WH35 Oil-free Compressor Added To Range Used in PET Bottling Plants

Gardner Denver has added the WH35 model to its range of high-pressure, reciprocating compressors used in PET bottling plants – offering food and beverage processors an intrinsically oil-free air solution from a compact footprint, with energy savings of up to 20 per cent.

With a capacity of 2,120 m3/hour at 40 barg, the three-stage WH35 utilises a high-efficiency, water-cooled, ‘shaftless’ motor suitable for use with variable speed drives, making it one of the most power efficient PET compressors available on the market today.
Designed to meet the varying demands of an application at the lowest possible specific power, the WH35 reduces energy consumption significantly, while maintaining a constant working pressure.
Supplying air up to ISO 8573-1 class 0 standard, the unit is 100 per cent oil-free with absolutely no oil present in any part of the compression process, thus removing any risk of contamination.
In addition, with no belts or bearings to maintain on the drive motor arrangement, unscheduled downtime is kept to a minimum, with the added benefit of only one major annual service required. The compressor’s inclined cylinder arrangement also optimises balance and extends component life, helping to reduce maintenance costs and minimise valuable floor space.
As the compressor is dynamically balanced, there is no requirement for specialist foundations. The WH35 can also be easily installed and fully operational within a few days of delivery to site by a fully trained and certified Gardner Denver engineer, with the compressor room floor only having to carry the static weight of the machine.
It can be installed as a floor-mounted compressor with all ancillary equipment fixed on a baseplate, complete with all interconnecting pipework and electrical wiring, with options for acoustic enclosures also available.
Commenting on the launch of the WH35, Trevor Perry, Product Director for High Pressure Solutions at Gardner Denver said:
“The new machine fills a key gap in our range between 1800 to 2300 m3/hr, which was identified through direct feedback from our customers.
“When we set about designing the new machine it was important to retain many of the key features and benefits of the successful oil-free systems developed under the Belliss & Morcom brand. Utilising the latest finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD), key features such as component interchangeability, low interstage pressure drops and low stress levels have all added to the legacy of the Belliss & Morcom brand, which has supplied compressors to some of the world’s largest PET bottling plants for over 35 years.
“More importantly we wanted to develop a compressor that would not only be able to withstand the harshest of environments but also adapt to the increasing demands for greater energy efficiency. This has been achieved with the use of the latest extended life materials along with key components such as variable speed drives and a high-efficiency, water-cooled, shaftless motor, resulting in up to 20 per cent savings on energy costs.”