| Through the mid-1990s
the turbocharger remained a fairly simple solution
to provide sufficient air needed to either increase
engine power or lower emissions on the large-bore
slow-speed reciprocating engines used in the natural
gas transmission industry. Because emission regulations
were not as stringent and thus operating envelopes
not as tight, operators and engineers viewed the turbocharger
as a work horse that needed little attention. They
enjoyed a great deal of latitude in turbocharger selection
since with just a few adjustments of internal parts
a mechanic easily could have a turbocharger operating
on an engine.
As the environmental and competitive
field began to change and with R&D programs at
pipeline companies curtailed, the industry chose to
develop an independent research facility to address
turbocharger/engine system performance interactions.
With financial assistance from Kansas State University,
industry associations, vendors and the State of Kansas,
the National Gas Machinery Laboratory was developed
to provide the industry with independent testing,
analysis, and research of turbochargers used in the
natural gas transmission industry.
NGML Mission
The National Gas Machinery Laboratory at Kansas State
University will maintain a center of expertise to
reduce the lifecycle costs of prime mover operations
and be a focal point for industry education, research
and application, and outreach.
Developed in 1996 as a research facility
to focus on turbochargers used in the natural gas
transmission industry, NGML collaborates with industry
stakeholders to:
- Develop previously unavailable turbocharger
performance maps that can be used to determine, prior
to field installation, whether a performance specification
can be met
- Educate pipeline engineers to better understand
how engine air flow impacts emissions and what engineers
can do to decrease emissions
- Determine the means by which to measure, calculate,
and forecast turbocharger performance and engine emissions
from field test data
- Provide well-trained engineers to the industry upon
graduation
While the NGML contributions to the
natural gas transmission industry are significant
and hold great promise for the future, these are indeed
a collaborative effort with the industry. Such accomplishments
are only possible through visionary leadership, such
as that provided by the Pipeline Research Council
International, Inc. and K-State administration.
The National Gas Machinery Laboratory
at Kansas State University helps today’s pipeline
industry supply the country with fuel — safely,
reliably and cost-effectively. Home to the Turbocharger
Test and Research Facility, NGML works with industry
to find practical, cost-efficient solutions to engineering
problems in the natural gas pipeline business.
The thousands of reciprocating engines
that power natural gas pipelines across the country
were built during a time when emissions were not a
national concern. Replacing these engines would cost
the industry billions of dollars. The NGML’s
mission is to aid industry in preserving and retrofitting
these original engines to meet today’s standards
more efficiently and at a lower cost.
We are proud of the collaborative effort we have built
at NGML, and value the working relationship we have
with the segments of the pipeline industry. Through
partnerships, our cutting-edge research will continue
to make a significant difference in the efficiency
of transporting natural gas and, ultimately, in the
cost of doing business in the pipeline industry.
Dr. Kirby S. Chapman is professor of
mechanical engineering and director of the NGML. He
researches methods and technologies to monitor and
reduce pollutant emissions in turbochargers and internal
combustion engines. He also serves as advisor to the
Gas Machinery Conference (GMC), teaches turbomachinery
courses to industry professionals and K-State students,
and mentors graduate students.
Chapman earned a doctorate in radiant
heat transfer, modeling of nitrogen oxide emissions,
and computational fluid dynamics from Purdue University.
He received his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering
from Purdue University and his master’s from
Michigan Technological University. He joined the K-State
faculty as an assistant professor in 1990.
The NGML Industry Advisory Committee
includes representatives from:
- AETC
- Cameron Energy Services
- El Paso Pipeline Group
- Enginuity
- Exterran
- Globe Turbocharger Specialties
- Hoerbiger
- Hoerbiger Engineering Services
- Kansas State University College of Engineering
- Kansas Technology Enterprises Corporation
- Magellan Pipeline Company
- Northern Natural Gas
- Panhandle Energy
- Pipeline Research Council International, Inc.
- Southern California Gas Company
- Spectra Energy
- Williams Pipeline |
