Industrial Utility Efficiency

Air Compressors

Best Practices 2024 EXPO & Conference Show Report

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, and Brooke Jones, Digital Content Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

From October 29-31, 2024, professionals who operate, maintain and design industrial compressed air, vacuum, blower, nitrogen generation, process cooling and HVAC systems gathered at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GA, for the 6th annual Best Practices 2024 EXPO & Conference. The event featured two tracks of conference presentations and panels.

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Air System Pressure Influences Compressor Power - Part 3: The Influence of System Pressure on Compressed Air Demand

This is the third article in a three-part compressed air series by Mark Krisa, Director – Global Services Solutions, Ingersoll Rand

Energy conservation measures (ECM) associated with compressed air have received a significant amount of attention over the years, mostly due to a reasonably short financial return compared with other energy consuming equipment. Over time many of the corrective actions put forward to reduce compressed air energy consumption have been simplified with the goal of encouraging action. Although this is done with the best of intentions, sometimes simplifications and generalizations do not necessarily lead to positive results. One of the most common energy conservation measures for compressed air that leverages best practice calculations involves reducing system pressure. It is the objective of this series of articles to highlight some of the more common issues associated with estimating energy conservation resulting from changing system pressure.
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A Compressed Air & Gas Institute Session - Heat Recovery from Industrial Compressed Air Systems

By Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

The rise in energy prices is an unwelcome reality in today’s manufacturing and business environment. And while the rate of price increases for natural gas, heating oil and electricity may vary from year to year, the upward trajectory is clear. Energy cost reduction strategies are vital to staying competitive. Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine recently discussed heat recovery, from industrial compressed air systems, with the Compressed Air and Gas Institute (CAGI). Their inputs should provide you with some insight in energy-saving technology.
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Air Compressor Heat Recovery

By Dr.-Ing. Uwe Kaiser, Research & Development Manager, BOGE Compressors

When compressed air is generated, heat is inevitably produced as a by-product. Anyone looking to enhance efficiency can use this heat and increase the efficiency of compressors to about 95 percent as a result. To achieve this, there are easy-fit heat exchangers which can be fitted to existing air compressor stations. This investment often pays for itself within less than a year.  
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Air System Pressure Influences Compressor Power - Part 2: The Influence of System Pressure on Centrifugal Compressors

This is the second article in a three-part compressed air series by Mark Krisa, Director – Global Services Solutions, Ingersoll Rand

It is common to see energy assessment specialists treat centrifugal compressors like positive displacement compressors when attempting to reduce compressed air system energy consumption. Unfortunately, centrifugal compressors are normally much larger, and miscalculations can easily represent hundreds of thousands of dollars in overestimated energy savings. These errors are not malicious; they result from oversimplified best practices perpetuated by individuals with limited centrifugal compressor knowledge. This type of knowledge is not readily available and most energy assessment specialists do not have access to engineering teams responsible for the technical development and design of centrifugal compressors.
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Innovative Dual Pressure Control Improves Efficiency

By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge®

Grand Manufacturing, a small community owned Canadian agricultural products manufacturer, has upgraded their compressed air system as a result of a production expansion, yet increased the compressed air energy efficiency 61% by consolidating their system and implementing an innovative dual pressure control strategy.
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Load-Sharing Centrifugal Compressor Control Saves Energy

By James G. McAuley P.E.

This article reviews portions of an audit report commissioned to survey the condition of a compressed air system in a factory located in the U.S. The objective of this study is to determine the current operating conditions and make recommendations for improvement based upon application of industry recognized best practices. Due to article space limitations, this article will focus on portions of the over-all audit report provided to the factory.
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Air System Pressure Influences Compressor Power - Part 1: System Pressure’s Influence On Rotary Screw Air Compressors

By Mark Krisa, Director – Global Services Solutions, Ingersoll Rand

Energy conservation measures (ECMs) associated with compressed air have received a significant amount of attention over the years, mostly due to a reasonably short financial return compared with other energy-consuming equipment. Over time, many of the recommended corrective actions to reduce compressed air energy consumption were simplified so much that they did not lead to positive results. One of the most common compressed air ECMs is reducing system pressure, and it leverages the best practice calculation —.5 percent power per psi — outlined in the Department of Energy’s Compressed Air Challenge. This article highlights more common issues associated with estimating energy conservation resulting from changing system pressure.
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Sustainable Productivity at Atlas Copco

By Rod Smith, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

The story of Atlas Copco’s 140-year commitment to innovation. When thinking about innovation during the past century, the mind immediately wanders to consumer-facing brands that make products that are experienced by users – like a mobile computer and videophone that fits in our hands or the technology applications through which almost all modern business is conducted.
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Transitioning to Oil-Free Compressed Air

By Todd Stelzer, strategic account manager, Ingersoll Rand.

Compressed air quality is measured by the amount of solid particulates, water and oil content in one cubic foot (cu. ft.) of compressed air. Many of these contaminants are introduced from the air surrounding the installation site that is drawn into the system at the beginning of the compression process. The relative humidity, type of compressor and air treatment and filtration system can also affect air quality. Minimum air quality requirements vary by industrial application; the most stringent standards apply to manufacturers whose end products, packaging or critical instrumentation come in direct contact with compressed air.
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