Absolute Energy Saving

Products and services to cut energy 

consumption for reciprocating compressors
Energy balance for a typical (1 to 4 MW) reciprocating compressor operating in refinery.

2% - 7%

 friction losses

valve losses

leaks from piston rings and packings

packing friction losses

bypass energy losses 

3% - 10%

0,5% - 1%

3% - 10%

12% - 50%

indicated compression energy

energy used by the compressor

How can I save energy?

You can save energy by keeping your 

compressor in good running order, by 

using the best available technology 

for valves, rings and packings, and by 

choosing effective control strategies. 

This is easy to say, but how do you 

quantify these savings and make sure 

any improvements will be cost-effective?

What if you could benchmark your 

compressor’s performance against a 

large population of similar compressors?

With HOERBIGER you can do just 

that. HOERBIGER’s proprietary system 

carries information from over 50,000 

reciprocating compressors covering 

virtually every compressor type and 

gas service. Using our specialized 

tools as RecipCOM, we can audit your 

compressor’s performance and map it 

against other similar compressors. The 

audit may uncover opportunities for 

improving the maintenance or operation 

of your equipment.

If you operate reciprocating compressors, the chances are you’re sensitive to energy consumption. 

After all, your energy bill directly influences your production costs. The good news is that for 

large machines just a small improvement in efficiency - say 3% - means significant savings. As 

an independent service partner and technology leader for critical components and systems for 

reciprocating compressors HOERBIGER can bring you these savings and more.

Energy: more important than ever

Sources: Charles Bouché, Karl Wintterlin: Kolbenverdichter, Springer Verlag

Where can I save energy?
What savings can I expect?

Starting from a detailed compressor energy balance, HOERBIGER experts quantify 

the costs and benefits of upgrades to valves, rings, packings and compressor 

controls. The result is higher efficiency, energy savings and lower operating costs.

The potential reduction in power consumption multiplied by the number of running 

hours per year gives the energy saved per year. Using less energy can save you money 

in two ways: through lower electricity bills, and by cutting CO2 emissions that are 

charged under emissions trading schemes (ETSs) or carbon taxes.

In short the mechanism works as follows: reduced electricity consumption requires 

less output from power plants. Less fuel is consumed, and less CO2 emitted. This is 

good news for compressor operators, who can sell the resulting spare CO2 emissions 

permits.

Forming the energy balance of a reciprocating compressor gives a comprehensive picture of the losses. 

HOERBIGER provides solutions for valves, cylinder rings & packing cases and compressor control 

systems to raise the efficiency of the machine. This leads to energy saving and CO2 tax reduction.

power reduction

[kW] x

x

x

x

=

=

=

working hours

[h]

energy price

[€/kWh ]

specific CO2

emission*

[t CO2/kWh]

CO2 certificate 

price [€/t CO2]

energy saving

[kWh]

money saving

[€]

*Specific emission: the quantity of CO2 emitted from a power plant for each unit of electricity produced. For example, a CHP 

(combined heat and power) plant with a gas turbine emits about 0.45 t CO2/MWh.

The worksheet on the next page looks at the compressor energy balance in more detail
General information

Compressor operating hours per year:

Electricity cost (typically 100 €/MWh)

CO2 specific emission (typically 0,45 t CO2/MWh for a CHP plant)

CO2 cost (~15 €/t for 2010 in the EU)

Compressor Valve:

What type of valves are used?

How clean is the compressed gas?

Main packing cases:

How many packing cases are installed on the compressor?

How many tangential radial rings pairs are in each packing case?

What is the final discharge pressure?

Control:

What kind of control is used?

range of control [0-100%]

average load [0-100 %]

Energy saving form

Fill in the boxes to see how much energy you might save by updating your 

reciprocating compressor to the latest performance standards.

h

€/MWh

t CO2/MWh

€/t CO2

clean dirty

bypass

plate valves ring valves profiled plate valves

on/off step control reverse flow clearance pockets

HOERBIGER Compression Technology is a business unit of HOERBIGER Holding AG, Zug / Switzerland. HOERBIGER is active 

throughout the world as a leading player in the fields of compression technology, automation technology and drive technology. 

In 2010, its 7,600 employees achieved sales of 950 million Euro. The focal points of its business activities include key 

components and services for compressors, gas engines and turbomachines, hydraulic systems and piezo technology for vehicles 

and machine tools, as well as components and systems for shift and clutch operations in vehicle drive trains of all kinds. 

Through innovations in attractive technological niche markets, the HOERBIGER Group sets standards and delivers cutting-edge 

solutions for the benefit of its customers.

This product brochure contains product specifications based on research and development on the one hand and on manufacturing on the other. Dependent on place of installation, operating 

conditions and specifications, several parameters of the described product may change. Thus, HOERBIGER assumes no liability or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the 

information covered in this brochure.

www.hoerbiger.com

1803292 - Issue 09 2011
Rings and packings: friction down 40% with HOERBIGER BCD

Compressor piston rings and packing rings contribute to energy 

losses through friction and leakage. On average, each set of standard 

tangential/radial packing rings accounts for losses of about 5 kW.

Improved ring design can cut losses significantly. The HOERBIGER 

BCD (Balanced Cup Design) is a robust single-ring design with a 

pressure balancing groove that reduces leakage by 70% compared to 

a standard packing and friction losses by 40%. And not only do BCD 

rings save energy, they also last longer than conventional rings.

Valves: CP profiled plates cut losses by 40%

Energy losses from traditional flat-plate valves are typically in the 

range 3–10% of total compressor energy use. With their unique 

profiled rings and plates, HOERBIGER CM and CP valves provide 

larger flow areas for the same valve diameter. That means valve 

losses 40% lower than for standard valves.

Compressors operating in challenging processes often face 

polymerisation or coking that can clog valves and seriously reduce 

efficiency. HOERBIGER’s professional valve repair services can 

restore original performance.

Control: HydroCOM avoids wasteful bypass

Capacity in reciprocating compressors is usually adjusted through 

a combination of step control (via suction valve unloaders and/or 

clearance pockets) and bypass control. Bypassing, which recirculates 

compressed gas, is particularly wasteful.

HydroCOM is an efficient, stepless, fully automated control system 

that uses the principle of reverse flow to avoid compressing more gas 

than is actually needed.

As a result, HydroCOM reduces energy consumption by 12-50% 

compared to step control systems. As well as greatly reducing costs 

for energy and CO2 emissions, HydroCOM brings indirect financial 

savings through easier compressor operation.

A

P

B C

0

50

100

0 0

1

2

3

4

5

10 20 30 40 50 60 70

6

7

50 100

Friction losses [kW]Indicated power %Indicated power %

Supply pressure [bar] Capacity %

Equivalent 

energy 

BCD ring savings

Reverse-flow control

(HydroCOM)

Ideal control system

Step-control

Cr

Dr

D

Absolute Energy Saving

Conventional

tangential/radial ring

Energy

savings