Gardner Denver, Inc., announced that it has donated a second mobile compressor to the Los Angeles-based Drop in the Bucket organization to aid water-drilling operations in the Sub-Saharan region of Africa. Drop in the Bucket, a non-profit organization, builds water wells and sanitation systems at schools in sub-Saharan Africa.
For the past two years, compressor, pumps and blower manufacturer, Gardner Denver, Inc., (privately owned by affiliates of the investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P.) has partnered with Drop in the Bucket by providing equipment to build wells that help villages and school children in Africa have access to clean water. In 2015, Gardner Denver provided Drop in the Bucket with a CompAir C 230 TS-17-model bi-turbo mobile compressor to aid its drilling program in Uganda. To date, the compressor has already been used to drill more than 70 water wells.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with the Drop in the Bucket organization and to really make a difference in the lives of people in Sub-Saharan Africa,” said Gardner Denver, Inc., President and CEO, Vicente Reynal. “Access to clean water and sanitary conditions are critical to improving living and economic conditions in the developing world,” Reynal added.
“We are excited to have this new equipment. This new compressor is huge for Drop in the Bucket and our work in South Sudan. It will transform our drilling operations and enable us to help thousands more people each year,” said John Travis, head of development for Drop in the Bucket. “We cannot thank Gardner Denver and KKR enough for their support,” Travis added.
The second CompAir C 230 TS-17-model bi-turbo portable compressor will be deployed by Drop in the Bucket for use in its program to build water wells in South Sudan - one of the newest and most underdeveloped countries in the world. Due to overwhelming poverty and lack of water, many South Sudanese children are unable to attend school. Clean drinking water and sanitary facilities are lacking there despite the fact that South Sudan is situated over one of the world's largest aquifers. In fact, more than 50% of the population lacks access to clean water. Layers of porous rock help filter and purify water entering the aquifer, but is also a barrier and makes it difficult to access the water. Drop in the Bucket is building wells that will enable villages to access the clean drinking water from the aquifer.
According to Ingo Baumgartner, Gardner Denver Industrials Group, Mobile Compressor Product Manager, "when it comes to drilling through solid layers of rock, the CompAir compressor is of enormous benefit, as it keeps the drill-hole free of debris during boring operations. This reduces drilling time by a third.”
With its bi-turbo technology, the CompAir TS compressors are among the best in their class when it comes to fuel consumption. This is due partly to the use of a second exhaust gas turbocharger, which pre-compresses the intake air for the screw compressor. The patented concept significantly increases the efficiency of the compressor system, especially in day-to-day part-load operations. A CompAir TS compressor requires up to 30% less diesel fuel than other comparable compressors on the market to achieve the same reduction in volume flow. For their performance capability, the compressors are also lighter than comparable machines on the market.