How Dow Extended Compressor Asset Life Through Control System Modernization
An aging control system can create challenges for a compressor with years of service left. Obsolete components, limited spare-part availability, and outdated interfaces can increase operational risk and make maintenance harder.
For Dow Chemical, these challenges presented an opportunity to modernize legacy compressor controls and support the continued operation of critical assets.
Using FS-Elliott Regulus® R1000 and R2000 control systems, Dow improved reliability, diagnostics, and long-term supportability, all without disrupting plant operations.
A Practical Approach to Compressor Modernization
For facilities facing similar challenges, this case study offers a real-world example of how control system upgrades can help extend compressor asset life.
Explore Dow’s approach and learn how modernizing legacy controls can support equipment visibility, maintainability, and ongoing operational needs.
البيانات الاستخباراتية والموارد
Understanding Your Compressor Control System Technology
Compressor control technology has come a long way, from mechanical switches and relays to smart, touchscreen interfaces that integrate with plant-wide automation platforms. FS-Elliott’s history in this space mirrors that shift. As control needs became more complex, each generation of FS-Elliott’s systems brought new capabilities to help operators better manage performance, energy use, and maintenance.
Controlling a Multiple Compressor Installation Using Integrated Compressor Control
Integrated Compressor Control (ICC) is a coordinated sequencing feature that allows multiple compressors to maintain a constant system pressure while ensuring maximum energy efficiency and minimal blow-off.
When using the ICC feature, compressors are connected through an integrated Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network. The P2P network, coupled with the ICC sequencing software included in each of the local control panels, allows users to select any of the networked compressors as the master controller, thus creating redundancy and reducing cost by eliminating the need for a separate master controller.
Modernizing Your Compressor Controls: A Practical Guide to Improving Reliability and Efficiency
As facilities continue modernizing their operations, compressor control systems have become one of the most effective areas to improve reliability, energy efficiency, and day-to-day visibility. What began decades ago as simple protection logic has evolved into a plant-wide intelligence platform that helps operators run cleaner, safer, and more efficiently.
This blog highlights how compressor controls have evolved, why modernization matters, and what today’s systems can offer, while our latest Beyond Compression podcast episode takes a deeper dive into the full discussion.