Industrial centrifugal compressors are designed to allow their use, with some modifications, for a wide variety of industrial applications. These compressors are generally designed using large diameter impellers that are of fabricated construction since the required operating parameters, and hence the impeller designs, vary considerably. For the vapor compression still application, the impeller diameter generally used is several feet in diameter range operating of speeds in the 3600 - 4400 rpm range. The required speed is most often achieved with the addition of a gearbox between the motor and the compressor.

Properly designed industrial centrifugal compressors perform well but have several disadvantages when compared to the MECO Centurbo compressors.

Relatively large impeller diameter

• Complete compressor assembly is large requiring additional floor space
• Weight of rotating assembly and complete unit is high requiring foundation consideration
• Size and weight make requires the use of suction and discharge ducting for integration with evaporator
• Significant impeller weight and fabricated construction often results in significant cost increase to utilize some of the superior alloys

Use of a gearbox, when required, to obtain the required impeller speed

• Alignment complexities associated with a three-component, two coupling drive train.
• Two separate lubrication systems are required due to the different viscosity requirements of the compressor bearings and the gearbox.

Due to the wide range of operating parameters, industrial centrifugal compressors are generally built to order

• Potential problem obtaining spare parts in a timely manner
• No compressor exchange program

Vapor Compression stills utilizing industrial centrifugal compressors are available from MECO. In consideration of the many MECO Centurbo compressor advantages, we recommend industrial centrifugal compressors when the required compressor size is outside of the range of the Centurbo models.