Compressed air energy savings estimated online

EnergAir has developed a powerful online tool for estimating how much energy can be saved by installing a compressed air management system in any industrial compressor house.

EnergAir has developed a powerful online tool for estimating how much energy can be saved by installing a compressed air management system in any industrial compressor house.

The Energy Estimator is free to use the company's website (www.energair.com) and can provide an instant result on screen - a more detailed report can then be emailed directly from the site at the click of a button.

The Compressed Air Energy Saving Estimator allows visitors to select the number of compressors being used on-site and then confirm their size in terms of kW power - other essential operating parameters such as system pressure, cost per kWh and usage based on shifts are all pre-filled for convenience, but can be altered using drop down menus.

The whole process takes no more than a minute and is all done on one control panel screen.

There is no waiting for the screen to refresh and no lengthy forms to fill in.

Graham Coats of EnergAir explained how the system works: "One of the first and most fundamental questions raised by our customers before ordering a compressed air management system is 'can you give me an estimate of how much energy will actually be saved?' and 'what will the monetary savings be?'" "The new online Compressed Air Energy Saving Estimator does both, providing an annual energy saving figure in kWh and a corresponding annual monetary saving in pounds sterling, euro or dollars".

"We have adapted the program that our sales engineers use when making initial site estimates to create the online version - all the parameters and calculations are based on hard data from thousands of EnergAir installations, and while the figures are not actual results, they represent an accurate estimate".

"EnergAir or one of our distribution partners will normally carry out a detailed site audit to provide actual bench mark figures before installing a management system, but the online estimator will give a good indication of what to expect virtually instantly".

For example, fitting a compressed air management system to an installation using four 150kW compressors to maintain a system pressure of 8bar, working two shifts, five days a week with an average energy cost of £0.05kWh could reduce energy usage by up to 895,999kWh per annum and reduce costs by up to £GBP44,799 per annum.

According to EnergAir the cost of installing an energy management system is often recouped in a matter of months.

Most plant managers, maintenance engineers, facilities managers, production managers, energy managers and anyone else with responsibility for improving plant efficiency will probably know that compressed air is one of the main areas where savings can be made.

According to EnergAir, the most common reasons for positive steps not to have been taken is time pressure caused by other day-to-day responsibilities and a lack of information to hand on what can be achieved.

The online Compressed Air Energy Saving Estimator obviously aims to remove both these barriers immediately.

A visit to the EnergAir website is a quick and easy way to start the process of making energy savings with compressed air, providing a genuine ballpark set of figures after having only invested a couple of minutes of time.

EnergAir compressed air management systems are installed in over 1000 individual manufacturing sites.

They range from major car manufacturers, such as Peugeot, GM and Ford, to pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline, and include many smaller local enterprises.

Industrial sites with even modest consumption can expect to save thousands of pounds - rising to tens of thousands for high volume, multiple compressor installations.

Payback periods typically range from six to eighteen months depending on the size of the installation and the operating schedule.

Most large installations tend to run 24hrs and show shorter payback periods.

An EnergAir compressed air management system reduces compressor energy consumption by closely matching system pressure to demand and reducing off-load running or idling of compressors.

The control is implemented in a number of ways depending on the installation.

A basic arrangement uses an 'Enercon' system controller to ensure that all compressors on any one ring main, regardless of their make, type or capacity, operate more efficiently and contribute to savings.

More advanced systems use EnergAir software to provide live monitoring and information feedback, which can show aspects of equipment status and system pressure on-screen.

The display parameters include accurate metering of power consumption in kW/hours, air production volume in cubic metres and efficiency in kW/m3.

The software also has a built-in reporting feature that can be used to produce regular performance reports allowing customers to closely track performance and use the information for internal management reports.

An additional 'pro-active' level of functionality is also available from the EnergAir system - an automated warning service that can be triggered by efficiency drops, and even compressor bearing condition.

Multi-layer responses are available locally via screen warnings and audible signals.

Remote warnings using a permanent mobile or landline phone connection also can be programmed to alert maintenance personnel or maintenance service providers with pre-emptive phone calls, faxes and text messages warning of problems, emergencies and routine maintenance checks.

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