PDC Machines Diaphragm Compressors

PDC Machines is a US maker of diaphragm compressors for industrial gases and hydrogen, founded in 1977 and headquartered in Souderton, Pennsylvania, with over 2,100 compressors installed since 2010.

PDC-3 series diaphragm compressors up to 1,034 barg

The PDC-3 series covers PDC Machines diaphragm compressors with drive power up to 11 kW and discharge up to 1,034 barg. Builds: bare block, basic or full PLC-controlled system; single, two-stage or duplex. Example: the two-stage PDC-3-1000-2500(50) xenon unit, 207 barg, 12 Nm³/h.

Drive power up to 11 kW
Up to 1,034 barg
Single, two-stage or duplex
Xenon unit: 207 barg, 12 Nm³/h

PDC-4 series diaphragm compressors up to 1,379 barg

The PDC-4 series is rated for discharge up to 1,379 barg with drive power up to 37.5 kW. It is used for duplex hydrogen compressors with buffer vessels and for helium trans-filling compressors with closed-loop cooling. Horizontal and vertical orientations are available.

Up to 1,379 barg
Drive power up to 37.5 kW
Duplex hydrogen units
Helium trans-filling

PDC-7 series diaphragm compressors up to 620 barg

The PDC-7 series covers PDC Machines diaphragm compressors with drive power up to 55 kW and discharge pressure up to 620 barg. Its build includes a variable pressure relief valve. Units have up to two stages per crank and up to four stages per system, in horizontal or vertical orientation.

Drive power up to 55 kW
Up to 620 barg
Up to four stages per system
Variable pressure relief valve

PDC-13 series diaphragm compressors up to 110 kW

The PDC-13 series is rated for drive power up to 110 kW and discharge up to 1,034 barg for all gas types. Example: a two-stage coal gasification syngas compressor for Turkey, 113 kW motor, 10 to 30 barg, ATEX compliant. PDC-13 hydrogen units have ESD at each monitoring point.

Drive power up to 110 kW
Up to 1,034 barg
Syngas: 10 to 30 barg
ATEX-compliant build

Diaphragm set, process heads and seals

The PDC Machines diaphragm set has three plates: a brass middle diaphragm to preclude galling, and upper and lower plates typically of 301 series stainless steel; the upper one can be Inconel 718. Process heads are made of 300 series stainless steel, O-rings of Buna-N, Viton or Kalrez.

Triple diaphragm set
Brass middle diaphragm
300 series steel heads
Static O-ring seals

Check valves and hydraulic system

PDC Machines compressors typically use cartridge- or plate-style process check valves, with valves and pockets designed for easy removal. The hydraulic system has an automatic priming pump, a crank-driven plunger injection pump and an oil regulating valve that limits maximum pressure.

Cartridge or plate valves
Plunger injection pump
Automatic priming pump
Oil regulating valve

Hydrogen compressors for refueling stations

PDC Machines hydrogen compressors bring gas to storage pressure: 450–550 bar storage tubes for 350 bar fueling, 820–1000 bar for 700 bar fueling. They come as bare units or integrated packages, with low and high ambient options. SimpleFuel produces 20 kg of hydrogen per day.

350 or 700 bar fueling
Storage up to 1000 bar
SimpleFuel: 20 kg/day
Low and high ambient options

RecoH2ver liquid hydrogen boil-off gas recovery

RecoH2ver captures boil-off gas from a liquid hydrogen tank and compresses it into storage tubes or trailers. It works from 5 bar tank pressure up to 517 bar discharge, with automatic start and stop. It comes containerized or on an open skid; PDC has over 400 such installations.

Discharge up to 517 bar
Tank pressure from 5 bar
Automatic start and stop
Container or open skid

Selecting a PDC Machines diaphragm compressor by task

For cylinder filling and tube trailer unloading at up to 1,034 barg, the PDC-3 series with drive power up to 11 kW and the PDC-13 series with up to 110 kW fit the task.

The PDC-4 series reaches 1,379 barg (drive power up to 37.5 kW), and the PDC-7 series is rated for 620 barg with drive power up to 55 kW.

Each series comes as a bare block, a basic system with motor and interstage components, or a full PLC-controlled system on a skid. Single, two-stage and duplex versions are available; with added stages a compressor works from 1 bara suction pressure.

Hydrogen compressors and systems

For hydrogen fueling PDC Machines builds compressors for 350 and 700 bar fueling with storage tube pressures of 450–550 and 820–1000 bar; over 1,000 PDC hydrogen compressors are deployed worldwide.

SimpleFuel combines an electrolyzer, purification, a diaphragm compressor, storage and a dispenser and produces 20 kg of hydrogen per day.

RecoH2ver recovers boil-off gas from liquid hydrogen tanks, from 5 bar tank pressure up to 517 bar discharge, containerized or on an open skid.

PDC Machines manufacturing

PDC Machines LLC was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Souderton, Pennsylvania, USA. Over 2,100 compressors have been installed since 2010, and they run in 56 countries on five continents.

A triple diaphragm set isolates the gas from the hydraulic oil. The company services its own and third-party diaphragm compressors, offers annual maintenance kits and trains staff to disassemble and reassemble a compressor.

PDC Machines and model names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify the equipment for which we source parts. SpareX is not an official dealer, distributor or representative of PDC Machines and is not affiliated with the trademark owner. Origin, documents and warranty are stated for each item in the quotation.