Industrial Utility Efficiency

Plastics

Rotary Screw Booster Advances for Blow Molding

By Manoj Purohit, Product Marketing Manager (High Pressure Air/Gases), Atlas Copco Compressors

Compressed air boosters are engineered to amplify medium-pressure air (90–150 psig) to high-pressure ranges up to 435 psig (30 barg) using oil-free rotary screw technology, IE5 permanent magnet motors and advanced VSD+ drivetrains for improved turndown and energy efficiency. By combining Class 0 oil-free air quality, synchronous PM motor performance (up to 97% efficiency) and intelligent controls, next-generation booster systems deliver higher flow stability, reduced specific energy consumption and seamless integration into existing compressed air networks.

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Double-acting Reciprocating Air Compressors for P.E.T. Bottle Blowing

By Donald J. Oitker

Most P.E.T. bottle-blowing machines require anywhere from 550 psig (38 barg) to 580 psig (40 barg) and an air flow of 247 cfm FAD (420 m3/hr) to 3700 cfm FAD (6290 m3/hr). The air compressor technology used most prevalently for this application is the double-acting, oil-free, water-cooled, reciprocating air compressor. With the higher pressures and air flows that are required, the P.E.T. bottle blowing market is a strong niche market for the double-acting oil-free reciprocating (piston) compressors.  
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Bottling System Air Recovery at NPE 2009

Compressed Air Best Practices

The NPE2009 international plastics showcase was held June 22-26 in Chicago’s McCormick Place. While attendance was down from NPE2006, the preliminary total of visitor registrations numbered 44,000. Sustainability and energy efficiency was a prominent topic in the booths of exhibitors. Manufacturers of compressed air and injection molding equipment had many developments with Sustainability to show the visitors to NPE2009.
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Sustainability at Millipore

By Rod Smith, Compressed Air Best Practices

Compressed Air Best Practices interviewed Paul Lukitsch.  Mr. Lukitsch is the Regional Facilities & Energy Manager for Millipore Corporation.
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Energy-Saving Compressed Air Resin Dryers

By Rod Smith, Compressed Air Best Practices

Resin drying is a critical step in the manufacturing process of injection molding, extrusion molding and stretch blow molding.  Compressed air resin dryers are one of the most commonly used dryers in the plastics molding industry. Recent advancements in compressed air membrane-type resin dryers, have reduced the associated energy costs significantly.
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Plastic Injection Molder Saves Energy

By Dean Smith, iZ Systems

The facility is a plastics injection blowmolder and is a division of a large corporation. The following information was produced from a compressed air system assessment done over seven days.
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