Compressed Air Savings
Compressed Air Savings
Impact RM can show you how to save money with your existing compressed air system. Impact RM's three stage system allows YOU the end user, to better manage your compressed air system and save lots of money through energy consumption reduction, compressor performance, air leak management, system pressure balance and stabilization . Below is our simple three stage system:
1. Getting a handle on your system
You must first find out what your system is doing, you can accomplish that by folowing these easy steps:
You must calibrate your compressors to verify the true output in CFM.
We have found that many compressors do not produce the CFM (Cubic feet per minute) flow that they are rated for. Problems with piston rings on reciprocating compressors are common. Premature modulation on rotary screw compressors are more common than one would like to think (approx. 80% of the time). This premature modulation is caused by an inaccuratly adjusted valve which controls the modulating device. Failure in this area causes your screw to choke the intake and produce less air.
If your compressor is not poducing what it should be, then you must be running other compressors to make up the difference in inefficiency! Or since the compressor is not producing efficiently, this means it modulates more often causing unessesary wear and tear on bearings and motors.
Calibration can be very simple using our LP Meter. Permenent istallation of our LP meter can allow you to verify compressor output with an accuracy of +/- 2% . The low cost of this meter usually has a very fast return on investment (3-12 months).
2. Air leak management
You must quantify the amount of leaks in your compressed air system.
Based on hundreds of LP meter installations and audit results, we have found the average air leaks in plants to be in the range of 30% of the total compressor output. The amount of air leaking in a plant is the single largest waste of compressed air energy. How much money are we talking about? See the table below for a simple example:
| Total Compressor Capacity (CFM) |
Wasted CFM @ 30% | Wasted HP | Wasted kW | Wasted $/yr @ $0.06/ kWh |
| 250 |
75 | 18.75 | 13.98 | $ 7,351 |
| 500 |
150 | 37.5 | 27.9 | $ 14,703 |
| 1000 |
300 | 75 | 55.9 | $ 29,407 |
| 3000 |
900 | 225 | 167.8 | $ 88,221 |
| 10,000 |
3000 | 750 | 559.5 | $ 294,073 |
Formula is as follows: CFM / 4 = HP x .746 = kW x hours/year x total kWh = $ loss / yr
HP conversion [ 4 (rotary screw) 5 (piston type) ]
Hours/yr = 8760 (3 shifts/day)
Kwh rate is $ 0.06 (includes maint costs)
To find out the exact amount of leakage is very important, only then can one monitor progress with a preventative maintenance program.
One can perform this type of measurement using the same LP Meter as mentioned above.
You must find the leaks in your compressed air system.
To manage air leaks one has to find them. Impact RM has the equipment to locate air leaks. We offer our 101 Ultrasonic Detector to locate the air leaks from a distance. An escaping air leak from a pressurized system causes ultrasonic waves in the air. These ultasonic waves are above 20,000 hz which is beyond our hearing frequency. Our leak detector picks up the waves and converts them into an audible sound. Using the headphones when scaning for leaks allows one to locate air leaks even in the noisiest plant. Depending on the size of the leak, and the pressure in the system, one can find leaks from up to 30 feet away.
[ Higher pressure/larger leaks are easier than low pressure/small leaks ie.. High pressure = 100 psi / 5cfm - Lower pressure = 40 psi / 1cfm ]
Most leaks are found in connections like, regulators, flanges, quick connections etc... So simply follow the pipes with our detector and locate the leaks. Once you have located the leak, tag it for later repair. A simple preventive maintenance schedule for leak management can save thousands of dollars per year.
3. Keeping your system in line
Finding leaks is an ongoing problem, Once you locate the leak and fix it, your problem is not over! What happens is your system pressure will increase. When that happens, leaks that were very small and unnoticable before, grow due to increased system pressure. This happens over a short period of time. This means a never ending battle to contol leaks!
Stabilize your system pressure and your problems are over
Compressor systems without intermediate control must operate at an artificially high pressure in order to satisfy all production demands at all times including the peak loads. The compressors must always be ready to satisfy these peaks and in their anticipation, they force the entire system to operate at a higher pressure than actually required. The results are leaks that leak more and more air than needed being consumed by the on line production machinery and equipment. The condition is termed artificial demand. Artificial demand is wasteful and costly. It is also easily eliminated by simply lowering the demand side pressure to the minimum level.
The Problem is Manageable
Lowering demand side pressure without doing anything else will negatively impact production. It could result in decreased production efficiencies, quality problems, and even a complete production shut down. The interaction of the supply and demand sides of the air system must be studied and audited to determine an acceptable operating balance point pressure that is both within the capabilities of the compressors and also adequate to satisfy production.
The Solution is Impact RM's I/C Control
Impact RM knows how to apply the Intermediate Control to take advantage of all the potential operating cost savings without compromising production. The proper application of our I/C will eliminate artificial demand by allowing the air system to operate at just the right pressure to keep production flowing efficiently. At the same time, the I/C creates storage. It isolates the compressors from event loads saving input horsepower and allows the excess capacity from eliminating the artificial demand to be stored as reserve energy.
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