Industrial Utility Efficiency

Piping/Storage

Sizing Compressed Air Piping to Manage Pressure, Flow and Velocity

By Ryan Freymuller, Sales Director, Manufacturers Distributor, Inc.

Efficient compressed air distribution depends on proper piping design to balance flow, pressure and velocity. This article explains how modular aluminum piping systems improve performance by reducing friction, minimizing pressure drop and maintaining laminar flow. With smooth interiors, full-bore fittings and leak-free connections, these systems help lower energy consumption and extend equipment life. A real-world case study shows how an optimized design reduced material and installation costs while maintaining performance. The result is a more adaptable, efficient and reliable compressed air network for modern industrial facilities.

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Five Demand-Side Projects at a Potato Chip Plant

By Hank van Ormer, Air Power USA

A major snack food manufacturer spends an estimated \$148,220 annually on energy to operate the compressed air system at its food processing plant located in the Mid-Atlantic area.  As electric rates rise from their current average of 8 cents per kWh, their annual expenditure will only increase.
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Four Areas to Look for Energy Savings in Compressed Air Systems

By Hank van Ormer, Air Power USA

Compressed air is often overlooked in energy studies. For those willing to look, however, it is a land of opportunity. Since it takes about 8 hp of electrical energy to produce 1 hp worth of work with compressed air, it is also particularly rewarding to evaluate and optimize the compressed air system in your facility. In this article, we evaluate four specific areas of a compressed air system that can provide significant energy savings.
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A Systems Approach Helps Rockline Industries Retrofit a Compressed Air System

By Andrew Chase Harding, P.E., CEM, and Darin Nutter, Ph.D., P.E., Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Arkansas

Rockline Industries is one of the largest global producers of consumer products, specializing in wet wipes and coffee filters. The company contacted the Arkansas Industrial Energy Clearinghouse after identifying that the compressed air system in their Springdale, Arkansas facility was a potential source of significant savings. Experts from the Clearinghouse then began working with Rockline Industries, representatives of the electric utility, and a local compressed air vendor to perform a complete evaluation of the system.
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The Final Cost is Determined by How Compressed Air is Used

By Bob Wilson, Pemco Services

Corporate announces it is participating in the ISO 50001 Energy Management certification program and issues the edict to all itsmanufacturingfacilitiesto come up with plan to reduce energy consumption by 25%. Plant management calls a meeting to discuss how this ambitious goal can be met. Since energy is one of the largest controllable components in a compressed air system, the group decides to start there. Arecentsupply side assessment conducted in conjunction with a compressed air specialist confirmed the compressors are energy hogs. Based upon the analytical simulation run by the specialist, a recommendation was made to upgrade the compressor network with a System Master Control. The project is moving forward making it good starting point in the overall energy reduction plan. What next?
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Watts Water Expands Plant with Aluminum Piping

By Kyri McDonough, Transair Marketing Services Coordinator, Parker Hannifin.

Throughout its history, Watts Water Technologies has prided itself on providing plumbing, heating, and water quality solutions that are in full compliance with federal and state mandates. With the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act that took effect on January 4, 2014, Watts Water continued its commitment to compliance when it set to work planning a multi-million dollar lead-free foundry in Franklin, NH.
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Piping System Tips for Energy Efficiency

By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge®

The development of extruded aluminum piping is a recent innovation in the compressed air industry. The internal bore of this piping is smooth and corrosion resistant which makes the pressure differential characteristics of a straight run of this pipe superior to that of steel pipe. Because it is much lighter than steel pipe the installation is much easier. And the manufacturers of this style of piping have come up with various twist lock connectors to make the installation even simpler.
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Pressure-Flow Control: It’s More Than Stabilizing Pressure

By Bob Wilson, PEMCO Services, for the Compressed Air Challenge®

The Compressed Air Challenge® Fundamentals and Advanced training discuss the benefits of using central controllers to efficiently control system compressors. These systems are called “System Master” controls. Modern day System Master Controls use advanced technologies to network air compressors in a preprogrammed sequence. A properly configured network with the right size and type of trim compressor can typically hold the supply air pressure in a tight band of +/- 2 psi. Because of this capability, many users feel the application of System Master Control negates the benefit of applying Pressure-Flow Control to stabilize the plant air pressure.
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Demand (Dry) Storage Part 2 Application and Use in an Efficient Compressed Air System

By Ron Nordby

In continuation of our series examining the application of storage in a compressed air system, this article will focus on another type of supply side storage concept: demand (dry) storage. Before discussing the definition, application and use of demand storage, I would like to reiterate that contrary to current thought, consideration should be given to control (wet) and demand (dry) storage being separate storage solutions based on their primary purpose
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Compressor Inlet Piping

By Hank Van Ormer, Air Power USA

The subject of compressed air piping has probably had more pages written about it than any other topic, even storage. Like many other topics in “practical” compressed air technology, a significant portion of this is controversial and often directly opposed.
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Six Applications for Compressed Air Storage

By Dean E. Smith, iZ Systems

There are many ways to use storage in a compressed air system to improve the performance and repeatability of production equipment. No one method is a total solution. Some industry professionals will tell you that storage is not required for certain types of compressors. The system, however, can not afford the impact on either performance or operating costs. The alternative to applying storage is to operate at higher pressures with more power all of the time in order to support critical applications and the peak air demand experienced in the system.
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