Which compressor does Katoen Natie use?

The hybrid package developed for Katoen Natie is based on the BL1000 compressor, combined with a new 37 kW electric motor.

Can the compressor operate at full capacity on electric power?

Yes. A central requirement of the project was to overcome the capacity limitations found in some existing electrified compressor systems. The BL1000-based package was developed to operate at the required range and sufficient pressure when electrically powered.

How does the hybrid compressor help reduce emissions?

Electric operation reduces Katoen Natie's dependency on the vehicle's diesel engine during dry bulk unloading. The case study reports savings of approximately 35 tonnes of carbon emissions over one year, based on operational conditions described in the project.

What happens when electrical power is unavailable?

The hybrid system retains the ability to revert to conventional truck power. This gives Katoen Natie flexibility when sufficient electrical power is not available at a delivery site.

Does electric operation affect unloading performance?

The solution was designed specifically to maintain full-capacity operation when electrically driven. According to the case study, the upgraded system can push more air into the silos and speed up unloading at customer locations.

Hybrid Compressor for Dry Bulk Unloading

Overview

Reducing emissions from dry bulk transport requires more than changing how trucks are powered. Loading and unloading equipment also consumes energy, creating an opportunity to reduce reliance on diesel engines at customer sites.Katoen Natie, a global logistics company headquartered in Antwerp, Belgium, worked with Gardner Denver to develop a hybrid dry bulk compressor package capable of operating electrically while retaining the option to use the truck's conventional power take-off (PTO).The solution is based on the BL1000 compressor with a new 37 kW electric motor, engineered to operate electrically at full capacity and sufficient pressure. This gives Katoen Natie greater flexibility when unloading dry bulk products while supporting its wider goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Challenge: Electrifying Dry Bulk Compressor Operations

Katoen Natie handles products ranging from petrochemicals and specialty chemicals to food, feed and general cargo. Gardner Denver compressors were already installed across the company's dry bulk fleet and traditionally driven by the vehicle's PTO. In 2021, Katoen Natie approached Gardner Denver about developing a pneumatic solution that could operate electrically as well as from the conventional truck PTO when required. The project presented several challenges:

The compressor needed to operate electrically at 1,000 m³/h.
Existing compressor packages were unsuitable or too large for the fleet's chassis.
The solution needed to work at full capacity when electrically driven.
It needed to accommodate different power availability at customer delivery sites.
Major vehicle modifications had to be avoided because Katoen Natie operated more than 300 vehicles in its dry bulk fleet.

The requirement was therefore not simply to electrify an existing installation, but to develop a practical hybrid compressor package compatible with real-world dry bulk transport operations.

Solution: BL1000 Hybrid Electric Compressor Package

Working together, Gardner Denver and Katoen Natie developed a new compressor package based on the BL1000, paired with a 37 kW electric motor. The system was engineered to operate across the required airflow range with sufficient pressure when electrically powered. As a hybrid solution, it can also revert to the vehicle's diesel-powered system when necessary. This flexibility reduces dependence on the truck's diesel engine during unloading while allowing operators to select a power source appropriate to conditions at each delivery site.The tipping installation was also adapted and equipped with a smart truck battery loader. To make the complete package compatible with Katoen Natie's existing vehicle layout, the compressor's frequency regulator was positioned behind the driver's cabin. This avoided major changes to the location of existing mounted components.

CARBON SAVINGS

tonnes/year

Reduced carbon emissions

Based on operations averaging five to six deliveries per day.

ELECTRIC POWER

Electric motor

Electric motor used in the hybrid BL1000 compressor package.

AIRFLOW

1,000

m³/h

Application requirement

Hybrid system developed around the required dry bulk airflow.

DAILY OPERATIONS

5–6

deliveries/day

Typical operation

Operating pattern used in the case study's annual carbon-saving calculation.

DRY BULK FLEET

300+

vehicles

Existing fleet

Package design needed to avoid major modifications across a large fleet.

Customer Quote

"We knew Gardner Denver had the technical expertise to deliver an effective hybrid compressor for our fleet. While this new package has the ability to revert to diesel power, our teams often find it’s not needed as the electric drive is more than capable of working to full capacity."

Katoen Natie

Impact and Results

The hybrid compressor package enabled Katoen Natie to reduce its reliance on vehicle diesel engines during dry bulk unloading while maintaining the required compressor performance. The case study reports several measurable and operational benefits:

Full-capacity electric operation: the BL1000-based package can operate electrically across the required airflow range and with sufficient pressure.
Reduced diesel dependency: electric operation limits the need to run the vehicle's diesel engine during unloading.
Lower carbon emissions: the project is reported to save approximately 35 tonnes of carbon emissions per year, based on the customer's operations averaging five to six deliveries per day.
Faster unloading: operating the compressor to its full potential electrically pushes more air into the silos, helping speed up unloading at customer locations.
Fleet compatibility: the package was designed around the existing vehicle layout, avoiding potentially costly major design modifications.

The hybrid design also allows Katoen Natie to continue unloading when sufficient electrical power is not available at a customer site by retaining the ability to use conventional power.

Key Takeaways

A hybrid dry bulk compressor can combine electric operation with conventional PTO-powered flexibility.
The BL1000-based package uses a 37 kW electric motor and was engineered for operation at up to 1,000 m³/h in this application.
Full-capacity electric operation reduces dependency on the truck's diesel engine during unloading.
The project is reported to save around 35 tonnes of carbon emissions per year.
Electric operation can also help accelerate unloading by enabling the compressor to operate to its full potential.
Careful equipment placement made the solution compatible with an existing dry bulk fleet of more than 300 vehicles without requiring major changes to component locations

Download the Hybrid Dry Bulk Compressor Case Study

Discover how Katoen Natie and Gardner Denver developed a hybrid compressor package that combines full-capacity electric operation with the flexibility of conventional truck-powered unloading.

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Frequently Asked Questions

In this application, a hybrid compressor is a pneumatic system that can be powered electrically while retaining the ability to use the truck's conventional power system when required. This gives operators greater flexibility at different delivery locations.

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Hybrid Compressor for Low-Carbon Dry Bulk Unloading