Compressed Air Best Practices - June 2008 - (Page 36)

| 06–07/08 Compressed Air Industry PHARMACEUTICALS | By: Jerry C. Eaton, PE, CEM, CPE LaMonte L. Wilder, PE, CPM Richard D. Feustel Principals, Masters’ Academy, LLC Abstract Industrial companies are continually faced with increasing competition, rising costs and tighter margins. As manufacturers identify ways to reduce costs and improve their bottom line, one significant opportunity that is often overlooked is the compressed air system. Compressed air systems are typically the largest users of electricity in a manufacturing facility and need to be managed accordingly. Companies converting to a utility grade compressed air system have benefited greatly from increased production uptime while reducing energy and maintenance cost. Typical Compressed Air System Typical compressed air systems evolve as industrial companies expand their operations. Capital constraints, lack of system expertise, sales influences, change of manpower and inadequate procedures may lead to the following issues: p Multiple Component Manufacturers • • • • • Increased maintenance cost Increased parts inventory Difficult to standardize operating and maintenance procedures Non-integrated control systems Sizeable knowledge base required Undersized Distribution Piping • • Variability in pressure and flow rate Increased operating pressure Poor Maintenance Practices • • Increased downtime Not distributing runtime uniformly over available compressors Inadequate Storage, Inappropriate Usage and Air Leaks: • • Pressure fluctuations Additional compressors required No Central Control and Monitoring System: • • Inability to monitor, track and optimize system operations and performance Inability to accurately assign budget responsibility No Pressure/Flow Controller • Inability to decouple supply from demand p Introduction Just as utility companies are committed to providing reliable, quality power, manufacturers need the same 24/7 “utility grade” compressed air system reliability and quality. Utility grade systems provide compressed air at a constant demand side pressure and optimize energy efficiency under varying loads and situations. Unfortunately, most manufacturers have not focused on this cost reduction opportunity. They tend to run their system in a manner as to keep the “phone from ringing.” Because compressed air systems are considered a “cost of doing business,” their operational cost is typically not known. This specific overhead cost is rarely identified as a line item in production, maintenance or utility budgets. Therefore, inefficient use and waste of compressed air is common since operators, supervisors and directors are not accountable for these costs in their budgets. Quality and reliable compressed air systems are a function of system design, operational parameters and maintenance. With a utility grade compressed air system, operational costs can be reduced by 50%. p p p p These issues coupled with production demands result in costly, inefficient and unreliable systems. 36 www.airbestpractices.com http://www.airbestpractices.com

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

Compressed Air Best Practices - June 2008 Contents From the Editor Utility-Air News A Pharmaceutical Compressed Air System Audit Talking Dew Point Puerto Rico, Pharmaceuticals and Airequipo Inc. Oil-Free Rotary and Oil-Free Centrifugal Compressor Comparison SMC: Managing Energy and Dew Point in Pneumatic Systems Utility Grade Compressed Air Systems Training Calendar & Product Picks Wall Street Watch Advertiser Index Job Market

Compressed Air Best Practices - June 2008

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