AC motors tough enough for methane extraction

Equipment used in oil-rig, oil-field, environmental remediation and chemical processing applications encounter rugged conditions. Regenerative blowers, such as the ROTRON Chem-Tough Regenerative (Side Channel), use long-life AC induction motors to keep the blowers operating.

The blowers use regenerative air technology to develop proper air pressures and vacuums without the higher energy and maintenance costs associated with larger multi-stage or positive displacement blowers and compressors. Operating pressure levels of 10 PSI (69kPa) and “air” flows exceeding 1700 cubic feet per minute (2,900 cubic meters per hour) are achievable for these blowers and they can be used in both the “pressure” and “vacuum” modes. 


The AC motors enable the units to manage applications that require the safe and efficient handling of corrosive and potentially explosive gases such as methane gas extraction and flaring done by the oil and gas industry.

These low-noise ATEX-certified, explosion-proof motors are custom-designed for harsh environments and available in all international voltages. They are UL and CSA approved for Class 1 Group D explosive gas atmospheres for safe operation in potentially hazardous locations. In addition, they contribute to the efficient aerodynamics of the blowers.

The blowers also use 303 stainless steel motor shafts and hardware throughout, along with nickel-plated components that further ruggedize the product environmentally. Custom-designed seals are used to assure leak containment. Chem-Tough technology takes advantage of low-friction polymers and dry lubricants, as well as anodize and hard-coat plating that become an integral part of the blower’s molecular structure. Permanent “dry” lubricity and salt spray resistance are just two of the benefits offered by this process.

Regenerative blowers have long been used for handling environmentally challenging, chemically corrosive or potentially hazardous applications. Along with methane extraction and flaring, applications include landfill gas recovery, chemical tank agitation, wastewater treatment, and aquaculture oxidation among others.