The turbocompressor has become a mainstay of modern water treatment technology, offering a mechanically simple design, reliability and good energy efficiency. Ideally suited for the production of large volumes of compressed air at relatively low pressure, they rely on bearings that can spin at high speeds with minimal resistance and for extended periods. Today, the market is dominated by two rival technologies: air foil bearings and active magnetic bearings.

An innovative compressor design proves that industrial equipment can deliver high performance, low through-life costs and a smaller environmental footprint. Sulzer’s HST turbocompressor shows how a forward-thinking attitude to design, manufacturing and through-life support enables products to meet the goals of the circular economy.

The town of Fraser, Colorado, USA, is the coldest town in the lower 48 states and gets frost year-round. At an elevation of 8’574 feet (2’613 m), it is the highest location for our HST 20 turbocompressor in the world replacing older centrifugal blowers, which were loud and costly to operate.

Victoria, Texas, is a small South Texas town of approx. 65’000 people just 30 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico. This location displays one of the most extreme temperature differentials in the United States which puts an extra challenge on equipment and the HST high-speed blower was used as part of the solution.

The Township of Neptune Sewerage Authority (TNSA) owns and operates a wastewater treatment plant that serves Neptune and its surrounding neighborhoods. The plant is rated at an annual average flow of 8.5 million gallons per day (MGD).