Efficiency Unleashed: How Air Compressors Drive Energy Savings

The Impact of Compressed Air Energy Savings

Energy-efficient practices deliver a number of environmental benefits. There is a great opportunity for optimising the energy efficiency of your compressed air supply and this will not only lower your energy costs but also reduce CO2 emissions.

Air compressors can be energy-intensive and if they’re not maintained properly, they can lose energy due to leaks and inefficient equipment. These losses can lead to substantial energy consumption. By implementing energy-saving measures such as reducing unloaded running hours, decreasing pressure bands, eliminating leaks and so on, it is possible to reduce energy usage and lower operational costs.

The energy consumption of compressed air systems is directly linked to CO2 emissions, as most of the world’s electricity is generated from fossil fuels. By lowering energy usage in these systems, your site can contribute to lower fossil fuel consumption, leading to a decrease in CO2 emissions, and contributing to improved air quality and a smaller ecological footprint. In this way, your company can do its part to be more sustainable through energy-efficient solutions.

10 Best Practice Tips for Energy-Efficient Compressor Installations

We have created a comprehensive energy savings guide to help you reduce your running costs and your carbon footprint by making your air compressors more energy efficient.

Why Should You Download This Guide?

Find out more about:

• Reducing compressor unloaded running hours
• Decreasing pressure bands for enhanced efficiency
• Conducting compressed air audits to identify efficiency improvements
• Eliminating air leaks to minimise energy waste
• Harnessing heat recovery for energy efficiency
• The benefits of modern compressed air equipment
• Installing the correct compressor size and technology
• Emphasising regular maintenance’s impact

Overview of the Guide

Our 10 best practice tips will enhance the energy efficiency of your air compressors so you can avoid energy wastage and high electricity bills.

1. Reducing Unloaded Running Hours

Compressed air makes up a significant portion of the total energy expenditures within the realm of industrial manufacturing, accounting for approximately 12% to 40%. This indicates the importance of compressed air energy conservation, as it wields considerable influence over the cumulative energy outlay and CO2 emissions of your facility. Within this context, compressor controllers present intuitive and user-friendly mechanisms to effectively reduce unloaded running hours.

2. Eliminating Air Leaks

Leakages stand as a substantial contributor to energy inefficiency, particularly in aged compressed air systems. Even a minute 3mm leakage point can lead to an approximate weekly loss of £980 in wasted energy. Research suggests that leakages could account for up to 20% of the overall compressed air consumption. One effective approach involves running the air compressor without production to detect potential leaks. Rectifying these air leaks promptly will yield immediate cost savings.

3. Reducing Pressure Bands

An established principle for most compressors dictates that a reduction of 1 bar in pressure (14.5 psi) can result in a notable 7% decrease in electricity consumption. To achieve this, careful adjustment of the compressor’s pressure settings is recommended, ensuring the attainment of the lowest pressure while reducing the pressure band without compromising operational functions.

4. Harnessing Heat Recovery

Heat recovery presents a significant opportunity for manufacturers to achieve notable savings by harnessing the waste heat generated by air compressors. Notably, an estimated 90% of industrial air compressors employed in the UK possess the potential for heat recovery integration. Leveraging recovered heat from compressed air reduces the need for additional energy expenditures, such as heating hot water or utilising exhausted cooling air for space heating.

5. Ensuring Correct Compressor Size

Selecting the right size air compressor is crucial to the smooth operation of your facility. When determining the most suitable compressor type, a series of critical considerations should be made, including the intended application and scope, the volumetric airflow requirements, the minimum operational pressure prerequisites of your facility, the need for clean and dry air (involving the use of dryers and filters) and more. Given that a substantial 70% of a compressor’s Total Lifecycle Cost (LCC) is attributed to energy consumption, this strategic selection process will ultimately result in reduced operational expenditures for your factory.

Want to know more? Download our guide HERE for more detailed energy-saving tips.

Energy Savings for Your Air Compressors

Compressed air is one of the most important utilities for industry manufacturing. And at the same time, it’s one of the largest consumers of energy. As a result, compressor energy savings will have a great impact on your overall business costs and on the environment. You can look forward to lower operational costs, enhanced efficiency and a reduced carbon footprint.

Check out our comprehensive guide (insert guide link) for insights into how you can implement energy-efficient practices for your air compressors.