Words of Dale Mays, OEM product sales manager, GAS, Rail in America. The overseas subsidiary has been open since 1985 and specializes in the distribution of industrial compressors; since 2011 it has also turned to the gas market, sensing its potential related not only to the hydrocarbon sector but also to the growing Biogas market.
According to the latest survey by the American Biogas Council (ABC), in the United States alone there are 2,200 sites producing biogas, 250 of which are linked to agricultural activities, and the market is growing, thanks to federal incentives but also to the increased focus on using sustainable energy sources. Biogas systems recycle organic waste through a natural biological process, turning it into energy and products for the earth. At the end of the purification and upgrading (i.e., removal of carbon dioxide) of the biogas, biomethane is obtained, which contains about 98 percent methane and can then be fed into gas networks after appropriate compression and odorization.
"There is a growing interest in the topic of environmental sustainability," Mays confirms, "and it is supported by the federal government, but it is not the only field of application for Mattei compressors in the gas sector."
Mattei's experience in creating customized compressors has enabled the Vimodrone-based company's innovation and industrialization department to develop machines capable of compressing different types of gas: sweet gas, sour gas, and biogas. The compressors can be used in different sectors, from food factories such as breweries and dairies to traditional hydrocarbon extraction plants.
"Our target customers are companies that integrate our compressors into third-party systems, and the applications that are most in demand are compressors for microturbine power supply, vapor recovery, wellheads, and food applications," explains Mays.
Mattei gas compressors are naturally safe and reliable, conform to Atex requirements, have a flexible design, and are highly customizable. They are distinguished not only by Mattei’s legendary rotary vane technology, but also by their three-stage oil separation system, which guarantees high gas quality and purity, and by interfacing with client software that provides a feedback control function before the gas is fed into the compressor, constantly evaluates gas production to ensure that the flow rates generated are in agreement with demand.
To ensure optimal operation Mattei has also designed a special lubricant: Mattei V-Life GAS, a synthetic lubricant specifically for sweet and sour gases.
"We are fully committed to developing the industry," Mays confirms, "currently our market share is not very large, which gives us incredible growth opportunities. Our customers are well aware of the advantages of Mattei compressors and choose us based on the data: longer life (they guarantee 100% continuous operation - 24/7 without any decay in the quality of the gas delivered), flexible and custom-tailored solutions for specific applications or critical environmental conditions, and excellent ROI due to lower maintenance requirements and higher energy efficiency due to Mattei’s proprietary rotary vane technology, which allows a 15% savings in energy consumption and higher environmental standards than other rotary compressors."
From Vane Magazine 23, October 2023
