Industrial Utility Efficiency

Instrumentation

Pressure Dew Point Monitoring: The Key to ISO 8573-1 Compliance

By Simon Gleissner, Managing Director, SUTO iTEC

The ISO 8573-1 standard defines clear limits for various compressed air quality parameters. This helps users classify their systems consistently, compare results across applications and set the right requirements for specific processes. This article explains the key points of the ISO 8573 standard and guides you through the correct way to measure and classify pressure dew point for compliance.

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Designer Furniture Manufacturer Reduces Compressed Air Costs by 20%

By Cynthia Kuiper, Operations Director, VPInstruments

After a sudden air compressor failure exposed hidden inefficiencies, a furniture manufacturer launched a comprehensive compressed air system audit. Using advanced flow, pressure, dew point and energy monitoring, the assessment revealed aging equipment, piping restrictions and costly air leaks across the factory. A full system upgrade combined with continuous compressed air monitoring reduced energy consumption by 20%, improved reliability and delivered a two-year payback.
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Tools for Detecting Compressed Air Leaks

By Menno Verbeek, Sales Director, VPInstruments

This article discusses methods and techniques to increase the efficiency of a compressed air installation in both the short and long term. Start by identifying and repairing compressed air leaks, which can result in a decrease in energy use and a savings in operating costs. There are various methods for detecting and quantifying leaks. Simple methods provide a rough indication of the leakage level.
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HydroThrift Debuts Advanced Cooling System Control Panel

By Troy Dreier, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

The customers wanted to be able to monitor their system from a control room. They wanted to be able to see the overall view of how the system was running. The bigger thing on the backend – especially for us from an engineering perspective – was being able to do better troubleshooting and helping them without the need to be onsite.
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The Critical Role of Data in Compressed Air Systems

By Andrew Smith, SMARTCAir

Compressed air systems are a cornerstone of modern industrial operations, providing essential power for a variety of processes. However, these systems are notoriously energy-intensive, with as much as 90% of the energy input being lost to heat of compression, frictional losses and motor inefficiencies. Due to their dynamic nature, compressed air systems can be challenging to understand well and easy to misinterpret, which is where accurate data measurement and analysis play a key role.
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Improve Process Efficiency and Reduce Energy Use with Compressed Air Monitoring

By Hendrik Priemer, Product Manager IIoT Applications, Machine Automation, Emerson 

Without compressed air monitoring, up to 30% of the compressed air generated goes to waste. This waste occurs for several reasons, including leaks caused by failures at joints and tubes, exposure to vibration and normal component wear, and the suboptimization of machines and devices. Continuous monitoring capabilities allow operators to detect leaks and other anomalies in their early stages. By addressing pneumatic issues before they can grow, companies can reduce compressed air use by 20% to 30%.  
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A Deep Dive into Dew Point Measurement in Compressed Air Systems

By Antti Viitanen, Product Line Manager, Vaisala

In extreme situations, raw battery materials can react with water molecules in the air, causing explosions. In semiconductor development, wafer manufacture requires a highly controlled environment and precise data on the manufacturing environment. Moisture can cause defects in the microelectronic components, impacting their functionality and reliability. For each application, a fast response time allows for quick detection of dew point changes, which can be addressed before they cause damage to the product or equipment.
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Smart Pneumatics Play Big Role in Meeting Industrial Sustainability Goals

By Robert Brezni, Global Account Management, EMERSON Discrete Automation

Pneumatics and the generation of compressed air accounts for about 10% of a typical facility's energy consumption. That number could be much lower, but because of leaks and poor air pressure regulation, a surprising amount of energy is wasted in the process. Yet, most manufacturers are not taking full advantage of smart pneumatic technologies or data analytics to improve energy efficiency. By installing connected pneumatic solutions in their plants, manufacturers can continuously collect critical data to understand where energy is being wasted and make informed decisions to optimize energy consumption. 
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Improving Sustainability Through Compressed Air and Utilities Monitoring


By Dr. Michael Britzger, Senior Manager, IIoT Engineering & Innovation, and Nils Beckmann, Global Director Engineering Intelligent Automation & Solutions for EMERSON Machine Automation 

Utilities monitoring paired with machine learning models can reliably predict anomalies, prompting action that can prevent waste and optimize resource use. 
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A Case for Using Compressed Air Flow Meters

By Ron Marshall, Marshall Compressed Air Consulting

To accurately assess compressed air systems, it is best to gather as much information as possible, for as long as practical so a clear picture of the operation of the system can be formed. The basic equipment needed includes pressure and amp/power data loggers, but in the past decade some excellent advances in instrumentation design has made very affordable flow meters available. This article discusses using flow meters for an example compressed air assessment.
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