About Compressed Air

Almost every industrial plant uses compressed air.
It powers pneumatic tools, packaging and automation equipment and conveyors.
Many manufacturing industries also use compressed air and gas for
combustion and process operations such as oxidation, cryogenics, refrigeration, filtration, dehydration, and aeration.
Compressed air is used in non-manufacturing industries as well for example medical applications.
Water, gas and electricity are critical utilities for most industries. For many manufacturers, the compressed air system is vital as well and can be thought of as the fourth utility. Yet the cost of the compressed air is not usually considered as a cost of production, even though it isn’t free. Generating compressed air requires a vast amount of energy. Systems can vary is size from small, 5 horsepower units to large systems with over 50,000 horsepower
Approximately 10% of all electrical power in industry is employed in compressing air. Over its lifetime, the operating cost of a compressed air plant will be many times its initial purchase and ongoing maintenance costs.
Air must be supplied to the point of use at the desired pressure and in the right condition.
Too low a pressure will impair tool efficiencies and affect process time. Too high a pressure may damage equipment, and will promote leaks and increase generating costs.
To achieve the right conditions, air must be cleaned, dried at the right temperature and if it is to propel equipment with moving parts – also lubricated.
 

Best practice
• Ensuring the correct system design (pipe sizing & layout is often inadequate)
• On going efficient operation
• Good maintenance
• Maximizing the use of the latest technologies
• Ensuring attention to leakage rates and keeping them to a minimum
Fixing leaks once is not enough.
Incorporate a leak prevention program into your facility’s operation.
It should include:
• Leak identification, repair tracking, verification
• Re-evaluation of compressed air system supply, after repairs
• Verify correct compressor controls adjustments.
 

Why monitor compressed air?
Leaks waste energy and money
This chart indicates the costs and energy loss associated with leaks. An undetected hole as small as 5mm can cost a plant €16,176 per year. Predictive leak detection and repair will result in substantial cost savings and system efficiency.
 

 

How are the leaks detected?
Our sensors monitor air consumption to detect leakage areas in two ways
• Method 1: when machine is in operation the sensor compares the machine’s ideal air consumption to the actual air consumption. The difference indicates an air leakage.
• Method 2: when machine is shutdown the sensor continuously monitors the machine during shutdown. Any air consumption that is measured indicates an air leakage.
Our sensor can also monitor
• Leakage per individual machine
• Leakage per zones in a plant
• Consumption per machine cycle
• Consumption per shift
• Consumption per zones in a plant

Verification of leak repair and system improvements
Dividing a plant into zones is key to leak detection
In order for the sensor to provide predictive maintenance information, a plant should be first divided into zones based on the number of fittings and potential leakage points. After sectioning a plant into smaller, more manageable zones, the sensor is mounted in the supply line to the zone. The sensor will detect leakage areas based on the zone’s increase in air consumption over time or monitor air consumption when machines in the zone are shut down.
After a leakage area is detected, leak repair can occur quickly.
The sensor will target a leakage area by zone so that plant personnel can focus on a specific, smaller area, rather than search an entire plant for air leaks. With the zone identified, maintenance can quickly pinpoint the exact leak location and repair the leak. The best method for this is to use an ultrasonic acoustic detector and follow up with soap and water applied to the suspected leak.

Humidity control: How to prevent damage
The modern production technology needs compressed air. The diversity of application starts with non processed blast air to absolute dry, oilfree and sterile compressed air. Irrespective of how it is used, compressed air has to be dry. Depending on the application considerable economical damage can be caused by uncontrolled „humidity irruption“ into the compressed air system.
 

Reasons that can lead to an increased pressure dewpoint value within the compressed air system
• Condensate at the refrigeration dryer (condensate eliminator faulty or dirty)
• Condensate overload of the refrigeration dryer
• Adsorption agent is not regenerated sufficiently
• Compressed air bypass in the bypass (valve faulty or not closed)
• Compressed air bypass in the refrigeration dryer (worn out, corroded etc.)

Water in compressed air leads to damages
• Corrosion within the pneumatic plant -
Rust will develop in the ducts and functioning elements and will lead to leakages.
• Breakage of the lubricating film –
Broken lubricating films lead to mechanical faults.
• Building of electric elements.
• Formation of ice in the compressed air system - At low temperatures the water within the compressed air system could freeze and cause frost damage, reduction of the diameter and blockades.
• Material handling - High humidity leads to conglutination of materials to be transported, e. g. sugar, concrete, granulate, etc.
• Pharmaceutical -High humidity impairs powders, tablets, etc.
• Hospital - DIN 13260, EN 737-3, danger of development of bacteria