Compressed Air Best Practices - November 2008 - (Page 17) Focus Industry STEEL & METALS | 11–12/08 | For directed air flow used in cooling, we recommend replacing the “air horns” with electricdriven air movers. We suggest electric motor-driven axial vane fans capable of large volume flow through ducting as required. They are available with totally enclosed motors (or explosion proof). They produce flow from 1,500 to 3,000 scfm and range from ½ hp to 1 hp. For more drive and large runs of ducting, we recommend tube axial blowers with heavy-duty housings and “non-sparking” cast aluminum fan blades. We also recommend the “double-duty Heat Killer” which is an axial vane, electric-driven blower with adjustable guide vanes. They are designed for high-performance cooling and effective on “air heat quenching” applications. We have supplied a list of 50 applications where we recommend the replacement of the air horns with electric-driven air movers. The investment will be $160,000 to generate a savings of $360,000. Demand Side Audit Replacing “Diaphragm Pumps” We recommend replacing the 21 air-operated diaphragm pumps with appropriate electricdrive units. We suggest twenty 3" pumps and one each 2" pump in the Pickling, Cold Mill, Acid plant and #4 Oil Recovery area. This will reduce compressed air demand by 1,500 scfm. The annual energy costs to run the diaphragm pumps is $126,000 per year. The new energy cost will be $33,000 per year. Annual energy savings will be $93,000 per year. The estimated cost of conversion to electric pumps is $120,000. Conclusion This project was executed and the energy savings forecast were realized. An effective air leak management process was put into place. Blow-off air was modified and diaphragm pumps were replaced by electric-driven alternatives. The projected annual energy savings of $855,000 was delivered with a 4–5 month payback. We are now going through the same process with other facilities that this corporation operates. For more information, please contact Hank Van Ormer, Air Power USA, tel: 740-862-4112, email: hankvanormer@aol.com, www.airpowerusa.com 17 http://www.mikroporamerica.com http://www.airpowerusa.com http://www.mikroporamerica.com
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