Compressor cuts costs for lifesavers

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jun 23, 2008

The Hydrovane Regulated Speed (RS) rotary vane range is designed to substantially reduce compressor operating costs, offering average cost savings of 30 to 50%.

With the acquisition of a new Hydrovane compressor from CompAir, the Royal National Lifeboat Institute's (RNLI) Inshore Lifeboat Centre (ILC) at Poole has shaved around 70% off the cost of generating compressed air.

The ILC is responsible for the build and maintenance of the RNLI's inshore lifeboat fleet, which operates up to three miles away from shore around the coastline for the whole of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

With a wealth of boat building and outboard engine experience, the 76-strong workforce carries out a wide range of new boat construction, refits, repairs and engine maintenance.

The inshore fleet mainly consists of rigid and nonrigid inflatable vessels, which creates a high demand for clean compressed air, needed to inflate the rubber boats and the sponsons on the rigid inflatables.

In addition, both new build and refits involve many components being manufactured and spray-painted.

Again, the spray-painting process calls for clean compressed air.

The need for a new compressor prompted a call to CompAir distributor Harrier, which carried out an assessment of the workshop's air usage.

ILC Workshop Manager Brian Wright said: "We have a variable demand for air and rely on its availability when needed".

"Harrier demonstrated that because of our compressed air usage pattern, we could save money by opting for a regulated speed machine".

"The savings amount to 70% of the total we were spending on energy and in our operation every penny counts, so this has proved to be a really worthwhile investment".

The machine chosen was a Hydrovane HV04R, which was installed in the system alongside the existing Broomwade machine, now being used as a backup system.

The system comprises an in-line oil and water separator, a dryer and three air receivers.

The Hydrovane Regulated Speed (RS) rotary vane range is designed to substantially reduce compressor operating costs, offering average cost savings of 30 to 50%, dependent upon system demand, in comparison with equivalent fixed speed compressors.

The key to the RS Vane unit's performance is an inverter that has been incorporated into the standard compressor design.

The inverter uses a transducer that senses airline pressure, providing a feedback signal to the integral PID control.

This enables smooth acceleration and deceleration of the electric motor's speed and accurate regulation of the compressor air output to exactly match system requirements.

In addition to the lifetime energy savings, the RS Hydrovane compressor's drive and motor have been approved by the UK government as qualifying energy saving products under the Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme.

CompAir's RS units are supplied with the Advance five-year extended warranty covering the entire regulated speed package, including the inverter and controls.