Compressed Air Best Practices - March 2008 - (Page 28)

| 03/08 Compressed Air Industry FOOD PROCESSING | B E S T P R A C T I C E S — M U LT I - M O D U L E PROCESS AIR DRYERS Each of the four approaches above provides some benefits when considering a compressed air design. They can be critiqued against the guidelines of a comprehensive system: p Initial Capital Cost — Perhaps the most visible of the criteria, the purchase cost of the equipment, drives many decisions on equipment selection. While certainly an important consideration, it should not be the sole motivation for equipment selection. Cost of Operation — Different approaches and technologies used in the design of compressed air equipment can yield very different operating costs. Costs associated with operation of inefficient equipment may quickly overshadow capital cost savings. For example, some inefficient dryers will continue to operate at all times regardless of the system demand. Installed Cost — Costs associated with connecting the equipment to the compressed air system. For compressed air dryers, this refers to costs associated with connecting the air piping, electrical connections and if required, cooling water piping for water-cooled equipment. Footprint — The physical size of the equipment plays an important part in the proper selection of a compressed air dryer. The size and location of equipment, if not carefully considered, could severely hinder future expansion, as floor space within the compressor room can become increasingly more valuable. Continuity of Operation — Interruptions in the supply of clean dry air can have a major impact on manufacturing productivity, product quality and critical processes. Recognizing the “what-if’s” and planning accordingly can minimize or even eliminate the problems associated with unexpected downtime of equipment. Maintainability — Most all manufactures establish preventative maintenance programs to ensure optimal operation of their equipment. Time and resources necessary to execute program tasks must be addressed to meet these requirements. Factors such as planned equipment downtime or provisions within the equipment for on-the-fly maintenance must be considered for proper system design. p “When a critical . malfunction occurs, many downstream processes can be affected.” p p p p With a ranking structure designating numeral 1 as the least desirable and numeral 5 as the most desirable, the total accumulated score for each approach reveals the one best suited to large scale manufacturing. a) Multiple Small Dryers of Various Size Initial Capital Cost 3 Cost of Operation 5 Installed Cost 1 Footprint 3 Continuity of Operation 4 Maintainability 4 Ranking Total 20 28 www.airbestpractices.com http://www.airbestpractices.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Compressed Air Best Practices - March 2008

Compressed Air Best Practices - March 2008 Contents From the Editor Utility-Air News The Compressed Air Audit of the Month: Saving Energy with Blowers in Canada Do You Provide World-Class Service? Managing Rotary Screw Air Compressors at Midwest Bakery The Difference Between Acfm and Scfm for Proper Vacuum Sizing Best Practices — Multi-Module Process Air Dryers The Vacuum Formation Process in Building Compressed Air Filter Elements Solberg Manufacturing Real World Best Practices: Measuring Pressure Dewpoint in a Compressed Air System Resources for Energy Engineers: Training Calendar & Product Picks Wall Street Watch Advertiser Index Job Market

Compressed Air Best Practices - March 2008

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