Compressed Air Best Practices - November 2008 - (Page 26) | 11–12/08 Compressed Air Industry STEEL & METALS | E N E R G Y- E F F I C I E N T C O M P R E S S E D A I R P I P I N G S Y S T E M S Over a 10-year period, electricity costs make up 76 % of a factory’s operating costs. In many cases, the electricity used by a compressed air system in a factory makes up the largest percentage of an increasingly expensive electricity bill. Monitoring compressed air usage, identifying compressed air waste and inefficiencies, and making investments in new compressed air equipment are tangible ways that businesses can cut their operating costs by lowering their electricity bill. For instance, it is estimated that a ¼-inch leak in a compressed air system equals about $8,000 per year leaking off a company’s bottom line. Therefore, a proper compressed air system has a tremendous potential to save a company a significant amount of money. The impending savings (payback time of less than 36 months*) can be summarized in three main categories in term of potential contribution: compressor improvement, reducing air leaks and global system improvement. As noted above, air leaks are the main sources for energy loss in a compressed air system. For instance, a 14.5 psi pressure drop uses 10% additional energy. Furthermore, the selection of pipe can have an impact on pressure drop. The graph below shows the difference in traditional and aluminum pipe using a length of 100 feet of pipe, 40mm (2" Steel), 60 hp compressor, and cost of electricity of $0.10 per KWh. Pressure drop can result from a number of sources, including poor system configuration, interior pipe surface corrosion and compressed air contamination. Typical on-site savings have been estimated to be up to 30% of the energy input to the compressor. These savings are achievable through initially selecting the most efficient type of compressor, ensuring the correct air system design and ongoing efficient operation and good maintenance. It includes maximizing the use of the latest technologies available and also ensuring that attention is paid to the simple measures of keeping leakage rates to a minimum. 26 www.airbestpractices.com http://www.airbestpractices.com
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