Harnessing the power of compressed air more reliably and economically is an effective way to drastically cut energy costs. A host of innovations on display at Hannover Messe shows how modern technology makes it possible. Even compressed air stations that were optimised for performance at the time of installation can yield further savings of up to 10 percent if the latest technology is used.
The whole is more than the sum of its parts – a saying that also applies to compressed air station design. Efficiency and economy of the individual components isn’t everything. Well-coordinated, optimised interplay of all components is necessary to ensure compressed air production remains as reliable, efficient and economical as possible.
When it comes to compressed air production, the golden rule is to consider the entire system as a whole and not just the individual, isolated components. While the most energy-efficient compressor or dryer offers a clear advantage when the objective is to reduce energy costs, large sums can still be lost when the compressor and dryer are poorly coordinated or do not work seamlessly together.
Analysis now available online
First it’s important to know what the business’s actual compressed air requirements are. Compressed air engineering specialists can precisely determine this information via an audit; the latest generation of high-efficiency analysis tools is being showcased in Hanover. This includes the ADA 2 analysis tool from Kaeser Kompressoren a web-based system for compressed air duty-cycle analysis. It supplies both measurement data as well as the system data from the audited station and is capable of quickly generating an initial report for the operator. The data can then be imported into the tried and trusted Kaeser Energy Saving System (KESS), which allows compressed air operators to devise a step-by-step plan to reduce energy costs, and even offers a comparison of the investment costs associated with the various energy-saving options. Independent comparisons of various system variants are also readily available to enable selection of the most efficient one.
Clear facts to improve the system Once the information fetched, it is possible to work on the whole and on individual components
- Controllers to ensure maximum efficiency
- Efficiency of the rotary screw compressors (thanks to large cooler surface, IE4 motors and more)
- Enhanced thermal mass performance benefits refrigeration dryers
- Compact and efficient dryers, rotation dryers
- Filter technology: energy-saving and environmentally friendly
Huge savings to discover at Hannover Messe At the Hannover Messe Preview a few weeks back I discovered that actually compressed air can be seen as necessity evil or as a valuable resource that can be improved (and thus generate cost savings, better environmental protection and greater efficiency). Even operators of optimally designed and configured compressed air systems can further cut energy costs by up to ten percent by taking advantage of the latest technological innovations. Operators still using older components or systems in which the individual components are not optimally coordinated can also achieve savings in the double-digit range.
To be discovered on booth D42 in Halle 26 (and in our next issue)
Kaeser Kompressoren AG Postfach 21 43 96410 Coburg, Deutschland Tel. +49 09561 6400 [email protected] www.kaeser.com .
