Ramgen Power Systems

About Ramgen Power Systems

Ramgen Power Systems was a research and development company founded in 1992 and headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, that specialized in applying supersonic aircraft technology to energy-related applications. The company focused on developing innovations in supersonic compressors, high-velocity vortex combustors, and supersonic expanders.

The core of Ramgen's technology was the use of stationary shock waves, a principle derived from supersonic jet engine inlets, to compress gases. This method allows for high-pressure ratios in a single stage, which contrasts with traditional axial compressors that require numerous stages. The design promised to be smaller, more efficient, and more cost-effective than conventional technologies.

A primary application for this technology was the compression of carbon dioxide for Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS). CO2 compression can account for a significant portion of the cost of CCS, and Ramgen's system was developed to reduce these capital and operating expenses. In partnership with Dresser-Rand, the company worked on developing and testing high-horsepower CO2 compressors designed to meet the demands of large-scale power plants. Other potential applications included high-efficiency gas turbine engines for military propulsion, stationary power generation, and hybrid fuel cell systems.

Over its history, Ramgen was supported by venture capital firms like Vault Capital and received grants from the U.S. Department of Energy. The company's work involved extensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and physical prototype testing. Ramgen Power Systems was acquired by Dresser-Rand Group on December 31, 2017.