Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, TESCORP distributes, fabricates,

and services its line of standardized and specialty compression systems

stateside and internationally. The heart of the company is our innovative
engineered products and service team, available seven days a week to
support our customers.
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TESCORP is a team of engineering and
manufacturing experts, celebrating over 30
years as the leader in environmental and
vapor recovery solutions, specialty
compressors, customer service and parts.
Areas of expertise include both standard
systems and engineered compression
systems for environmental, oil, and gas as
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well as general industrial sectors.

TESCORP utilizes full, state-of-the-art 3D

CAD modeling & drafting for all designs.
TESCORP’s large fabrication facility
utilizes Section VIII, Division I, ASME Code
VIII welding capabilities.
TESCORP also maintains a fully equipped
machine shop & repair / service center.
What is instrument air?
Throughout industry, much of the production equipment is
pneumatically driven or controlled. The air required to
perform this function comes from the facilities or site air
compression system. In some industry functions, the
produced air quality from the air compressor system is
sufficient in its raw form to accomplish the required
operations. But in the case where the site environmental
conditions warrant, or the process components require a
cleaner, dryer air supply, then the produced air must be
conditioned to meet these requirements. In the oil & gas
industry, or those facilities where process controls and
sensitive pneumatic machinery are operated, the air quality
supplied must meet “Instrument Air Quality” standards.
Instrument Air
Quality Standards
Air Standards
• Standard Air Temperature & Pressure (STP) is measured as:
• Pressure=14.7 Psia
• Temperature=68o F
• Relative Humidity=40%

• ANSI has produced air quality standards for the industry that must be
utilized as the minimum requirements for the design and application of
an “Instrument Air” system.
• ANSI /ISA–7.0.0–1996 is the globally-recognized quality standard for
instrument air as defined by the Instrument Society of America. Below, we’ll go
through the Standard’s Four Elements of instrument air quality for use in
pneumatic instruments.
Instrument Air
Quality Standards
Pressure Dew Point
• According to the ISA standard, the pressure dew point, when measured at
the dryer outlet, should be at least 18°F below the minimum temperature
where any part of the instrument air system is exposed.
• The pressure dew point is that pressure and temperature where free moisture can form
at any specific pressure.

Particle Size
• A maximum particle size of 40-micrometer in the instrument air system is
acceptable for most pneumatic devices. Additional filtration should be added
for pneumatic devices requiring instrument air with less than 40-micrometer
particle sizes. After any maintenance or modification to the air system, the
maximum particle size in the instrument air system should be verified to be
less than 40-micrometers.
Instrument Air
Quality Standards
Lubricant Content
• Oil content should be as close to zero as possible, and under no
circumstances should lubricant content exceed 1 ppm w/w or v/v. Any
lubricant in the compressed air system should be evaluated for compatibility
with end-use pneumatic devices.
Contaminants
• Instrument air compressors should be free of contaminants and hazardous
gases. If contamination exists in the compressor intake areas, the intake
should be moved to a different elevation or location where it is free from
contaminants. Sources of contamination may include painting, chemical
cleaning and/or engine exhaust.
P& ID Drawing
Compressor Solution
There is no one compressor type that “Is the Best”. Each type of compression has an
application where it is the better choice for the service based on the customers
requirements.
Design Criteria Questions:
• How much pressure is required?
• How much air flow is required?
• What is the air quality required?
• What is the operating duty cycle?

Equipment Selection Criteria Questions:

• What is the first cost?
• What is the total cost of ownership?
• What special requirements does this application demand?

TESCORP utilizes many types of compressors. TESCORP selects the

compressor by their merits to best meet a specific compression requirement
or site environment.
Compressor Solution
AIR COMPRESSOR SELECTION
There are many factors in determining the best compressor type for each
application. The first is the flow requirement in pressure and volume. Many types
of compressors are available for varying applications. A quick reference can be
made for the initial selection per the following:

Pressure Range** Capacity Range** Air Quality Duty Cycle Initial cost 5 Year Cost

Reciprocating* 0-500 psig 0-125 cfm

Low 50-75% Low Med High
Lubricated 0-35 bar 0-60 l/sec

Reciprocating* 0-150 psig 0-100 cfm

High 50-75% Med High
Oil-less 0-10 bar 0-48 l/sec

Rotary Screw 0-230 psig 5-3000 cfm

Low 100% Med Med Low
Lubricated 0-16 bar 0-85 m3/min

Rotary Screw 0-150 psig 50-3000 cfm

High 100% High Med
Oil-free 0-10 bar 1-85 m3/min

0-350 psig 250-20000 cfm

Centrifugal High 100% High Low
0-24 bar 7-560 m3/min
Printed from QUINCY COMPRESSOR
Dryer Solutions
The two (2) most common regenerative process are:

Air Purge Regeneration - a common regenerative dryer system where the wet
tower is dried by diverting a small flow of the dry air from the active drying tower
back through the saturated tower. This dry air adsorbs the moisture and expels it
to the atmosphere.

Heater Regeneration - another common regenerative dryer system where the

wet tower is dried by a heater element that is incorporated in the towers. When in
the regeneration mode, the heater element heats the tower to the point of boiling
the entrained water to a vapor that is expelled from the wet tower into the
atmosphere.
Dryer Solutions
Both dryer types accomplish the required dew point reduction and add some inefficiencies
to the Instrument Air Unit by either utilizing some of the systems horsepower or adding
extra electrical power requirements to the system. The consideration for this regeneration
cost must be applied to the initial sizing of the compressor unit.

Air Purge Regeneration:

• Air purge system is the simplest system to implement.
• The air flow requirement for regeneration is usually 15-20 percent of the total air flow.

Heater Regeneration:
• Does not utilize any of the compressor capacity.
• Requires excess electrical power for regeneration.
Dryer Solutions

The image above illustrates The image above indicates a

that the moisture laden air is reversal of process where
flowing through and being dried tower No. 2 is drying the
in tower No. 1, while tower No. airflow and tower No. 1 is in
2 is being regenerated for use the regeneration mode
once the first tower is
saturated.
Air Storage

In most systems, the air compressor is sized to exceed the site air flow requirements. It meets and exceeds
this volume and is then allowed to unload or reduce its work load until the demand for more air is required.
The excess air produced when in the demand mode is stored in the air receivers that are incorporated within
the Instrument Air Unit. These storage vessels (Receivers) store the excess air at an elevated air pressure
to allow the compressor to cycle down and the system to still continue to supply the required air flow to meet
the site requirements. They also act as a pressure pulsation buffer to supply a more consistent air pressure
with little variance.
Air Storage
The storage volume of the receiver is based upon the vessel volume and the excessive amount of
pressure that it is stored at above the required site pressure requirements. This volume is calculated as
“flow time” available from the storage at the site required flow:

T= (v (P1 – P2))/C) Pa
T= time in minutes of flow V= volume of the air receiver in Ft3
P1 = upper pressure limits (Psia) P2 =lower pressure limits (Psia)
C=air consumption to site (Scfm) Pa =atmospheric pressure (Psia)

Or, if a extra volume capacity is required for additional flow time, then the storage volume is
calculated by:
V=(T*C*Pa )/(P1 –P2 )

The Instrument Air Unit storage volume may vary to meet the design requirements by adding more
storage volume or operating at a higher storage pressure. These are variables within the system that are
made in the initial design phase. But, at any time, “Dry Air” storage may be added to the site air system
as an ancillary component.
Air Storage
TESCORP Standard’s incorporates (2) air storage vessels on all Instrument Air Units.

Wet Air Storage - This is the first step in the drying process to meet a required site pressure dew point.
The air stream being generated by the compressor at the desired discharge pressure will be water
saturated.

• A significant amount of the entrained water vapor in the air stream will be simply eliminated in the
wet air receiver by allowing a period of time for retention.
• This produced water is then eliminated by a condensate trap & drain from the air flow.
• By reducing the amount of entrained water in the air stream to the air dryer assembly we
increase its efficiency and lessens the work load.
• The storage of the air in the wet air receiver also acts to stabilize the pressure surges and create
a more steady flow into the air dryer assembly.
Air Storage

TESCORP Standard’s incorporates (2) air storage vessels on all Instrument Air Units.

Dry Air Storage- This is conditioned air that is at the required dew point for safe storage and use in the
site environment. Additional storage of this conditioned air maybe added at any time.
• Reduces cycling of the compressor.
• Allows the site latitude to meet demands that may exceed the compressor unit’s capacity.

Note: There is a codicil to the added storage volume in that consideration must be given to the
“compressor loading”. This may require the compressor to stay 100% continuously loaded for
extended periods of time costing excess power costs or excessive operating temperatures.
Air Storage
The amount of condensate (free water) that can be eliminated from the air flow in
the wet air storage receiver can be calculated by: (Denver, CO. example)

Ø Pa=12.2 Psia Atmospheric pressure at 5,000 Ft. altitude

Ø Ta=70oF Ambient temperature
Ø RH=70% Relative humidity
Ø Saturation pressure of water @ 70oF=0.363 Psia (from steam tables)
Ø Saturation pressure @ 70% RH= 0.363 x 0.7= 0.25 Psia
Ø Vapor pressure of dry air= 12.2 – 0.25= 11.95 Psia
Ø Mole fraction of water vapor= 0.25/12.2= 0.021
Ø With a compressor capacity of 150 Scfm. The water condensed=1.075 Gallons/Hr. (25.8
Gallons/Day)
Note: Most of this condensed water is removed in the wet air storage vessel thus justifying its usage in
the system as a necessary component for producing “Instrument Air” quality.
Condensate Management

Oil/Water Separator- Condensed water from the wet air storage and the pre-
filter into the dryer is a combination of mostly produced water with traces of
oil that is a carry-over from the compressor oil separator. Although minute in
the percentage of concentration, the presence of this condensate prohibits it
from free discharge into the environment. Therefore, this produced water
must be conditioned prior to discharge through the use of an Oil/Water
separator that removes the oil from the effluent.

The "OSD" Oil/Water Separator removes the oil from the

produced water allowing it to be freely discharged into the
environment.