Industrial Utility Efficiency

Air Treatment/N2

Leland Brewing Adopts Modular Nitrogen Generation

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

A modular nitrogen generation system integrated with compressed air infrastructure enabled on-site nitrogen production, reducing reliance on delivered CO₂ and improving process efficiency. Adjustable nitrogen purity levels (e.g., 99.99%) optimized flow rate and demand matching while maintaining product quality in brewing applications. The implementation demonstrates how scalable nitrogen generation technology can lower operating costs and support growth in small to mid-sized industrial operations.

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On-Site Nitrogen Generation for Modified Atmospheric Packaging

By Peak Industrial

In the food and beverage industry, the moment a product leaves the production line, the clock starts ticking down to when that product will no longer be viable for sale or consumption. To combat the clock, modified atmospheric packaging (MAP) techniques are used to help maintain product freshness and increase shelf life. Nitrogen is the most cost effective, efficient and widely used industry solution for a company’s packaging needs—whether it is for manufacturing cheese, coffee, dried snack foods, or fresh and ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. MAP also helps to decrease chances of contamination or spoiling, keeping products on the market for longer and ultimately increasing the reach of distribution.
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Bauer Compressors On-Site Nitrogen Generation for Gas Assist Plastic Injection Molding

By Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

Plastic injection molding is a common process in manufacturing, and it can be used to produce just about anything. To create a part, molten plastic is injected into a hollow mold, where it is formed and cooled before being ejected from the cavity. Plastic injection molders make a seemingly limitless range of products, from fishing tackle boxes and kayak paddles to tooth brushes and miniscule medical devices.
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Compressed Air GMPs for GFSI Food Safety Compliance

By Lee Scott, Parker Gas Separation & Filtration Division

Any modern food manufacturing facility employs compressed air extensively in the plant. As common as it is, the potential hazards associated with this powerful utility are not obvious and apparent. Food hygiene legislation to protect the consumer places the duty of care on the food manufacturer. For this reason, many companies often devise their own internal air quality standards based upon what they think or have been told are “best practices.” This is no wonder, as the published collections of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) that relate to compressed air are nebulous and difficult to wade through.
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An Auditor’s Notes on Compressed Air Dryer Installations — Part II

By Chris E. Beals, President, Air System Management, Inc.

There is always something new to learn about compressed air systems – particularly in regards to compressed air dryer installations. As I discussed in Part 1 of this series, you can make compressed air dryer installations more reliable by understanding the consequences of any modifications you make to the system.  As a continuation of those ideas, Part II explores more ways to make a dryer installation more reliable. Discussions include: the difference between operating a desiccant dryer in a fixed cycle opposed to demand mode, what happens when you operate a heated desiccant dryer with the cooling air turned off, and how to deal with the unintended consequences of dedicating a desiccant dryer to a compressor. 
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Parker Hannifin Creates New Gas Separation and Filtration Division

By Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

Critical applications — such as semiconductor manufacturing, food processing and automobile spray finishing — require high quality, clean compressed air. Otherwise, those manufacturing facilities are doomed to costly rework, product recalls and a tarnished reputation. “In semiconductor manufacturing, a small particle can ruin one of the die on a multi-die semiconductor wafer,” explained Dan Ryan, Engineering Manager, Parker Hannifin Corporation – Gas Separation and Filtration Division. “Even when it comes to things like painting automobiles, a few small, invisible particulates, depending on the makeup of them, can actually cause a visible flaw in the paint job.”
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Compressed Air Filtration 101

By Michael Guelker, Product Manager – Actuators and Air Supply Products, Festo

Proper air preparation significantly increases the process and production reliability of machines. Particles, water and oils in compressed air reduce the service life and functionality of components and systems. They also impair productivity and energy efficiency. In this article, a variety of air filtration and air treatment products are outlined and discussed, along with ancillary equipment like drains. Additionally, the article provides an overview of the compressed air purity classes defined by ISO 8573-1:2010.
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Using ISO 8573-1 to Test Compressed Air: Clearing the Confusion

By Ruby Ochoa, President, Trace Analytics, LLC

Compressed air is used in more than 70 percent of all manufacturing activities, ranging from highly critical applications that may impact product quality to general “shop” uses. When compressed air is used in the production of pharmaceuticals, food, beverages, medical devices, and other products, there seems to be confusion on what testing needs to be performed.
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An Auditor’s Notes on Compressed Air Dryer Installations — Part I

By Chris E. Beals, President, Air System Management, Inc.

In compressed air systems, every adjustment or system modification has consequences, so, before making changes, it’s important to understand how those changes will affect each piece of equipment.  For example, simple things — such as lowering the compressor’s pressure set point, or failing to maintain the compressor’s aftercooler — can result in moisture contamination occurring out in the system. Why? Because the effects of these actions reduce the air dryer’s capacity. In this article, I address some ideas that can make your system more reliable.
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Desiccant Air Dryer Control: Seeing Isn’t Always Believing

By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge®

Many thousands of dollars of annual electrical savings are being achieved worldwide using special purge reduction controls on desiccant air dryers. These controls reduce the expensive purge air that must flow through the dryer to regenerate the desiccant beds. But, unexpected problems with these controls can cause hidden problems that can reduce or eliminate the savings.
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The Titus Company Customizes Nitrogen Generation and Petrochemical Plant Applications

By Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

In our discussions with Stephen Titus and James Bowers, National Sales Manager of Titus Air Systems, we talked about several examples of how The Titus Company provided custom-engineered solutions to various customers. The diversity and complexity of these jobs exemplify how The Titus Company has grown from a small distributorship operating out of a townhome to a thriving compressed air and gas solutions provider capable of tackling highly nuanced applications.
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