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COMPRESSORS & COMPRESSED AIR FIVE TOP TIPS FOR SUSTAINABILITY


energy consumed by the compressor and ancillary equipment over a ten-year period. Is it possible to reduce this energy usage without negatively affecting a machine’s performance and without significant expenditure? The answer is a resounding yes! Here are our top five tips to reducing


energy consumption when it comes to compressed air: Tip 1: Choose the correct components Switching to high flow couplings could


increase the productivity of air tools by some 50% and reduce energy consumption by up to 30%. In more than half of all applications, the pneumatic drive is too large for the intended purpose. Simply downsizing the cylinder or using single acting cylinders are often all that is required of a pneumatic system and can help reduce air consumption. Also look at the connectors you are using.


Libby Peacock, category manager – Fluid Power, Brammer Buck & Hickman details the top 5 tips for reducing energy consumption in your compressed air installations


than not been a welcome added benefit coming from reducing costs, rather than the goal itself. But times are changing. With COP26 making headline news across the world, climate change is being taken seriously. In line with the UK’s landmark Net Zero Strategy, from April 2022 new legislation will require Britain’s largest businesses to disclose climate-related financial information. The aim is to get businesses to consider the risks and opportunities they face as a result of climate change and encourage them to set out their emission reduction plans and sustainability credentials. But companies of all sizes and across all sectors are now examining their own strategies to achieve net zero by the earliest date possible. For many businesses this will require


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significant changes in the coming years, from energy sources and usage, through to production processes and equipment, and beyond. Yet not everything needs to be a giant leap to get where we need to be. If anyone has ever shown even a passing interest in cycling, they may have heard the phrase ‘marginal gains’. Developed by Performance Director of British Cycling from 2003, Dave Brailsford came up with the theory that small yet significant improvements can lead to substantial results. Up until that point, the team had just one gold medal to show in


40 APRIL 2022 | PROCESS & CONTROL


n industry in general there’s been a lot of talk given to sustainability and carbon reduction over the years, but it’s more often


its 76-year history. Under Dave’s guiding hand and adoption of the ‘marginal gains’ theory, the British Olympic cycling team won seven out of 10 gold track cycling medals at the 2008 Olympics. The rest, as they say, is history. The marginal gains idea has also made an


impression in industry and commerce. At Brammer Buck & Hickman, we have been


looking at how marginal gains can be applied across our customers’ businesses to improve productivity and reduce costs. We have applied this same theory to issues of sustainability and one area where it has had the most impact is in compressed air usage. Generating compressed air is energy


intensive and, as a result, expensive. Up to 73% of the total cost of ownership of compressed air installations can be attributed to the cost of


REHAB compressed air workshops have been designed to help businesses make cost-effective changes to compressed air systems


Every tube run, fitting and filter causes a pressure drop. Every 1 bar pressure drop means an increase of 7% to the cost of compressed air generation. A 90˚ elbow can be the equivalent of a 1.6 metre pipe length. Check to see if you can change elbows to straight connectors and Tee’s to Y pieces. Tip 2: Hose and tubing sizes Opting for a tubing size with a smaller


diameter for valves and cylinders can reduce air consumption, while choosing a larger diameter hose for air tools can save money. Using tubing with low drag co-efficiency can increase air flow and reduce pressure drops to optimise compressed air systems to achieve yearly savings of around £15,000. Tip 3: Reduce the pressure Incorporating pressure regulators at point


of use can quickly pay dividends. Reducing the pressure by just 1 bar can see up to a 10% reduction in energy usage. Installing a regulator means the pressure may be reduced without having a negative effect on the operation of the machinery. Operating at too high a pressure can also increase wear on the components leading to burnout and the associated maintenance and


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