Pneumofore Vacuum Pumps and Compressors for Vapour Recovery, Gas Processing and Pipeline Drying

Pneumofore is a manufacturer and a global supplier of high-quality compressors and vacuum solutions for an extensive range of industrial applications worldwide.

As one of the historical manufacturers and developers of the Rotary Vane technology, Pneumofore pioneering machines and systems are specially designed to deliver reliable, trouble-free operation for decades, even in the harshest working environments.

Combining Swiss engineering and Italian design since 1923, Pneumofore’s vacuum pump systems and compressors feature robust, heavy-duty designs for maximum durability and are built to comply with the oil and gas industry’s most exacting safety standards such as ATEX directive II 2 / 2 G.

Vacuum pumps for vapour recovery processes

Pneumofore’s advanced rotary vane vacuum pumps have proven to be highly cost-effective solutions in terms of long-term operational costs and are relied upon worldwide for the operation of industrial vapour recovery units (VRUs).

The sturdy rotary vane air-ends feature a minimalist design with only two bearings and no consumable parts and are encased in a durable housing for optimum protection in extreme deployment locations.

The simplicity of the pumps’ design along with the efficiency of the direct coupling enables the system to achieve low rotation speed and, consequently, a low operating temperature, which decreases power consumption and vapour emissions, while improving overall reliability.

Pneumofore’s air-end components are fully ATEX-certified for Zone 1 applications and have been successfully deployed in a variety of installations across Europe and Asia for gas and vapour recovery operations.

Transportable air-cooled vacuum systems for pipeline drying applications

Pipeline drying using vacuum technology can be conducted faster and more economically using pump systems that have been purpose-designed to effectively evacuate water vapour.

Pneumofore’s vacuum solutions exceed expectations regarding the duration of pipeline drying processes. For example, the 75kW, single-stage UV50 rotary vane pump is capable of removing 214kg/h of water vapour with the capacity of 3,240m³/h without the need for supplementary power supply. Additional vacuum stages can also be added to the backing pump depending on the final dew point. The company’s ready-to-use air-cooled vacuum systems can easily fit mobile operations on trucks, containers or vessels, off- or on-shore.

Double-stage vacuum pumps for pipeline drying processes

Pneumofore’s rotary vane pump systems operate in a single-stage configuration during the initial phase, down to a pressure level of approximately 50mbar(a). The second-stage roots pump is then activated in order to increase the system’s capacity and to improve the ultimate vacuum level down to roughly 0.03mbar(a) until the final dew point is reached.

The two pump stages are assembled into a single heavy-duty frame to facilitate easy lifting and handling, and the system requires only a power supply and single pipe connection for operation. The pump can be easily transported to and from the deployment location in a protective, easy-to-carry container.

These highly convenient vacuum pumps have a proven track record of achieving excellent pipeline dryness compared to other solutions, and also avoid the excessive time and costs requirements encountered by methods such as methanol swabbing. In addition, these vacuum solutions are able to address further air drying issues such as extracting water from side-pipe traps.

Pneumofore technologies evacuate water vapour continuously while consuming a minimal amount of power and avoiding the need for cooling water, chillers or towers.

Versatile gas compressors for the petrochemical sector

Pneumofore’s systems are capable of meeting the gas compression requirements of a wide variety of industries worldwide, including the oil and gas, chemicals and power sectors. These rugged, premium-quality gas compressor units have been specially designed to comply with the latest and strictest safety specifications such as the ATEX directive for Zone 1.

Our versatile gas compression solutions are compatible with an extensive selection of gases, including methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2), as well as biogas and natural gas, making them ideal for a broad range of industrial applications.

The company’s dependable rotary vane technology facilitates trouble-free operation and consistently reliable performance over the entire project lifecycle, in addition to offering some of the lowest overall operational costs available on the market.

Air-cooled mobile compressors and vacuum systems for remote environments

Pneumofore is able to provide ready-to-use solutions for mobile deployment onboard trucks, containers and vessels, both onshore and offshore.

These innovative rotary vane compressors and vacuum pumps are often used as a replacement solution for problematic liquid-ring vacuums and hyper-dry compressed air and gas units as a result of their significantly reduced power consumption and the removal of the need for water during operation.

They also feature simple, minimalist designs for increased original equipment manufacturer (OEM) independence, along with easy operation and hassle-free, in-field maintenance capabilities.

The extremely hard-wearing design and built quality of Pneumofore’s systems meet the specifications for mobile applications onboard truck trailers, even on unpaved roads or in isolated locations where cooling water isn’t readily available, as evidenced by Gazprom’s operations in Russia.

Powerful ATEX-accredited compressors for explosive areas

Pneumofore’s compressors are appropriate for installed power rates of up to 630kW, as well as pressures from 2.5bar(g) to 10bar(g), and are equipped with an exclusive air cooling system to ensure high-performance in hot climates.

These compressors’ simple and effective design features direct coupling and low rotation speeds with only two bearings, few moving parts and very low compression temperatures. Their reliable rotary vane concept allows for higher efficiency and a significantly reduced risk of explosion compared to other systems.

Pneumofore also provides special designs that are carefully optimised for deployment on offshore installations, as well as heavy framed-variants for easy lifting operations and tailored solutions for use in underground mines upon request.

Our cutting-edge systems are rigorously tested and certified for Atex Zone 1 applications, which ensures superior safety and reliability during operations in hazardous areas in Ex-proof zones. The rigorous ATEX certification for Zone 1 ensures a high level of safety and reliability in hazardous areas and Ex-proof zones.

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Press Release

Testing the Second Compression Stage for Natural Gas Processing

Pneumofore met the challenge to design a second gas compression stage from eight to 14 bar(g). The company's engineers worked for months to prepare the prototype in order to satisfy the request of a European liquefied natural gas processing company, which had contacted +10 other companies before but without any result.

Product and Services
White Papers

Vacuum Drying Solutions for Pipeline Drying Operations

Pneumofore was engaged in the drying of a 1,386km-long pipeline spanning from East to Western India in 2007, as part of a collaboration with US-based BJ Services.

Pneumofore Images

Press Release

24 July 2020

Pneumofore met the challenge to design a second gas compression stage from eight to 14 bar(g). The company's engineers worked for months to prepare the prototype in order to satisfy the request of a European liquefied natural gas processing company, which had contacted +10 other companies before but without any result.

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18 September 2018

Pneumofore, leading manufacturer of vacuum pumps and compressors since 1923, will exhibit for the first time at Gastech, the world’s most important conference and exhibition for the gas, LNG end energy industries, held between 17-20 September 2018 in Barcelona, Spain.

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11 June 2018

Vacuum pump and compressor systems specialist Pneumofore is pleased to announce the launch of its new line of K Series rotary vane gas compressor solutions, which have been specially designed to deliver optimum performance in industrial gas treatment and processing applications.

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4 April 2018

Leading rotary vane compressor and vacuum pump specialist Pneumofore is pleased to announce the launch of its newly redesigned website.

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26 March 2018

Pneumofore has successfully exhibited for the first time at StocExpo Europe in Rotterdam, Netherlands, a leading international event for specialists in the tank terminal industry. 

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21 February 2017

The production of lubricants for industrial and automotive applications requires the use of vacuum supply for decanting the liquid materials, as well as the evaporation of the condensation that accumulates during storage and transportation.

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8 February 2017

Pneumofore have finished evaluation of the A35 air compressor in terms of vibration, pressure, absorbed power and temperature as part of the on-going Atex certification process.

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9 October 2015

Pneumofore attended the presentation of Eng. Daniel Hilfiker, CEO, at the Annual Global Forum, which was held in Berlin on 23-25 September.

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18 July 2013

Pneumofore participated in the Gas Infrastructure China Summit 2013, and came away with the following conclusions.

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13 September 2012

Pneumofore rotary vane vacuum pumps are increasingly installed worldwide to operate Vapour Recovery Units (VRU).

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30 March 2011

After more than 30 years of exploration, the important project regarding the 'Greater Gorgon' group of gas fields, about 200km from the north-west coast of Western Australia, has finally started. The considerable length of large-diameter gas pipelines will require commissioning, part of which is

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22 February 2011

At the beginning of 2011, two Pneumofore engineers travelled to India for the commissioning of six vacuum systems, model UV16 H B2500B, delivered to Narmada Offshore Constructions, a specialist in pigging and hydro-testing to serve the oil, gas and petrochemical industry. The pipeline is in Ujjai

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27 January 2011

Pneumofore, the oldest rotary compressor and vacuum pump manufacturer worldwide, is pleased to offer a free service of total drying time calculation. All you have to do is to simply provide the total water mass, the pipeline volume (length, diameter, water film thickness) and the dew point.

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18 October 2010

Based on experience collected over the years through numerous projects in collaboration with companies involved in gas pipeline commissioning, Pneumofore has designed the ultimate vacuum system, which has higher capacity, is completely air cooled, and compact for easy transportation in a 20ft con

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