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Feature Compressed air
Siemens scraps galvanised for
rapid-fit compressed air network
The need for a constant supply of high quality compressed
air for pharmaceutical use has led one of the world’s
largest scientific groups to replace an ‘otherwise perfectly
good’ galvanised system with a rapid-fit Transair network
from Parker Legris
A
high-tech centre nestling in The first Transair network to be
Snowdonia, North Wales, has installed at Llanberis has been a 180m
been the choice of Siemens system in 40mm diameter aluminium.
Healthcare Diagnostic Products “Unlike heavy galvanised steel, the
for the manufacture of blood diagnosis lightweight nature of the pipework
kits which are distributed to hospital allowed us to install most of it out of
laboratories worldwide. the way in the roof void. It was clean With its lightweight, Transair has given us speed and ease
The site at Llanberis is Siemens’ sole to install, with no oils, and so ideal for corrosion-resistant of installation and a far greater flow
centre for manufacture of the product, a medical environment,” says Giles.
and rapid-fit fea- rate for the size of pipework. Also
a bead coated with a re-agent to help “And because no welding was
tures, the Transair
unlike galvanised - and again, crucial
detect a range of blood disorders. More required, there was no fire risk either.”
pipework system
to our operation - there is no possibil-
than 25 million kits are produced, The Transair system is brought
designed by area
ity of degradation.”
packaged and distributed every month. down to six production rooms from
distributors, United
As the expansion programme con-
It was the decision to centre its the ring main through flexible hoses
Air Power was to
tinues at Siemens, Giles concludes:
global production at a single site that into Transair distribution columns and
provide a solution to
“There is no doubt at all that we will
led facilities manager, Ian Giles to con- then to point of use. For laboratory
convey that clean
be using Transair.”
duct a review of Siemens’ compressed use, the Transair pipework in the ceil-
air from compressor
air requirements at Llanberis. ing void connects easily to the
to point of use
Parker Legris
“Compressed air is vital to us for required stainless steel. T: 01452 623500
automated assembly, manufacture, “Compared to galvanised steel, www.legris.com Enter 307
operation of safety guards, actuators
and packaging,” says Giles.
“Following the decision on this single
Calculator shows compressed air savings
site, we needed to expand production
rapidly and continue with that expan-
sion into the foreseeable future.”
Galvanised steel had been used
W
ith factory electricity bills soaring and a likely need for companies to
account for energy use in their annual reports, exclusive new software
throughout the plant but would pre-
from Parker Legris demonstrates the major cost savings to be made by using
sent major obstructions to Siemens’
its Transair compressed air pipework system in preference to galvanised steel.
programme for increased production,
The Transair Energy Efficiency Calculator produces a detailed cost and
explains Giles. “The existing gal-
payback analysis based on information from a location’s compressor room
vanised ring main was of a small diam-
operation, compressed air network and energy costs. The results can be
eter and we would need far better flow applied to existing or potential applications.
rates for our increased production. We “Like for like,” says Parker Legris managing director, Malcolm Crossley,
would also need stage-by-stage instal- “the payback time for choosing or converting to even a relatively large Transair system can be as little as 15 months when
lation which did not interfere with compared to galvanised steel. Perhaps the most significant feature of each energy efficiency report is the high cost of
existing production and, crucially, a
energy to a user who remains with galvanised steel - mostly, thousands of pounds per year.”
clean installation that would suit a
The calculator is a dedicated software package developed by Parker Legris and ratified by independent auditors.
medical environment.”
Calculations used for galvanised steel are based on BCAS flow rates, with installation costs provided by independent
Clean air is provided to the ring
pipework distributors. “In every example,” says Crossley, “Transair’s increased flow rates and lower pressure drops show
main from variable speed drive com-
far greater energy savings over galvanised. So much so that in many cases, it is more cost efficient to convert even a
pressors producing 190cfm and 9bar,
recently installed galvanised system to Transair.” Transair also features leak-free connection and its anti-corrosion
with the air treated through absorption
properties make it leak-free in use, he says, so adding to energy efficiency. “In addition to the actual savings in use, the
dryers for a high quality product fit for
pharmaceutical use.
speed of installation is greater than with galvanised, so installation costs are lower.” As a further incentive, he points to
With its lightweight, corrosion-resis-
the interest-free loans scheme from the Carbon Trust for which Transair qualifies.
tant and rapid-fit features, the Transair
Flow rates through Transair pipework - available in aluminium and stainless steel in diameters from 25mm to 101mm -
pipework system designed by area dis-
are far greater than through galvanised steel in equivalent sizes. All Transair pipework and components are guaranteed for
tributors, United Air Power was to pro-
10 years. Free site surveys and energy saving reports using the new software are available through Parker Legris’
vide a solution to convey that clean air
nationwide network of Transair distributors.
from compressor to point of use.
Factory Equipment JANUARY 2010 13
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