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Technology, Service, Parts & Maintenance

10 Tips to Lower Compressed Air Costs

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The following is an excerpt from the article 10 Tips to Lower Compressed Air Costs by Deepak Vetal, product marketing manager, oil-free screw, centrifugal, and high-pressure air, Atlas Copco Compressors. The full version can be read online or in the upcoming February issue of Plant Engineering.

Compressed air is a necessity in many industrial applications, but it can be costly if you're not careful. By investing some time and thought into your compressed air system, you can identify inefficiencies that, when fixed, will make compressed air an affordable solution.

Here are 10 tips that will lower your compressed air costs.

1. Analyze air consumption

Typically, only half of generated compressed air is used for the intended process. The other half is depleted by artificial demand, inappropriate use and leaks. Artificial demand is created when there are extra margins on sizing compressed air systems in terms of flow or pressure requirement. It can account for about 10% to 15% of compressed air consumption, which translates into wasted money.

You also should check your operation for potentially inappropriate uses of compressed air such as open blowing, personnel cooling, cabinet cooling or air motors. Some of these applications, including cabinet cooling, liquid agitation or stirring and vacuum generation, can be served more efficiently by a fan, blower or vacuum pump, all of which consume less energy than air compressors. Knowing where your air goes is the first step toward developing an action plan to reduce unnecessary compressed air consumption.

2. Inspect distribution

Inspecting your distribution means checking for leaks and assessing your pipe sizing. Both leaks and incorrectly sized pipes can result in unwanted pressure drops, causing your compressed air system to work harder and consume more energy. In some systems, leaks account for 20% to 30% of air consumption. Let's take a look at some calculations and examples to understand the impact of distribution inefficiencies.

Leaks: At 80 psig, a leak through a 1/16-inch hole consumes about 5.24 cfm. When the pressure moves to 125 psig, that number jumps to 7.66 cfm. This 46% increase in wasted air can compound energy costs quickly, so leaks should be identified and addressed as quickly as possible.

While some larger leaks can be heard in a system walk, an audit is the best way to ensure all leaks are found. Ultrasonic leak detectors are available to find minute leaks, but an ongoing identification program involving all personnel is the most effective practice.

Pipe sizing and configuration: Pipe sizing may seem like a small factor, but it can have a big impact on pressure. For example, suppose a plant experiencing low pressure generates 400 cfm while running at 100 psig with pipes that are two inches in diameter. To compensate for the low pressure, the operator considers purchasing a new, larger compressor. Is this a good solution? Probably not. Increasing the pipe size from two inches to three inches and creating a closed-loop system reduced the pressure drop from 12 psi to 1 psi without a new compressor. Another way to avoid air pressure drops associated with piping and configuration is to just say no to long hoses. Minimizing the use of hoses and frequently inspecting fittings can preserve line pressure without forcing the compressor to work harder than necessary.

Keep Reading…

You can read the full article on ways to reduce your compressed air costs online or in the February issue of Plant Engineering. How has your facility lowered compressed air costs? Let us know in the comments below!

 

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