Did you know the average American eats over four pounds of potato chips each year? When you pull open a bag of potato chips, do you ever stop to think about where the potato chips came from and if they were made on equipment that uses oil-free air?
For a leading manufacturer of potato chips and snacks, a business upturn required that the manufacturing facility increase its output capacity. Thus, the manufacturer decided to upgrade the production equipment, including its compressed air equipment, to meet the increased demand.
Clean, Oil-Free and Energy Efficient
Like many food manufacturers, the company is committed to quality first. Therefore, clean, oil-free compressed air and energy efficiency were essential considerations in the selection of new air compressors when upgrading the existing plant air facility. While ensuring reliability and the continuity of output, the company also wanted to be certain any possible risk of product contamination during process operations was eliminated.
An oil-free compressor virtually eliminates the need for in-line oil filtration and in most cases will eliminate the risk of oil contamination completely. The need for costly filter replacements, large sump tank oil changes and ongoing maintenance due to oil residue is eliminated and can result in substantial compounded savings over the life of the compressor. The result is life cycle savings that are much greater than the initial cost of choosing oil-free over oil-injected compressors.
But, isn’t food grade oil safe?
The material safety data sheet (MSDS) for food-grade oil says inhalation of aerosols (such as mists or fumes) generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may be damaging to the health of the individual. There is some evidence to suggest that the material can cause respiratory irritation which can lead to lung damage.
Food grade oil is a mineral oil which is petroleum based; it is not intended to be consumed. Some oil companies also do not always list the additives or other components in the oil due to confidentiality reasons. And while tests have proven that some oils are “less” toxic than other oils, in the MSDS, skin contact and inhalation should still be avoided as much as possible to prevent other serious health problems from occurring.
ISO 8573-1 (2010) Class Zero and Variable Speed Drive Compressors
To achieve a 100 percent oil-free operation, the company chose Atlas Copco oil-free, rotary screw, full-feature machines—two ZT 90 FF compressors and a ZT 90 VSD (variable speed drive) FF—which provide a guaranteed supply of high-quality air.
Because the plant operates 24/7, the machines have to work long hours. The variable speed drive compressor works in tandem with the base load compressors to cover all the main 7 bar [101.5psi] plant air application duties, including the heat exchanger, steam boiler and packing operations. This ensures output is matched to demand in the most energy-efficient way, with the VSD compressor taking over any additional site load.
Does your facility need an oil-free upgrade?
If you are interested in learning more about Atlas Copco’s oil-free air compressors with variable speed drive, simply contact us and a representative will be in touch with you shortly.
