It has a three-year agreement with wastewater treatment equipment maker Nanjing RGE to develop, manufacture and supply high-speed centrifugal compressor systems.

The compressors are based on designs first earmarked for use in the automotive and industrial engine markets.

The agreement with RGE is Sprintex’s first in the industrial air sector and additional opportunities are being pursued.

In a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange, Sprintex said it would “customise and develop a series of stand-alone high-speed centrifugal air compressors for use in the water treatment industry with rated power covering 10 to 60kW, including additional agreed systems and controls.”

It will supply a minimum of 400 units (of mixed models) over a two-year initial term, 100 of which must be purchased in the first year and 300 in the second year. The minimum contract value is the equivalent of about $A6.3 million over the first two years of the initial three-year term, with first deliveries to be completed in Q1 2022.

Sprintex managing director Jay Upton said: “We are excited to cement the first industrial air customer for our newest division. 

“While the clean energy market is providing many opportunities for the future, the agreement with RGE is a major step forward in the company’s expansion into the electric compressor market and provides an entry and a secure foot-hold into more mature industrial markets, that are hungry for the efficiency improvements that we can offer.  

“Every efficiency improvement in an industrial process is a benefit that goes straight to the bottom line, so we are expecting to see more demand from the industrial sector as more companies become aware of our enhanced efficiency proposition for clean air compressor applications.”

RGE executive director Baochang Zhou said a high-speed electric centrifugal compressor was the ideal solution for water aeration applications. 

“Replacing the traditional roots type compressors with Sprintex eCompressors in a medium size (320kW) water treatment site, will save about 500,000kWh electricity annually for our customer, cut 375 tonnes of CO2 emissions and save about RMB500,000 (about $A104,000) in costs in the process,” he said.

“We also note that the Sprintex compressor system features water-cooling and smart control, which makes it over 20 per cent more efficient and reliable than the compressors we have been using.”

RGE is a specialist water treatment membrane bioreactor and water treatment system company, with product sales and services covering all provinces in China.

Sprintex has an R&D and production facility in China for electric drive and controllers for compressors. It has been pursuing commercial applications for its products for clean air, industrial air and hydrogen fuel-cell sectors.

By Neil Dowling