Why is compressed air waste often neglected?
Compressed air system is an “invisible big consumer” of industrial energy consumption. According to the statistics of the International Energy Agency (IEA), about 10% of the world’s industrial electricity is used for air compressor, among them, 30%-50% of compressed air is lost in vain due to leakage, improper use and inefficient control. Leakage not only causes energy waste, but also aggravates equipment wear, reduces system pressure stability, and affects the air quality level specified by ISO 8573.
Practical Method of leakage estimation
common estimation methods include:
- acoustic detection method: cooperate with ultrasonic leak detector to locate high frequency leakage points;
- pressure attenuation method: monitor the pressure drop rate of the system after shutdown, and use the volume to reverse the leakage;
- flow difference method: compare the output flow of air compressor with the measured total flow of terminal, the difference is leakage loss;
- ISO 8573 reference calibration: the decrease of cleanliness level is often accompanied by leakage of pollutants, which can be used as an indirect diagnostic basis.
The value of energy saving audit of air compressor
professional air compressor energy-saving audit not only identifies leakage, but also evaluates the overall energy efficiency of pneumatic system-including pipe network design, gas matching, waste heat recovery potential and intelligent control strategy. A typical audit can find 15%-40% energy saving space, and the payback period is usually less than 2 years.
Leakage point indication (airflow Escape)
Energy efficiency improvement path