IMPROVING FRACKING POWER & EFFICIENCY
Above: To improve system durability, Liberty’s digiFrac elec-
tric pump features a power frame with a curved internal ge-
ometry that the company believes will improve laminar flow
and reduce the risk of cavitation.

Right: Liberty plans to commercially launch its digiFrac sys-
tem later this year. The company believes the new technol-
ogy can produce twice as much horsepower per unit as a
conventional pressure pump, even as its multimotor design
allows each motor to run at a lower horsepower.

power networks in which various energy sources and storage
systems are managed automatically through a master controller.

The MTU microgrid automates the coordination of energy stor-
age and demand between the battery system and the generators
in the hybrid e-frac system, turning them on and off as needed to
optimize fuel efficiency and emissions.

“Getting the engine to its optimal range is pretty simple with
the energy storage. We’re able to move the engine up to a more
efficient load management situation – when you’re going from
50% to 80%, you’re generating more work per gallon of fuel from
that engine,” Mr Woodruff said.

He called the microgrid/EnergyPack combination a “whole new
technology platform” in the e-frac space. Beyond the batteries, an
EnergyPack houses an electronic control unit, transformers and
cooling equipment, making it a self-contained energy storage
unit. By connecting its control system to the MTU microgrid,
users can ensure a continuous and efficient distribution of power
throughout a frac run.

“The automation feature helps us optimize fuel consumption,
and that has other benefits when it comes to emissions and asset
utilization,” Mr Woodruff said. “We’re creating a system where
Click here to watch a video interview
with Scott Woodruff about Rolls-Royce
Power Solutions’ MTU e-frac.

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