Category: Environmental. Title: Saving Energy and the Environment.

Saving Energy and the Environment

Supply of Compressed Air can represent up to 15% of the energy costs for a process manufacturer. As a utility totally in control of the host, it seems a good place to start Energy Save campaigns, writes Martin Lissenburg

A couple of months ago, I finally watched ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, a film highlighting Al Gore’s crusade to bring climate change to the fore. This film presents data that makes it virtually impossible to ignore the human impact on climate change. One ‘scene’ that particularly sticks in my mind relates to the variation in Carbon Dioxide concentration over time. For thousands of years, the line oscillates around a consistent value, up until the last few decades of the time axis; it then rapidly rises to the top of the chart and shows no sign of return! The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007 Summary for Policymakers, paints exactly the same picture; in virtually all measured parameters, the increases over the last decade far exceed those due to historic natural cycles, some measured over the previous hundreds of thousands of years.

How do we wake from this sleepwalk? Well, clearly global governmental action is vital, but we shouldn’t underestimate the impact of many “small” actions both at home and at work. Because air is all around us, there is a risk of seeing it as a free commodity – of course it isn’t. Driving air around a plant takes energy and, often, is done very inefficiently. Just think of how often you can hear the air supply! Leaks mean misplaced energy. Compressed Air is commonly used in Industrial facilities (~90% have air use in their processes). It is a utility completely in control of the host business and payback, on energy save schemes, is usually less than a year; so, it is a very good place to start energy efficiency campaigns.

The process starts with an Engineer “walking the site”, as it is vital to take a view of the complete air system. This is supported, if necessary, with air-leak detection and, always, by data logging of the Compressor. The data collection is critical as it gives quantified output that can be acted upon. The data logging process usually lasts around two weeks – long enough for all variations in duty to be monitored.
Our experience shows that the holistic approach to the air system brings ‘nested’ savings. For example, work with a customer – a well known manufacturer of roofing products – identified the need for a reduction in operating pressure, the fixing of numerous leaks and the opportunity for diversion of ‘waste’ heat, from the Compressor, into the workshop during winter, saving alternative heating costs. The total saving was £25,000 per annum.

The focus often falls, however, on the capital equipment in the process. A Packaging Manufacturer in the North-East found, after the energy appraisal, that their Compressor – a 75kW Rotary Screw – was spending significant amounts of time running off-load. The Compressor was sized to meet certain air demands during the production process, but the demand was variable due to the overall operation of equipment in the factory. This is not an atypical situation in a manufacturing plant. An Inverter Drive was specified and fitted to the Compressor, such that air was supplied to accurately meet demand requirements, with improved pressure control. The result was a 28% energy reduction over the year and payback for the total project was 12 months. A further benefit was reduction in the excessive wear and tear on the Compressor. The manufacturer is now looking at similar savings on eleven other sites in their Group, plus other areas of energy save.

A further case study relates to the requirement for high quality air – but supplied efficiently. This manufacturer of rock and asphalt products was using a 550cfm Desiccant Dryer, with the associated filtration, to provide its air quality, with standard (timer based) controls for the conditioning and cycling operation. A Dewpoint Switching Controller was specified and installed, such that the Dryer would only condition and cycle as required by the process. This has given a 58% saving in energy usage and payback is eight months, plus the additional benefit of significant reduction in wear and tear.

The above expertise can be applied to any ‘process motor’. An Automotive Component Manufacturers paint finishing plant utilised four pumps operating continuously, but damped to 60% flow by valves in the pipe-work system. Following the energy appraisal, Inverter Drives were installed to each pump motor, allowing the valves to be opened fully and, operating with a transducer, to provide the flow required by the process. The saving in energy was 48% per annum, with payback in nine months. This customer is now reviewing other process applications critically for energy savings.
Similar expertise has been applied to process motors used for extraction and air movement, with the same impact on efficiency.

Economatics has 40 years of experience in Compressed Air, with a mission to aid the efficiency of British Industry. It launched ECONERGY (Economical Energy) last year, as a business unit dedicated to helping customers identify and implement energy save opportunities and, in turn, save money.
Contact Econergy on the Hotline 0121 359 8303 or e-mail econergy@economatics.co.uk

Martin Lissenburg is a Business Improvement Specialist, with many years of experience in strategy development, honing sales and marketing processes and output, campaign creation and implementation, and sharpening of customer data.
He worked in senior positions for several blue-chip industrial companies, facilitating business growth and development, before starting his own business, Inspire, in 2005. He worked with Economatics in developing and communicating their offer to market. Call Martin on 07949 900892.

Date written: Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:34:10 +0100

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Saving Energy and the Environment
Supply of Compressed Air can represent up to 15% of the energy costs for a process manufacturer. As a utility totally in control of the host, it seems a good place to start Energy Save campaigns, writes Martin Lissenburg

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