Audit. It’s a word that has come to strike fear among the tax-paying American population, evoking the same fear and dread in adults that mysterious sounds coming from under the bed strike in children. But fear not. An audit, at least of the non-revenue related variety, is a good thing – an opportunity to assess what works and, more importantly, what doesn’t.
Savvy compressed air facility managers have long known the benefits an audit can provide. Not only are they opportunities to save money, they can also reinforce infrastructure needs and increase productivity and production by identifying ways to make systems more efficient. On an elementary level, there are two types of audits you can get, with varying degrees of each type – and that’s a free audit and a paid audit.
It’s true with a lot of things – you get what you pay for. And a free audit, while no less useful than a paid assessment, can be a good place to start. What’s the first thing a free compressed air system audit will show? More often than not, it’s wasted air. Wasted air can come in a variety of forms and it’s no different than heating or cooling your house with one or a couple (depending on your uses and the waste that is abound) of windows open.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind when looking into a compressed air system audit at your facility. Consider these questions:
- Do you have references, previous customers that I can talk with?
- Will you help evaluate the complete system, supply and demand side?
- What kind of report will you supply?
- Will you help remedy the inefficiencies?
- Will you offer a post audit and perhaps an annual PM check-up study?
Energy does not come cheap. You pay a great deal running air conditioners in the summer or heat pumps and furnaces in the winter, and wanton disregard for that outlay takes place if you take the time and effort to look for it. A free audit, which is usually a quick analysis that comes from a visual walk-through, helps identify:
- Leaks (audible)
- Compressed air misuse or inappropriate use
- If the compressors are controlling properly
- Artificial demand
- Point-of-use actions
- Maintenance issues (dust, filters, etc.)
There’s usually no hardware involved and any recommendations are based on the assessor’s work history and expertise. But for true savings, it’s best to invest a little to save a lot. About 70 percent of energy savings or optimization takes place on the demand side, while free audits usually only cover the supply side. Supply-side audits can only identify what the compressors in a system are controlling amongst themselves; without a pressure profile, it is difficult to identify the real savings that can be found.
Even a one-day paid study or system audit can reveal incredible opportunities for savings. Check back in with us next month and we’ll breakdown some of the true savings that can be fund with more comprehensive, paid audits.
In the meantime, we’d like to hear about some of most egregious compressed air misuses or wastes you’ve seen. Let us know by sharing your stories in the comments below.
5 min
