus is absolutely right; this essentially defines the playground we work within. From there, we move from what could be considered a rough draft, using our experience, to increasingly refined concepts. Ultimately, you'll end up with some CFD simulations, and after building the first machine or prototype, there will be some testing to follow.

Do engineers overrely on computational tools? The Myth Busters deep dive into engineering tools, such as CFD and FEA, used to design turbomachines. 

TurboTime Podcast: The Turbomachinery Design Process - Part I

In this episode of the TurboTime podcast, Myth Busters Klaus Burn of Ebara Elliott Energy and Rainer Kurz of RKSBenergy LLC dive into electrification: what it is and debunk the myth that it and machines—such as hermetically sealed compressors and high-speed electric motor drives—hydrogen blending and others are decarbonized.

TURBO: Can you break down the assertion that that machinery electrification and electric-motor drives are a decarbonization myth?

 There are a lot of decarbonization myths that don’t just have to do with electrification and electric motors and hermetically sealed drives and high-speed motors, but they also have to do with hydrogen blending, unburned hydrocarbons and gas turbines, and other types of emissions that are part of the sustainable energy economy. What we set to do, however, is talk about electrification, which is basically when you take a turbomachine, a compressor or pump, and instead of running it with a driver—e.g., a gas or steam turbine, which has been done traditionally at a lot of compressor stations, pipelines, or in refineries, ethylene plants, or other places—you actually replace them with an electric motor. And, obviously, an electric motor does not have any emissions directly; it just shifts the responsibility of the carbon production from where you utilize the electric motor to where the electricity comes from. And the last time I checked, at least in most of the industrialized nations such as North America, 60% of all fossil electricity comes from fossil fuels, a mix of natural gas and coal. China actually has more—I think 70% of the electricity comes from fossil fuels, mostly coal, which is very dirty. Europe is not quite as bad. They now have about 40% alternative energies, but still a substantial part. So, you're really just shifting the carbon emission from one place to another, sometimes in a very, very inefficient way.

 In a way, this discussion is always about where you draw the emissions boundaries. Klaus is right: As soon as you can shift your emissions outside your boundaries, you can claim you are carbon-neutral, whereas, in reality, you just made somebody else deal with your carbon emissions. There are quite a few studies that address that one way or another and very clearly show if you make electricity while creating CO

 or other emissions, you may create more emissions with an electric driver than with a driver that’s driven by fossil-fueled engines.

Klaus Brun and Rainer Kurz break down the myth that electrification and electric-motor drives are decarbonized. 

TurboTime Podcast: Debunking Machinery Decarbonization Myths

In this interview with Scott DeNeale, a Water Resources Engineer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, we discuss the lab’s current research projects in hydropower and trends such as low-head and modular designs and metal additive manufacturing to manufacture Francis turbines. The lab is working on a lot of exciting work, and even though hydropower has been around for 150 years, DeNeale said there is a lot of opportunity to complement new generation with environmental compatibility.

An interesting fact is that only 3% of the more than 90,000 damns in the United States use hydropower. Why? Listen to find out!

TURBO: Can you tell us a little about Oak Ridge National Lab?

 Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the largest multi-program science and technology laboratory in the United States. It's managed by UT Battelle but is owned by the U.S. Department of Energy. As part of my research, I do a lot of work for hydropower. The research and development that I do touch on a lot of different things. We look at grid integration, markets, reliability, performance, hydrology and hydraulics, water management, biodiversity and ecosystem science. We look at technological advancement as well.

TURBO: What recent advancements have you seen in turbomachinery used in hydropower technology and pumped storage hydropower technology?

 Conventional hydropower—what we would speak to is the age of the big dams is over, so a lot of what we're looking at is retrofitting existing dams, replacing units, or adding new units to existing dams. And there's an area looking at canals and conduits as well. So, some of the advancements that I've seen are really geared toward the existing infrastructure, which has largely low-head or low-pressure potential. It’s a little bit different design that is used to capture that design point. Another area is modular technologies and standard technologies. Conventionally, a lot of turbines are custom-built, so the ability to have a standard design that could be plug-and-play has been of interest. We've had some research over the past 10 years related to that, working with industry on advancing their concepts as well. 

For pumped storage … I would refer you to a report from some of my friends at Argonne National Laboratory. They have done some great documentation of innovations—a lot of it's conceptual for pump storage but some cool innovations there. However, there has been no new pump storage since 2012. And, even with that, that was a very small project. So, since the mid-nineties, there really hasn’t been much of anything in terms of new pump storage, but there is a great demand for it.

Scott DeNeale of Oak Ridge National Lab shares trends in hydropower—from modular designs to additive-manufactured Francis turbines. 

TurboTime Podcast: Modular and Low-Head Designs are Trending in Hydropower 

During this episode of the TurboTime Podcast, Klaus Brun and Rainer Kurz discuss how hydrogen is transported and its use as an energy carrier. They then discuss how ammonia is produced, its advantages and limitations, and for what industries it’s a suitable solution.

“We’ve previously talked about hydrogen in some of our Myth Buster podcasts and how it’s relevant to a decarbonized energy economy as an energy carrier. Unfortunately, hydrogen itself has a lot of nasty characteristics: it's hard to compress, highly flammable, as a gas it’s not easy to deal with, etc. From a transportation and storage perspective, it leaks, has many safety issues, causes hydrogen embrittlement, etc., making it difficult to transport.”

“Making ammonia is nothing new. We know how to how the process works, but it is an energy-intensive process. But ammonia is a very toxic gas. It causes skin burns rapidly if you touch it in liquid form. In vapor form, even at less than 100 PPMs, it’s very irritating, so it creates a lot of issues from the handling perspective.”

In this episode of the TurboTime podcast, Myth Buster Klaus Brun and Rainer Kurz discuss ammonia. 

TurboTime Podcast: Ammonia with the Myth Busters

This episode of the TurboTime podcast features an onsite interview from our Turbo Tour of EthosEnergy’s Light Gas Turbine and Performance Center Facility in Houston. Assistant Editor James Cook talks with Daniel Tegtmeier, Director of EthosEnergy's Performance Center, about remote monitoring and operations, the changing energy landscape, and the benefits of remote start/stop and virtual capabilities.

Q: How does remote monitoring keep simple-cycle assets viable in a market focused on renewable energy?

 If you think about a machine built 20+ years ago and its efficiency, it still has a place in the market when competing with renewables. It’s not like it used to be though—these units used to run wide-open, 24/7. They’re now intermittent assets competing with renewables and zero-cost fuels, but once the wind stops blowing and the sun stops shining, that load is gone.

These are simple-cycle configurations, so they can come online quickly and be at 100 - 120 MW in less than an hour. So, you’re going to staff a facility 8,000 hours per year in case they call you up? That’s part of what we do and the justification for remote operations—you need the intermittent load from simple-cycle assets in rapid fashion, but you can’t afford to staff these places full-time.

Q: In addition to that justification, are there any safety improvements delivered through remote start/stop and control capabilities?

 Economics seems to drive most decision processes behind whether you’re remotely operating a facility or not; however, there’s a huge safety aspect. You don’t need people there 24 hours a day around equipment with a lot of pent-up energy, so exposure levels drop dramatically. For the most part, these machines are designed so well and over-engineered from day one that they’re conducive to [remote monitoring].

In this episode of the TurboTime podcast, Daniel Tegtmeier, Director of EthosEnergy’s Performance Center, talks about remote operations and monitoring. 

TurboTime Podcast: Remote Monitoring with EthosEnergy

The new infrastructure includes a new power line, main 138-Kv breaker, 100-MVA power transformer, and numerous capacitor banks to allow full-speed, full-load testing.

Ebara Elliott Energy Installs 100-MW Upgrade in Pennsylvania, Enables Full Testing

The assembled M501 JAC gas turbine will be delivered to the 475 MW Amiral Cogeneration Plant in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, supplying electricity and steam for a petrochemical complex.

Mitsubishi Power Celebrates First JAC Turbine Assembly at Dammam Facility

Using a proprietary mix of sand and other particles, the dust-ingestion testing aims to replicate how parts may withstand flight conditions in harsh operating environments.

GE Aerospace Begins Dust-Ingestion Testing for CFM RISE Program

The Murlach field contributes a peak net production of approximately 15,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day to the bp-operated Eastern Trough Area Project.

bp Starts Up Murlach Field Production, Marks Sixth Major Project in 2025

The September/October 2025 issue covers steam turbine optimization, a pump-centric conversation with the Hydraulic Institute, hybrid grid technology for stabilization, and much more.

Turbomachinery International: September/October 2025

Welcome to the fifteenth edition of the Turbomachinery News Network. I’m James Cook, associate editor at 

The Turbomachinery News Network, for the week of September 22, 2025, covers news from Rolls-Royce, Doosan Enerbility, Everllence, and Siemens Energy.

Turbomachinery News Network: Siemens Energy, Everllence, Doosan Enerbility, and more

The European Union’s Clean Aviation program nominated Rolls-Royce to lead a project regarding decarbonized aviation—one of 12 under the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking with approximately €945 million in funding. The company will lead the 

, which will execute ground testing for an UltraFan technology demonstrator in the short-to-medium range thrust class.

Doosan Enerbility and Korea Southern Power

 recently signed a memorandum of understanding to secure technological self-reliance for the local engineering and manufacturing of pumped-storage hydropower plant components. Doosan will secure these components via partnerships with leading players, while KOSPO provides demonstration sites for locally manufactured products and develops sales channels.

The China National Electric Engineering Co. granted Everllence a contract to deliver four high-efficiency, 18-cylinder 51/60DF engines for a 74-MW 

 in Nouakchott, Mauritania. Each 51/60DF engine generates 18.5 MW of electric power and commissioning is scheduled for completion by late 2026.

 have partnered to commission a 10-MW, gas engine-operated power plant with a carbon-capture system in Worksop, United Kingdom. For the Worksop plant, Rolls-Royce delivered six combined heat-and-power units based on its mtu Series 4000 L64FNER gas engines and will guarantee the plant’s reliable operation via a 10-year maintenance contract.

Fermi America and the Texas Tech University System are signing 

 with Siemens Energy to obtain 1.1 GW of F-class generation equipment for delivery in 2026 and integrate the company’s nuclear steam turbine technologies for a planned 11-GW AI campus. The AI campus aims to pair reliable and quick-to-deploy natural gas generation with nuclear power and modern infrastructure, providing a template for the United States to meet rapidly increasing energy demand from AI and high-performance computing.

Brian Grosso of Siemens Energy’s Advanced Compression Systems continued the conversation surrounding its new 

, which passed performance and mechanical testing up to high-speed operation in a closed-loop facility. Grosso contributed a technical analysis of how Siemens Energy achieved high impeller tip speeds and its benefits for hydrogen compression applications.

He also disclosed some performance and rotordynamics testing results, which displayed multiple levels of API compliance across power tolerance, allowable vibration, and performance on the operating map. Lastly, Grosso explains the purpose of gaseous helium in compressor mechanical testing and why pure hydrogen testing may be required for future generations of high-speed machines.

For mechanical testing, the compressor met API’s allowable vibration limit and performance guarantees, validating the design for high-speed applications.

Siemens Energy’s Brian Grosso Unveils Compressor Testing Results with High Impeller Tip Speed

TURBO: What is the role of gaseous helium in this closed-loop hydrogen compression system?

Helium is the closest inert gas in mole weight to hydrogen, and it’s typically used in compressor mechanical testing. As the closest inert gas, we can test it at a high fraction of the compressor speed to ensure safety before we tested with hydrogen. At some point, when you start adding enough head and more stages to the machine, testing with helium would get too hot at full speeds. To fully test the capabilities of these machines in the future, it’s anticipated that you’ll need to test using hydrogen gas.

TURBO: Can you speak on the performance and rotordynamics testing results?

We met stricter than API 617 performance guarantees in terms of the power tolerance. We did work to analyze the effect of the semi-open impeller shroud gap on performance throughout the operating map. The mechanical test results were also very positive: The API allowable vibration limit decreases with speed, but we were able to meet the allowable vibration limit during these tests – even up to approximately 28,000 rpm.

Conference Coverage

 served as a showing ground for many emerging hydrogen technologies, projects, and demonstrations, with Siemens Energy’s single-piece centrifugal compressor rotor design potentially answering a pressing question: How can hydrogen compression be conducted at industrial scale? Kirk Lupkes, Head of Future Technologies – Compression at Siemens Energy, sat down with us to offer more insight on the design and overall market.

According to Lupkes, the high-speed design was tested at a dedicated closed-loop facility and demonstrated significant mechanical and aerodynamic promise, offering a solution with high-pressure ratio for storage and transportation applications. Despite successfully developing, testing, and validating the new technology, the Trump Administration’s policies slowed down U.S.-based hydrogen activity, but Siemens Energy will be technologically ready when the fuel comes around.

Although hydrogen projects have slowed down since the Trump Administration took office, Siemens Energy will continue technology demonstrations to ensure future-fuel readiness.

Kirk Lupkes of Siemens Energy Outlines Hydrogen Compression Challenges, Market, and New Demo

TURBO: What are the operational and cost-based challenges associated with industrial-scale hydrogen compression applications?

Compressing hydrogen at industrial scale certainly presents many challenges. When we look ahead to the markets we’re anticipating, with hydrogen and green hydrogen production in particular, you’ll have widely fluctuating flows and hydrogen produced at relatively low pressures. This requires an extremely high-pressure ratio in the compressor for storage or transport via pipeline, presenting some unique challenges for centrifugal compressors.

TURBO: How was the test facility configured for this demonstration? What impact may this new compressor have on drivetrains?

 for compressor testing. Its construction was required to validate the technology we’ve developed in the advanced rotor. Although we can use helium in certain phases of testing, when you’re validating new high-speed technology, it requires running on the actual gas – there’s really no good way to simulate hydrogen to produce the mechanical and aerodynamic results we need for our customers.

In terms of drivetrain implications, we’ve worked with a number of OEMs and there’s a number of commercially available technologies, in terms of motors and gears, that can perform at the speeds we need. We’ve been specifically working with Voith and its E-Pack system, as its one of the drive solutions in the market that may be well-suited to hydrogen applications.

In addition to hosting the Turbomachinery & Pump Symposia (TPS) on a yearly basis, the Texas A&M Turbomachinery Laboratory is continuously engaged in high-end rotating equipment testing and research. 

, Director of the aforementioned lab, added valuable insight on the newly opened 

Propulsion and Energetics Research Laboratory

 (PERL) and some further discussion of TPS 2025.

On the conference side, Dr. Petersen highlights a few technologies which garnered major attention at the show: supercritical CO

 equipment and power cycles, hydrogen systems, and overall diagnostics and big data management. He also clarifies the role of TPS 2025, explaining that the conference allows participants to take lessons home, apply them, and then return in the following years with presentable results.

The 2025 Turbomachinery & Pump Symposia provides participants with up-to-date information on the latest technologies, including supercritical equipment, hydrogen systems, and AI.

Dr. Petersen Talks PERL Facility, Emerging Tech, and TPS 2025’s Impact on Industry

TURBO: Are there updates regarding the newly established PERL facility and Energy and Propulsion Research Consortium?

In terms of the Propulsion and Energetics Research Laboratory, I’m happy to say that it went online in June of this year – just a few months ago. It’s fully standing and we’re now in the process of getting it operational. We’re doing a shakedown of the facility and installing a new control room and associated equipment. We’re also coming up with some trial projects to test out the facility, so that’s our progress so far.

TURBO: What emerging technologies or research areas are you excited to see at TPS 2025?

I think you’ll see that the new technologies continue to garner major interest in the energy sector. Ammonia is very popular for use as an energy source or transportation (pumping) from Point A to Point B. We also have hydrogen-based systems, supercritical CO

 and power cycles, and then advanced diagnostics, big data management, and artificial intelligence. We’re seeing these become more and more prevalent in the turbomachinery industry.

previous conversation with Ebara Elliott Energy

, Senior Mechanical Engineer August Brautigam offered a technical compare-and-contrast of canned motor pumps and magnetically coupled pumps for ammonia applications. Brautigam explains that each pump is suitable for specific services, with canned designs favoring high-pressure operation while magnetically coupled units perform better under higher flow, lower pressure operation.

Although these sealless units are preferable over traditional pumps for ammonia, there remain some operational challenges according to Brautigam: monitoring the nitrogen purge and installing flexible conduits, for example. He also offers process engineers and operators valuable insight as to which pump design may work best for their specific application.

While canned motor pumps are suitable for high-pressure ammonia applications, magnetically coupled pumps are typically deployed for higher flow, lower pressure services.

Ebara Elliott’s August Brautigam Gets Technical on Canned Motor, Magnetically Coupled Pumps

TURBO: Can you explain the main differences between canned motor pumps and magnetically coupled pumps for ammonia services?

 Canned motor pumps have a canned motor stator and they’re similar to submerged motor pumps, which have been used in LNG for a long time. The canned motor stator is wrapped in a thin layer of stainless steel, similar to tinfoil, to keep out the ingress of ammonia. This technology is very suitable for high-pressure applications.

The magnetically coupled pumps are a relatively straightforward design. The pump and motor are on separate shafts connected by a magnetic coupling, and, in this design, a pressure barrier separates the outer rotating magnets from the inner rotating magnets to create a contactless, sealless pump. These are typically used for higher flow and lower pressure applications.

TURBO: What operational challenges are most common when using sealless pumps in ammonia systems?

 The operational challenges associated with the retractable, magnetically coupled design include monitoring the nitrogen purge and installation is more challenging as purged flexible conduits must be installed. The flexible conduits are actually very stiff to work with, difficult to ship, and so on.

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