FEATURE COMPRESSED AIR
FINDING THE RIGHT PLACE to maximise performance
The efficiency of any compressor is largely dependent on where it’s sited and the condition and layout of the pipework. Andy Jones, managing director at Mattei explains
A
s a result of technological advancements investing in a new
compressor will undoubtedly reduce operational costs and carbon emissions. We have many examples we can cite where manufacturers have achieved substantial savings through updating the compressors in their factories and processing plants. A leading food manufacturer is expected to save around £150,000 over five years as a result of replacing large reciprocating compressors (which had been in operation for nearly 40 years) with three Maxima 75 high efficiency low speed compressors. For another customer replacing a 12-year-old 90kW compressor with a Maxima 75 resulted in energy savings approaching £20k per annum. Although replacing an ageing compressor should result in energy and carbon savings the new one must be appropriately sited, the pipework in good condition with the layout designed to maximise efficiency and performance.
ASSESS ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS An assessment of the environmental conditions around the compressor is a good place to start. In particular, air flow, heat and pollutants should be considered. To maximise efficiency the air flow to a compressor should be unrestricted. Some compressors are installed in purpose-built plant rooms but if they have just a small air vent it might not provide sufficient air flow. On some sites the door to the compressor house is left open to try and resolve this but even this might not provide suitable air flow and could lead to pollutants
intake was facing a sand blaster; simply rotating it 180 degrees dramatically reduced the dust particles entering the compressor and blocking the intake filter. If relocating the compressor isn’t feasible then additional filtration can be used to remove impurities. In addition to assessing these environmental factors, it’s important to evaluate the condition and layout of existing pipework. Unfortunately this doesn’t always happen when a new compressor is installed and if alterations aren’t made energy efficiency savings could be negated.
being drawn into the air intake filter, blocking it prematurely. It’s equally common to find compressors sited on a factory floor and again environmental factors such as fibres from production processes or various materials stored around the compressor, can affect air flow and hence efficiency. It is important to avoid installing a
compressor near heat-generating equipment including boilers, furnaces or ovens. Cooler air is denser and makes the compression process more efficient so if the air being drawn into the compressor is warm the machine will have to work harder, reducing its efficiency as well as the lifetime of its parts.
CLEAN AIR
The air going into a compressor needs to be reasonably clean and free from solid and gaseous impurities. In some cases this can be fairly straightforward, for example at one site a compressor’s air
SYSTEM MEETS POWDER COATING PROCESS NEEDS
Hanson Springs has expanded ITS specialist spring powder coating facility and called on Thorite to provide increased compressed air capacity and ensure that their selected pneumatic equipment would remove any trace of water from the system to satisfy the nature of the powder coating process's requirement for completely dry air. An additional HPC ASD 60 compressor was
installed to provide a reliable and energy-efficient increased air supply while a pair of Parker Hiross refrigerant dryers developed to provide the highest levels of energy efficiency were proposed to remove
8 FEBRUARY 2016 | FACTORY EQUIPMENT
any traces of moisture. A receiver and additional modern, highly efficient smooth bore aluminium pipework completed the solution. "The equipment performs very well and really suits our needs,” says project manager Dan Pilling. “The majority of our powder coated springs are used in some form of safety valves so there can be no compromise on quality.”
Thorite T: 01274 663471
www.thorite.co.uk
It is essential to check for and repair leaks in the pipework. In many cases in excess of 30% of air generated is wasted through leaks in the system
REPAIR LEAKS IMMEDIATELY If the pipework is showing signs of rust or corrosion we recommend an upgrade as this type of damage can alter the efficiency of a compressed air system. It is essential to check for leaks in the pipework and repair any that are found. In many companies in excess of 30% of air generated is wasted through leaks in the system. As a guide, for a company using 50m3 of compressed air per minute we estimate the annual savings from fixing leaks would potentially be in the region of £63,000 so it would be false economy to install a new, energy efficient compressor without first investing in a leak detection survey.
PIPEWORK LAYOUT In terms of layout, excessive lengths and bends in the pipework lower efficiency so pipe runs need to be suitably designed. For systems where the point of use and the compressor are relatively close then a single line could be chosen whereas for larger systems with many points of use then a ring main would be preferable. It is important to remember that
although smaller diameter pipe may save on capital cost, greater pressure drops in the system would lead to a higher operating cost. We always recommend that a site assessment, data logging/energy audit and leak detection survey are carried out before a new compressor is installed.
Mattei T: 01789 450577
www.mattei.co.uk
/ FACTORYEQUIPMENT
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