Upgrade for compressed air control

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Feb 13, 2008

Range comprises six compressed air controllers designed to suit air systems ranging from one to 24 compressors.

Metacentre, the new product family from EnergAir, includes machine controllers, I/O modules, communication interface modules, pressure sensors, variable speed drives and software.

The new units are a direct development of the tried-and-tested Enercon systems that are installed in process and manufacturing facilities around the world.

EnergAir compressed air control and monitoring systems are employed on sites as varied as Walkers Snack Foods, Britvic bottling plants, International News print sites, car plants and Tarmac production sites.

The new range comprises six compressed air controllers designed to suit air systems ranging from one to 24 compressors.

The base model S Series controllers will deliver fine pressure control for up to four compressors, whereas the flagship XC system controller can accommodate up to 24 compressors of different types and in different locations throughout a site.

The more advanced controllers such as the SX and XC models offer "Energy control" software onboard.

"Energy control" software allows the management controller to distinguish between types of compressor (eg fixed speed, variable speed etc) and the sizes of available compressors (eg 50kW, 100kW etc).

With this information EnergAir's Metacentre SX and XC models are able to follow an intelligent optimal energy control strategy, making the best energy savings possible from the installed system.

Multiple variable speed drive (VSD) control is another feature of the more advanced Metacentre controllers, allowing highly efficient control of what would previously be fixed-speed compressors.

EnergAir offers a full range of VSD units for installation with the control systems.

The rest of the Metacentre range includes controllers for vacuum systems, replacement compressor controllers for old compressors and a huge range of interface and communication modules which allow for simple integration of virtually any air compressor on the market.

All models are available with a comprehensive installation kit.

For any company looking to reduce manufacturing cost and its carbon footprint, compressed air should be close to the top of the list for positive action.

Not only are large energy savings available by using an intelligent compressed air control system, but payoff periods are short, hence installed Metacentre products will start to make significant contributions to the bottom line of the business very quickly.

So how does it work?.

Put simply - on any site, demand for compressed air fluctuates and as system pressure decays or increases in response to that demand, Metacentre compressor management systems ensure that site-wide compressors and ancillary compressed air equipment are harnessed as one to obtain an equilibrium where efficiency, equipment utilisation and system pressure are in perfect balance.

Maintaining that balance in a managed compressed air systems represents a significant energy and cost saving opportunity.

The more complex the compressed air system, the greater the opportunity for savings.

For users that require detailed reporting and live PC based monitoring and control for a Metacentre management system, a PC visualisation package is available.

EnergAir's software provides a tailor made and ready-to-use solution for control, monitoring, trending, efficiency management and reporting of key performance indicators.

The software is available in all language fonts that the resident PC's operating system supports.

Anyone interested in how much energy can be saved on a given site (with any combination of compressors and duty cycles), by a new Metacentre system can find out instantly by using EnergAir's online calculator.

The calculator will also allow users to print a detailed and highly accurate report.