Cost Saving Opportunities for Air Compressors

In the world of compressors, there are often significant and unutilized energy-saving possibilities including energy recovery, pressure reduction, leakage reduction and optimization of operations through correct choice of a control and regulation system as well as the choice of compressor size.We are going to take a look at some of the opportunities for minimizing the compressor’s operating costs.

 

The power requirement concept

When making calculations, it is important to apply the overall power requirement concept. All energy consumers that belong to a compressor installation should be accounted for: for example, inlet filters, fans and pumps, dryers and separators. For comparisons between different investment alternatives, the use of comparable values is particularly important. Therefore, the values must be stated in accordance with internationally recognized standards and regulations, for example, as per ISO 1217 Ed.4 -2009.

 

The working pressure

The working pressure directly affects the power requirement. Higher pressure signifies higher energy consumption: on average 8% more power for 1 bar higher pressure. Increasing the working pressure to compensate for a pressure drop always results in impaired operating economy.
Despite this adverse economic effect, increasing compressor pressure is a commonly-used method for overcoming pressure drops caused by an under dimensioned pipe system or clogged filters. In an installation fitted with several filters, especially if they have been operational for a long period of time without being replaced, the pressure drop can be significantly higher and therefore very costly if unattended for long periods of time.
In many installations, it is not possible to implement large pressure reductions, but the use of modern regulation equipment allows the pressure to be realistically lowered by 0.5 bar. This represents a power savings of a few percent. This may seem to be insignificant, but considering that the total efficiency of the installation is increased by an equivalent degree, the value of this pressure reduction in terms of actual savings is more readily obvious.

 

Optimizing air consumption

optimizing air consumption can have a lot of benefits


By analyzing routines and the use of compressed air, solutions to provide a more balanced load on the compressed air system can be found. The need for increased air flow production can thereby be avoided to reduce operating costs.

Unprofitable consumption, which usually is a consequence of leakage, worn equipment, processes that have not been properly configured or the incorrect use of compressed air, is best rectified by increasing general awareness. Dividing the compressed air system into sections that can be separated using shut-off valves can serve to reduce consumption during the night and over weekends. In most installations, there is some degree of leakage, which represents a pure loss and must therefore be minimized. Frequently leakage can amount to 10-15% of the produced compressed air flow. Leakage is also proportional to the working pressure, which is why one method of reducing leakage is to repair leaking equipment, and thereby lowering the working pressure, for example, at night.

Lowering the pressure by only 0.3 bar reduces leakage by 4%. If the leakage in an installation of 100 m3/min is 12% and the pressure is reduced by 0.3 bar, this represents a saving of approx. 3 kW.

 

Regulation method

Using a modern master control system, the compressor central plant can be run optimally for different operating situations while enhancing safety and availability. Selecting the right regulation method encourages energy savings through lower system pressure and a better degree of utilization, which is optimized for each machine in the installation. At the same time availability increases, thereby reducing the risk of unplanned downtime. Also, central control allows programming for automatic pressure reduction in the entire system during operation at night and on weekends.

As compressed air consumption is seldom constant, the compressor installation should have a flexible design, using a combination of compressors with different capacities and speed controlled motors. Compressors may run with speed control and screw compressors are particularly suited for this, as their flow rate and their power consumption are virtually proportional to their speed.

 

How does energy recovery work in compressors?

 
When using electricity, gas or oil for any form of heating within the production facilities or in the process, the possibility of fully or partly replacing this energy with recovered waste energy from the compressor installation should be investigated. The decisive factors are the energy cost in €/ kWh, the degree of utilization and the amount of additional investment necessary.

A well-planned investment in waste energy recovery often gives a payback time of only 1–3 years. Over 90% of the power supplied to the compressor can be recovered in the form of highly valuable heat. The temperature level of the recovered energy determines the possible application areas and, therefore, its value. The highest degree of efficiency is generally obtained from water-cooled installations, when the compressor installation's hot cooling water outlet can be connected directly to a continuous heating demand, for example the existing heating boiler's return circuit.

Recovered waste energy can then be effectively utilized year round. Different compressor designs give different prerequisites. In some situations requiring a large and peaking heat flow, long heat transport distances to the point of utilization, or a requirement that varies during the year, it may be interesting to look at the possibilities of selling the recovered energy in the form of heat or cooling or electricity, etc.

Do you have an idea for our #expertcorner?Β Let us know!

Useful links:

Book Your Compressor Service

Who we are and how Ash Air can help your business!

Ash Air has been around in New Zealand since 1979, and we’ve grown into a nationwide company with international support and a reputation for quality and reliability.We look after all things compressed air for your business!

  • Reciprocating, Screw, air compressors
  • Vacuum pumps
  • Nitrogen
  • An extensive line of air treatment components

Ash Air's range of Chicago Pneumatic, Alup, Pneumatech, and Quincy compressors are used extensively around the world in industries ranging from oil and gas to food, automotive and farming, and we bring you these world class compressors here in the land of the long white cloud.Our technicians are compressed air equipment experts and are dedicated to addressing customer needs. Supported by a 13 locations nationwide, Ash Air offers one of the widest selections of compressed air equipment and parts available today in New Zealand.

Reliability and Efficiency

With Ash Air compressors, you can count on reliability and high performance for even the most demanding applications. We focus our efforts on the following:

  • Increasing uptime
  • Reducing unexpected repairs
  • Reducing energy consumption
  • Improving the cleanliness of compressed air


Talk to the team today:  CONTACT US CONTACT US

Read more from our #expertcorner


Just like any other equipment, a compressed air installation also requires the necessary maintenance work during its entire lifespan. Even though maintenance costs are only about 5 to 10% of a machine's annual operating costs, failure to budget for maintenance can have potentially disastrous consequences. …


The air dyer is one of the most ignored cooler in the system. A dirty condenser will cause water in the lines, or worse it will cause complete dryer failure. …


Using nitrogen is not about fully replacing CO2, but it can reduce their consumption of CO2 by close to 70%. Using nitrogen is about sustainability. Creating your own nitrogen is easy and will reduce the use of a greenhouse gas, which is better for the environment. It will also save you money as early as month one adding that savings to your bottom line. …


A question that is occasionally asked by our customers to Ash Air is 'what is the cost of compressed air?'Β  This article looks at the product costs involved with compressed air, as well as minimising the energy cost of compressors and cost allocation. When looking at these factors, we need to realise what causes dropped efficiency of your compressor, leading to increased costs of compressed air. …


You may have great fall protection measures in place to keep employees safe when working at height, but what about their co-workers below? Dropped tools and other falling objects are a major hazard – and one that isn’t always fully addressed.Β  …


Providing a safe working environment for operators is essential, especially when using pneumatic tools and compressed air. If there is a failure in the air network and the hose is not adequately clamped, the resulting whiplash could be devastating. Failure to follow best practice can result in injuries, associated production downtime and decreased productivity. …


A common questions asked is why do I need an air dryer for my compressor? Typically, air compressors produce water, and although the water can be drained, there can still be aerosol and vapour droplets that are present. This is because water cannoet be compressed. Water can damage your compressor by corroding the valves, pipes and machinery controls, which will cost you time and money to resolve. In the long run, the cost of a new compressor is a small price to pay compared to the loss of production that could potentially arise due to water damage in your compressor.





…

Show More