Technology

Safe Compressed Air Drying Systems for Class I, Division 1 Environments

By Jess Elley, Product Marketing Manager, Suburban Manufacturing Group – Tsunami Compressed Air Solutions

Learn how engineers can safely remove moisture from compressed air systems in hazardous environments by eliminating ignition risks through pneumatic controls. This article explores design considerations, performance characteristics and reliability factors for regenerative desiccant dryers operating in Class I, Division 1 locations.

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Evaluating Air Compressor Cooling and Heat Recovery Part 1

By Hank Van Ormer, Technical Director, APenergy

This is a two-part article looking at factors impacting decisions on whether to use air or water-cooled air compressors. It also provides heat recovery guidelines for both situations. Part 1 will provide a brief history on air compressor cooling, a review of cooling water sources and costs, and some cooling cost comparisons between air and water-cooled air compressors.

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Ceramics Plant Deploys a New Air Compressor Heat Recovery System

By Mateusz Bartczak, ASFI

An air compressor is synonymous with an electric heater – providing compressed air as a side effect. 85-90% of the electrical energy taken in by the air compressor is converted into heat, while the maximum efficiency of compressed air generation is less than 10%. In air compressor heat recovery systems, the focus is on capturing the heat energy contained in the oil, as up to 80% of the energy extracted from the power plant is found there.

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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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Centrifugal Air Compressor Maintenance: The Importance of OEM Parts

By the Compressed Air & Gas Institute

Aftermarket genuine parts ensure that the compressed air system will continue to meet the requirements it was engineered to achieve. Replacement parts must fit the compressor correctly so that operation continues to function properly. Parts that are not fitted properly could affect the function of the unit downstream.

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Hannover Messe 2023 Show Report

By Roderick M. Smith, Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

The 2023 Hannover Messe was held April 17-21 at the Fairgrounds in Hannover, Germany. I have been visiting this event, since 1992, and it’s great to see old friends, new companies and the latest company and technology developments of firms in the compressed air industry. This article will provide readers with a sampling of compressed air technologies seen.

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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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Food Processor Conserves Energy with Compressed Air System Audits

By Mike Grennier, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

A focus on sustainable products and packaging, in combination with a passion for quality, has resulted in considerable growth for the firm. Plans to add production lines at facility #1, in turn, drove the need to address the plant’s faltering compressed air system.

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ABC Compressors Supports Logoplaste Embedded Wall-to-Wall Sustainable Manufacturing

By Mike Grennier, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

Logoplaste, based in Cascais, Portugal, introduced its embedded wall-to-wall manufacturing model to reduce waste and increase efficiency. The model also results in a more economically and environmentally sustainable method of production of rigid plastic packaging since it eliminates the need for a separate secondary packaging plant and the logistics associated with transporting empty bottles.

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Tank Applications in Central Cooling Systems – Tankless Systems

By Clayton Penhallegon, Jr., P.E., Integrated Services Group

This article will be of particular interest to industrial system operators unfamiliar with tankless (primarily closed) systems who may be considering either installing new systems without tanks or removing existing open tanks. The topics covered step through an understanding of tankless systems while also including tank system pointers and insights on converting systems with tanks into tankless systems.

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Cooling Tower & Chiller Innovation at 2023 AHR Expo

By Bill Smith, Associate Content Manager, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

The Cooling Technology Institute’s (CTI) four educational sessions drew standing-room-only crowds. Representatives from BPEARSON Consulting, SPX Cooling Tech, Eurovent and Baltimore Aircoil Company presented Fundamentals of Water Treatment; Cooling Tower Fundamentals; System Sustainability? Prove it with Certified Performance; and Fundamentals of Adiabatic Heat Rejection. Owners and operators of heat rejection equipment can join the CTI and attend its annual conference to meet the several dozens of technical experts with hundreds of years of combined experience capable of assisting with your next project.

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