Home > Articles > Technology Toolbox

Voices: Technology Toolbox

Air system enhancements

Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy explains how to optimize compressed air quality, moisture, energy and priorities.

PlantServices.com
By Sheila Kennedy, contributing editor

New instrumentation and controls for compressed air systems help plants with proactive monitoring and management of compressor pressure, air quality, moisture, energy consumption and operating costs. Compressed air assessments and audits are beneficial for establishing technology priorities and optimizing system performance.

Pressure: “Reducing air pressure is an easy way to reduce energy costs, leakage rates and air usage, and increase the life of the compressor,” says Bill Scales, CEO of Scales Industrial Technologies. “Most plants have opportunities to address leaks and lower their operating pressure. Generally speaking, if you drop your system pressure by 10 psi, the reduction in kW input to the compressor is about 5%. System over-pressurization results in increased compressed air consumption and often isn’t required,” says Niff Ambrosino, Scales’ general manager.

Allen-Bradley’s solid-state 836E pressure sensors are suitable for air-pressure measurement and monitoring. These compact condition-sensors have a gauge pressure range extending from -15 psi to 6,000 psi, and the indications are presented in a four-character digital display. Constructed of corrosion-resistant stainless steel with an IP66 enclosure rating and no moving parts, the 836E accommodates harsh industrial applications.

Air quality: Improving air quality reduces energy costs and extends compressor life. Beko Technologies takes an integrated approach to managing air quality by combining oil adsorption, dust filtration and residual oil measurement. The company’s Clearpoint V activated carbon adsorber has a readily connected oil-free dust filter. It adsorbs oil vapors and odor with low pressure drop. Optionally, adding Beko’s OilControl, a residual oil-measuring system, allows online, real-time monitoring of compressed-air oil content at the adsorber outlet. Alternately, an adapter with an oil-check indicator can be mounted to assess air quality.

Moisture: Moisture can contaminate equipment and products, cause rust and potentially freeze in air tools. Many compressors feature built-in dew point trending. For those that don’t, Scales recommends dew point monitors that have dry contacts to signal elevated dew points. Remote monitoring services might be available for compressors and dryers, and if action is required, a technician is dispatched from the service provider.

Automating moisture drainage improves reliability and reduces energy and maintenance costs. The Automatic Magnet Drain (AMD) 1550 from Kaeser Compressors removes captured condensate and contaminants from air systems. The lightweight drain trap is corrosion-resistant and durable and handles large amounts of liquid. The condensate chamber is isolated from the control mechanism, which avoids fouling, sticking and excessive maintenance. The AMD 1550 also maintains a “liquid seal” that prevents compressed air loss and saves energy.

Energy consumption: Fixing leaks and eliminating inappropriate uses can reduce energy consumption quickly. In some compressors, operating at partial load can waste energy. For example, a rotary screw unit operating with intake modulation control at 50% of full capacity uses 85% of full-load power and wastes 35% of the input kilowatts. Compressors with variable-speed drives or variable-displacement controls do a much better job of reducing energy consumption at part load.

To automate energy management for multiple compressor systems, Scales’ Smart Sequencer selects and runs the most efficient compressor combination to meet changing production demands. The PLC-based controller monitors and controls any number of compressors of any type, size and manufacturer, and ensures minimized power consumption.

Operating costs: Well-coordinated air systems have reduced operating and maintenance costs. EnergAir offers Metacentre, a product family that includes machine controllers, I/O modules, communication interface modules, pressure sensors, variable-speed drives and software. Suited for systems with as many as 24 compressors, Metacentre systems manage compressors and auxiliary equipment site-wide “as one” to balance equipment utilization and system pressure. EnergAir’s PC Visualisation software monitors, controls, trends and reports key performance indicators for better maintenance and reliability.

Establishing priorities: A compressed air system assessment or audit reveals opportunities for improvement. Acting on the recommendations pays dividends in energy savings, reliability and production efficiencies. “Our compressed air system experts look for inappropriate compressed air usage, waste and inefficiencies. If we can’t save you the cost of the assessment or audit through energy savings, there’ll be no fee for the expert’s time,” Scales says.

E-mail Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy, managing director of Additive Communications, at Sheila@addcomm.com.

Reference Web sites:
www.scalesair.com
www.ab.com
www.beko.de
www.kaeser.com
www.energair.com
www.plantservices.com/articles/2008/096.html

---

More Voices

Air system enhancements
11/05/2008
Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy explains how to optimize compressed air quality, moisture, energy and priorities.

Motor design matters
10/07/2008
Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy reports that construction changes are improving energy efficiency, reliability and process control, and for good reason.

Stepper motors vie with servos
09/05/2008
Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy reports that better motors, drivers, controllers and systems are powering a lively competition.

Predicting motor failure
08/11/2008
Power signatures reveal potential problems with performance and reliability.

Diaphragm seal decisions
07/09/2008
Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy details smart ways to keep pressure at bay.

Helices and diamonds
06/04/2008
Contributing editor Sheila Kennedy reports on new features that help mechanical seals last longer and handle tougher environments.

Aging electrical systems?
05/01/2008
Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy reports that creative approaches to electrical power distribution promise to raise reliability.

Say cheese!
04/02/2008
Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy reports on how today’s camera systems do more than snap pictures or videos.

Hydrogen in action
03/07/2008
Fuel cells have the power to move you, especially when it comes to materials-handling equipment.

Ensuring a calm response
02/08/2008
Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy says crisis management benefits from a dose of high technology.

Tiny, wireless and self-energized
01/04/2008
Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy reports that a new generation of sensors is poised to revolutionize predictive maintenance.

New generation of sensors poised to revolutionize predictive maintenance
12/26/2007
New software and emerging technologies are simplifying condition monitoring and streamlining the process of predictive maintenance.

Know your position
12/14/2007
Encoders can handle the environment, the application and size limitations

Access Control: Keeping terrorist attacks out of your plant
10/16/2007
Could your plant be turned into a weapon of mass destruction? Could the goods you manufacture be intentionally contaminated or your hazardous materials stolen? Keep bad things from happening to good people, plants and products.

Control valve diagnostics
08/08/2007
Health monitoring leaves fewer reasons to live with stiction, wrong-sizing and excessive wear.

Forces to be reckoned
07/06/2007
Fluid power technology is producing hydraulic pumps and motors that are more compact, efficient and economical than ever before.

Dropping VOC levels raise issues that can affect your plant
06/04/2007

Mechatronics redux
05/17/2007
Integrating mechanics, electronics and software empowers power transmission.

Fight the lightning bolts
05/17/2007
Follow standards when selecting personal protection for arc flash hazards.

Modern VSDs are more capable than ever
04/11/2007
The goal of a variable-speed drive (VSD) is to modulate motor speed to reduce power demand and generate energy savings. Drive options constantly change, and how you match motor and drive affects system efficiency. Understanding the VSD’s effect on speed and resonant frequencies can reduce a motor’s life-cycle cost.

The incredible shrinking heat exchanger
03/26/2007
Heat exchangers are getting increasingly compact and efficient. Enhanced, compact, ultra-compact, microscale and mesoscale variations are on the market or in development. Continuing innovations in nanotechnology and fuel cells promise further advances in heat exchanger miniaturization.

Follow standards when selecting personal protection for arc flash hazards
03/20/2007
Wearing personal protective equipment is necessary in reducing injury from electrical arc flash accidents, but it's no substitute for proper safety training, among other best practices in arc flash safety.

New technologies coming to measure emissions and flow rates
11/29/2006
High fuel costs, strict emission regulations and environmental and safety concerns are inspiring innovation in flow and emission management technologies.

Superior storage and retrieval
10/31/2006
The automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) of yesterday are being upgraded or supplemented with innovative technologies that solve specific operational challenges. New products on the market are faster, more efficient, have additional safety features, and are easier to learn and use.

A carpet of green
10/19/2006
A variety of health and safety standards, environmental regulations and federal programs are influencing development of new floor care products. Among the goals of the “green” flooring initiatives are minimizing toxic ingredients, chemical releases and frequency of stripping and recoating.

Greenbacks for green lighting
09/11/2006
Lighting control is among the strategies that improve economic and environmental performance. Such systems can curb lighting energy costs by more than 50%, defer lamp replacement costs by cutting burn hours and encourage predictive maintenance practices, says Sheila Kennedy in her latest Technology Toolbox column.

Diligent maintenance produces valuable assets
07/26/2006
New techniques are being developed to minimize the onus of repairs and frequency of replacement, and to convert roofing liabilities into energy-producing assets.

On prime movers, macro and micro
07/10/2006
Industry and Mother Nature have both developed highly efficient motors.

Seal manufacturers improving on reliability
04/27/2006
Historically, mechanical seals were designed with very flat, parallel faces, and nearly a century passed before this basic principle saw any notable change. New and emerging manufacturing technologies provide greater flexibility in seal design, the goal being greater reliability, even in the most demanding applications.

New tools for PdM
03/15/2006
Learn about condition monitoring beyond oil analysis, temperature and vibration in Sheila Kennedy's monthly Technology Toolbox column.

Harnessing the flow
03/07/2006
Don’t let control valves be a pumping system’s weakest link, advises Sheila Kennedy in this month's Technology Toolbox.

The end of the oil change?
01/26/2006
In this month's Technology Toolbox, Shiela Kennedy writes that nanotechnology-based liquid and solid lubricants may last forever.

Lighting illuminated
12/13/2005
Efficient lighting systems can save your plant in regards to both energy costs and maintenance hours.

Rein in refrigerants
12/07/2005
The environment and your budget will appreciate the effort

Airing out performance concerns
11/21/2005
Keys to keeping air compressor systems from putting downward pressure on the bottom line.

Robotic floor cleaning on the horizon
10/05/2005
Originally designed for consumer use but quickly adopted for military and government applications, floor cleaning robots are evolving steadily and increasingly appealing to managers in a range of commercial establishments. But, their readiness for industrial environments depends on the application.

Diagnosing with dynamometers
09/22/2005
Monitoring power output in real time reveals the true capability of a drive system.

Using thermography to keep tabs on roofing hot spots
08/23/2005
With thermography technology becoming increasingly affordable, plants on a tight budget can consider a do-it-yourself approach.

Rotating equipment can drive efficiency
07/27/2005
Rotating equipment can feed real-time operating data into your plant network.

Industrial coatings can handle the worst conditions
06/08/2005
Industrial coatings enhance the properties of a substrate and increase its service life. The right coatings can endure severe temperatures, moisture and humidity, fumes, chemicals and abrasion.

Proactive lubrication improves reliability
06/06/2005
It's a slick, simple, cost-effective way to increase equipment uptime.

Action at a distance
04/12/2005
Remote diagnostics can assist you in picking up some efficiency in your plant. Read Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy's piece on this innovation.

Wasting away
03/31/2005
Corrosion is inevitable in your plant and reduces the useful life of equipment and increases the risk of litigation. Learn how to monitor corrosion and save on corrosion-related costs.

Gain benefits from electricity deregulation
02/23/2005
Businesses operating in a deregulated energy market are free to choose their electricity provider. Perhaps its time you look around and see if you can save on energy costs.

Learning from your mistakes
01/06/2005
With the right incident tracking software, you can reduce recurrent failures, improve safety and reliability, save and avoid costs, and improve performance.

NFPA 70E: Why comply?
11/18/2004
The newly released NFPA 70E has a whole new look and content. It covers protection for electrical workers from hazards such as shock, arc blasts and explosions initiated by electricity, outside conductors and more. It’s a must-read for all electrical workers and their employers.

Shelter in a storm
10/19/2004
How to save your roof when Old Man Winter makes a surprise attack

Starry, starry night
09/21/2004
Improve visibility and save energy with outdoor lighting that complies with dark sky inititatives

Open season for open standards
08/04/2004

Sign it away?
08/03/2004
In 2001, the future of Kinleith Mill was uncertain. It needed to achieve considerable ongoing efficiency improvements to remain viable. To accomplish this, drastic restructuring of the business was required, affecting maintenance, stores and operations.

Pipe for perpetuity
07/15/2004

Manufacturing is cool
06/10/2004
Are you having a hard time convincing your family and friends that manufacturing is not a boring, greasy career? Are you concerned about the brain drain in manufacturing, and why fewer college students today are choosing a career in this industry? Read about some fun ways to generate interest in your profession.

Secure your plant
05/21/2004
There is no ironclad method of securing your plant from every possible emergency. There are, however, reasonable and responsible steps that you can take to mitigate your greatest security challenges.

When variable-speed drives make cents
04/20/2004
Do VSDs always generate energy savings?

Safety under pressure
02/25/2004

Cut energy costs
02/05/2004
Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy explains how a plant-wide assessment of energy usage can lead to significant bottom-line cost savings and increased competitiveness.