WIXLIB

cAMeron international corporation—raising performance. togethertM.www.c-a-m.com

040041Quality and Preservation of Value:State-of-the-ArtTechnology for Provenand Brand-New CompressorsWith its history spanning 180 years, CAMERON International Corporation, Houston, Texas, USA, is one of the world’s conglomerates with the richest tradition. The company’s approximately 18,000 employees feel committed to their history—and consequently to the corporate maxims that already guidedthe actions of CAMERON’s predecessor, COOPER Industries:quality and performance.TEXT: Ludwig Schönefeld · PHOTOS: Ralf BaumgartenIllustrationS: CAMERON International Corporation

The company’s present name—CAMERON—dates back to theacquisition of CAMERON IronWorks by COOPER Industriesin 1989. This was the most momentous acquisition in the history of the in dustrial enterprise that was founded in 1833 bythe COOPER brothers, Charles and Elias, inMount Vernon, Ohio, and has been managedfrom Houston, Texas, since 1967. Presently, thecompany achieves sales of more than 5 billiondollars with its three Business Divisions—Drill ing & Production Systems, Valves & Measure ment, and Process & Compression Systems.Approximately two thirds of CAMERON’s busi ness comes from outside the United States. Chinais increasingly gaining in importance—both as asales market and as a production location.A Balanced PortfolioAs Director Product Engineering, Development& Quality, Everette Johnson is in charge of globaldevelopment of reciprocating compressors. Offering proven technological solutions, both forthe production and for the transport and use ofnatural gas in the process industry, CAMERONis positioned well: “We have a balanced port folio covering gas compression from the sourceto the end user.”Over the last few years, CAMERON investedprimarily in the continual optimization of the portfolio. Initially, the efforts were centeredaround boosting the efficiency of CAMERONcompressors: “We invested heavily in the devel opment of highly efficient products,” Johnsonreported. Another focal area was the minimiza tion of greenhouse gases from diffuse emissionsat the compressors: “The pressure toward loweremissions standards will continue unabated inthe coming years. We’re well-prepared.”AJAX —a Championin the Gas FieldTo this day, the AJAX Integral Engine Compressorcontributes significantly to CAMERON’s successaround the globe: “The AJAX compressor isone of the oldest, yet also one of the most successful machines in the world,” explainedEverette Johnson. The AJAX brand harkensback to AJAX Iron Works. Founded in 1892 inCorry, Pennsylvania, USA, the company startedto produce gas compressors in 1895. AfterWorld War II, the compact design of the AJAX compressor helped make it the leading com pressor model in the U.S. oil and gas industry.With a power spectrum between 30 and 360horsepower, the AJAX was able to satisfy virtu ally all requirements of industry at the time.A cross-sectional view ofthe AJAX DPC-2804LE:the current top modelIn 1963, AJAX was acquired by COOPER.COOPER and CAMERON systematically expand ed the product line—all the way to the currenttop model, the 845-horsepower AJAX 2804. Ata maximum of 525 revolutions per minute,AJAX compressors are slow-speed compres sors. What’s special about the AJAX principleis that the drive and compressor are combinedon a common frame. The simplistic design prin ciple promises minimized mechanical losses as aresult of the matched synchronization of all com ponents and resulting low vibrations. Recentlydeveloped is an electric drive AJAX compressorthat utilizes many of the same components as theintegral engine compressor, including the high efficiency lineup of AJAX cylinders.Intrinsic Value and InnovationThe technical design of the AJAX compressor,the fundamentals of which were developed atthe beginning of the 20th century, is still appliedto this day. This is partly due to the simple design and the intrinsic value of the construction.In addition, AJAX , COOPER and CAMERONhave always managed to successfully refine theirmachine through continuous inno vation. Toaccomplish this, CAMERON relies on strong partners like HOERBIGER. Everette Johnsonstated: “Our partnership with HOERBIGER hasexisted for quite some time and is very inspiringfor both sides. We purchase all valves as well asthe packing and sealing rings for the AJAX compressors from HOERBIGER.” also remains true to thesimple design principle.HOERBIGER and CAMERON collaborated for aperiod of three years with the CAMERON AJAXdivision in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, on ajoint project that was aimed at further improvingthe performance and reliability of the AJAX integral compressors by developing a more re liable, anti-scuff, power ring design. The development centered on replacing the previoustapered ring design with a barrel faced Ferroxring. To improve performance, the top ring’srunning surface has several circumferentialgrooves which are filled with Ferrox. This prevents scuffing and enables the ring face toretain oil. As a result, wear is reduced both onthe ring face and the cylinder bore.“For a life cycle that can easilyspan 50 years or more, all that’srequired of the operator of anAJAX compressor is an annual oilchange and very few special tools.”2012 AJAX product brochure

042043Everette Johnson in the CAMERON exhibitionhall behind a historic AJAX model.

“The supply of energy inChicago is primarilybased on gas. They useCOOPER-Bessemer compressors, which insome cases have been inoperation for more than70 years. Have you everread in the paper thatthe gas supply in Chicagowent down? Reliability,availability and preservation of v alue. That’swhat matters in our business. And we, at Cameron,vouch for that.”Everette JohnsonThanks to the jointly developed ReigniteTM solution, legacy COOPER-BESSEMER integralengine compressors satisfy the latest stringentenvironmental standards—a sustainable investment instead of a new purchase.EverettE JohnsonDirector of EngineeringCAMERON International CorporationInterested in all things mechanical at ayoung age, Everette Johnson did his Mechanical Engineering basic training atPurdue University. After that he went on forbrief stints involving Research and Development at Schwitzer (automotiveThe Houston, Texas, site of HOERBIGER Corpora tion of America has collaborated with CameronAjax with field tests. The new ring packs showedconsistently successful results at several field loca tions. The Ferrox ring style is a not a new concept.It has been around for many years, successfullybenefiting many other legacy natural gas engines,and it will continue to be a reliable scuff resistantpiston ring design for the future. turbocharger manufacturer), then on to Detroit Diesel and to Cummins Engine Com Quality and Performancepany, before landing in Mount Vernon, Ohio,For COOPER, quality and performance were thestrongest arguments of the marketing strategy,and they have been for CAMERON to this day.“We want to sell value to our customers,” EveretteJohnson explained. “Because the HOERBIGERbrand is synonymous with reliable and lastingquality, we rely on this value proposition.” Fordecades, HOERBIGER Corporation of Americahas been CAMERON’s major provider of valves,rings and packings. Everette Johnson added:“For us, the quality of the product is paramount.And we have always been able to rely onHOERBIGER’s quality.”in 1975, where he worked with some indus try legends such as Mel Helmich, JohnKonkler and Norm Shade, at CooperBessemer Engine Company. In his early years with Cooper, Everette Johnsonworked in both Rotating Products and inReciprocating Products, with the bulk of hiscareer spent working on Turbochargers asapplied to Large Bore Two Stroke Engines.In 1999, Johnson went to work with theCentrifugal Compressor group which waspurchased by Rolls-Royce and so he endedup in the UK as Director of Europe, Africaand the Middle East. Upon his return inMore than Effective Marketing2003, he found his way back to CameronAnother example of the close collaborationbetween CAMERON and HOERBIGER is the Reignite project. In October 2009, HOERBIGEREngineering Services, Houston, Texas, USA,and CAMERON signed an agreement to jointlymarket technology that would u pgrade agedwhere he works today as the Director of Engineering for the Process Systems andReciprocating Compression team.i ntegral gas engine compressors usingCAMERON’s distribution channels. “This was far more than a joint marketing initiative,” Everette Johnson reported. “We were convincedthat together we would succeed in engineeringan outstanding product for legacy compressors.”The Reignite project focuses on the immenseCOOPER-BESSEMER integral engine com pressors. The majority of these compressorshave been in operation for decades.COOPER-BESSEMER —the HeavyweightCOOPER introduced the first design principlefor this heavy machinery in 1909, which com bines the drive and compressor in one machine.The basic idea was given a major boost in 1929,when COOPER acquired Bessemer Gas EngineCompany founded in 1899 by Edwin J. Fithianand John Carruthers in Grove City, Pennsylva nia. Based on the know-how of both companies—not without reason was the acquisition of Bes semer later referred to as a “history merger”—COOPER continued to develop the compressor.The result was a machine in which the verticallymounted cylinders of the engine acted on thehorizontally mounted cylinders of the compres sor via the common crankshaft.The first COOPER-BESSEMER integral gas en gine compressor was shipped in 1938 and putto work on a pipeline. The V-arrangement of the