ENERGY CONSERVATION

Our approach and philosophy in the pursuit of energy savings has always been to start with the simple less costly solutions as many times that will yield the highest return on your energy savings investments.

Too often companies will reach for high tech solutions bypassing simpler less costly ones and then are disappointed with their ROI.

Below is an overview of the Level of Analysis we offer:

System Review (1 to 2 days):

• Meeting with facility personnel to identify issues, problems and area of concerns.
• Gather compressor model numbers method of control location within the facility.
• Hours of operation cost of energy (demand, peak and off-peak)
• Current Discharge pressure minimum required system pressure.
• Data log compressors and pressures to get a baseline on demand system dynamics.
• Write a report of finding

System Assessment (2 to 3 days):

• All the above components of a System Review
• Walk-through and Evaluation of demand side issues such as:
• Inappropriate applications with high volume users
• Areas sensitive to low pressure
• Leaks
• Write a report of findings

System Audit: (3 to 7 days):

• All the above listed in System Review and System Assessment
• Data Log compressors
• Monitor pressure and, if possible, airflow throughout the system while analyzing the dynamics of the complete system
• Detailed compressor control set-points
• List all drying & filtering equipment size type location.
• Dryer load factors inlet and outlet pressure, total pressure drop and fluctuations.
• List Receivers — Size, location dry or wet primary or secondary-pressures
• Condensate Drains — List all, type, location bypasses yes or no. Can they be easily checked to ensure they are working?
• Distribution system
• Piping layout size & type, looped or branched
• Quantify Air consuming equipment. (Note Pressure & Flow Requirements)
• Identify the energy reduction opportunities and system improvement benefits.
• Submit comprehensive written report of findings and recommendation

Beware of Free Audits (Why they are not “Free”):

A compressed Air Sales person offers you a free audit. They may even employ data loggers on your compressor(s). Their Audit report will then state significant energy savings potential with the implementation of a VSD compressor. You’re shown some graphs comparing your current energy cost and the saving with a VSD compressor(s).

Beware of these so called free audits as the results are greatly exaggerated and are nothing more than a sales tool to sell VSD Compressors. That is how they can afford to do them for free. Ask them to provide some sort of guarantee of savings, any savings.

Remember you get what you pay for!

COMPRESSED AIR METER

How can you conserve something that you don’t monitor?

You have a gas meter(s) a water meter(s) a electrical meter(s) why, so you can monitor your usage of those utilities. Compressed Air is also a utility. Remember it takes 8 horsepower of electrical energy to create one horsepower of compressed air. For less than a thousand dollars, you can monitor your compressed air!

25-35% of the load energy is consumed during idle run without producing any air.

Computing Energy Costs
Annual Electricity Cost (simple formula)
bhp x 0.746 x hours x cost motor efficiency

Example:
200 hp compressor, 95% efficient motor, 4160 hours per year and $ 0.10/kWh electricity cost

200 x 0.746 x 4160 x .10 / 0.95 = $ 65,334 per year