"CRYOGENMASH" COMPANY  IN   DEVELOPMENT  OF  LNG  TECHNOLOGY

                                       
                                             
                                                    Dmitry  Ermolov

                                   An abstract from the article by:

                 Dmitry Ermolov, Director-General of  "CRYOGENMASH"  Company

 

“Cryogenmash” like the greater part of Russian industry had the most difficult times in the nineties.  “ Cryomash” was the State owned company  at that time and its  main clients belonged to metallurgy industry  and aerospace complex  where the number of working enterprises  rapidly declined  due to а sudden transition to a new market economy.   Steel plants in Russia,  in  Ukraine and Kazakhstan worked at  only 40% of their capacity.  “Cryodgenmash” barely survived during that period , providing technical service to  air separation units ( ASU) that were still  functioning at the territory of the former USSR  and  exporting  its equipments  to  China and India.   The recession in " Cryogenmash"  production  gave chances to our engineers and constructors  to concentrate more  on new projects  which resulted in  the creation  of  a new generation of ASU.

In the Soviet Union  the industry worked  for the Defense  to a great extent  and it took time to  adapt Russian industry to  market economy conditions.

 

In 1998 “Cryogenmash” with  its 3000  employees   like  whole Russia was on the brink of bankruptcy.  It survived because it was a State owned enterprise  and  because it worked with  Indian colleagues  at  the Indian Space Program and for the "Sea Lanch" Space  Programme. All this enabled us to save jobs for highly qualified engineers but  in general  the  market situation was very unfavorable  for us.  Selling spare parts  and providing technical service  ensured us  only   20  mln. US dollars turnover per annum  which was very insufficient to radically change our position on the cryogenic market.

 

The situation changed in 2003 when  a banker and investor  Mr. D. Ananyev bought the  Company. The influx of money and changes in management, including  hiring of a new  Director-General  changed the situation and the vector of  “Cryogenmash” development.

 

In 2004  6 mln. US dollars were invested in the creation of a new state –of-art  Engineering Center.  By that time  Russian metallurgy industry began to grow due to  increased   demand for more steel from Chinese  companies and also  from Russian companies? where  renovation and modernization  of  industrial enterprises began  and due to  increased export of Russian steel to Europe. “ Cryogenmash” began to sell more ASUs  to  Russian,  Ukrainian and Kazakhstan  companies.  It is very natural that “Cryogenmash” has  an easy entry to cryogenic markets on the territory of the former USSR as  more than 90%  of liquid oxygen is produced here at  “Cryogenmash” manufactured  equipment.

 

Today “Cryogenmash” also produces  Cryogenic Storage Systems:  stationary reservoirs, transportation and rail ways cisterns, cryogenic products filling equipment.  These also include  systems for filling and storage of liquid hydrogen for Space Programs  all around the World. Recently we have supplied reservoirs  for  liquid hydrogen storage to “Linde Gas Company”  in Leun city,  Germany. 

 

 Unlike the USA and European companies which relatively  recently have began to attach  great importance to LNG  as a new  gas shipment  technology and  due to ecological factors,  “Cryogenmash” has been developing  these for the last 50 years.  We produce not only liquefiers  but  LNG storage and  gasification  equipment. Today we export  abroad   more than   40% of our products.

We participate in a number of projects in South Korea, China and Europe.  In part these are connected  with  cryogenic fuel filling  systems for  Space Programs. We also sell   various LNG  equipments  to China.   For example,  we sell and install  there  LNG liquefiers  with a capacity of  producing  1,5 tons of LNG per hour. This equipment is manufactured as  a  block system which enables us to assemble it in Russia and then to transport it to China by  a  standard rail way platform.  This makes the installation and tuning of the equipment  fast and easy.

We attach a great importance to keeping high standards of the quality of  our equipment as we are aware that other manufacturers  of  cryogenic reservoirs in the European Union are  also interested in this sector of  cryogenic market.
 
                     
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