Compressed Air Systems…. Wasting Energy Since The Start Of The Industrial

Revolution!

Jeff Scott, CEM, CMVP – Key Accounts & Outreach Manager ENWIN Utilities Ltd., Windsor, Ontario, Canada

2018 Michigan energy Efficiency Conference & Exhibition (May 8, 2018)

Disclaimer: All Slides created by ENWIN Utilities Ltd.

About the Speaker

• Responsible for key accounts and industrial

customer outreach in ENWIN Utilities (Windsor)

territory

• Is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and

Certified Measurement & Verification

Professional (CMVP)

• Over 20 years experience in the compressed air

& gas industry

Objectives

• Attendees will learn about…

• The supply and demand side of

a compressed air system

• Proven opportunities for energy

savings

• How to evaluate your

compressed air system

• Utility costs rising and they want to reduce costs

• Need to replace old compressor or expand existing

system

• Need to fix air system and don’t know where to start

• Production is suffering due to downtime, or inadequate

pressure. Compressed air can secretly wreak havoc on

production in many ways.

Why Customers Should Care About

Compressed Air?

• Can represent one of the largest energy consumers in some

industrial facilities

• Can represent one of your greatest energy reduction

opportunities

• Most compressed air systems are misunderstood and poorly

utilized

• Customers will often consider them a priority project once the

costs are understood

Why Energy Conservation Staff Care

About Compressed Air?

A Word of Warning

Compressed air is….

• Often referred to as the 4th utility

NOT FREE!

• One of the most inefficient forms of energy in an industrial facility

• One of the most poorly utilized and misunderstood systems

• Often “out of sight and out of mind”

A Lifetime of Compressed Air

Costs

1 Shift 2 Shift 3 Shift

2,800 Hours 5,600 Hours 8,400 Hours

50 HP $10,444.00 $20,888.00 $31,332.00

(37 KW) 104,440 KWh's 208,880 KWh's 313,320 KWh's

100 HP $20,888.00 $41,776.00 $62,664.00

(75 KW) 208,880 KWh's 417,760 KWh's 626,640 KWh's

500 HP $104,440.00 $208,880.00 $313,320.00

(373 KW) 1,044,400 KWh's 2,088,800 KWh's 3,133,200 KWh's

1,000 HP $208,880.00 $417,760.00 $626,640.00

(746 KW) 2,088,800 KWh's 4,177,600 KWh's 6,266,400 KWh's

2,500 HP $522,200.00 $1,044,400.00 $1,566,600.00

(1,865 KW) 5,222,000 KWh's 10,444,000 KWh's 15,666,000 KWh's

Assuming 7 days/week, 50 weeks/year, and $.10/KWh

Where Do You Start With Compressed Air?

9

• Two distinct systems:

o Supply Side which includes

compressors, storage, air

quality equipment, and

controls

o Demand Side which

includes distribution

system, secondary storage,

and end-use equipment

Supply Side Opportunities

• Compressor Specific

• Compressor controls

• Variable speed/displacement controls

• Compressor rightsizing

• Sequencing multiple compressors

• System storage

• Reducing system pressure

• Preventative maintenance

• Heat recovery

Solutions - Supply Side

• Right sizing

• Controls

• Sequencing multiple

compressors

Solutions - Supply Side

• Increased system storage

• Reducing system pressure

• Preventative maintenance

• Heat recovery

Solutions - Supply Side

Other Compressor Room Items:

• Refrigerated Air Dryers

• Thermal mass, cycling, or VFD

• Regenerative Air Dryers

• Low pressure drop filters

• Maintenance

• Zero airloss drain valves

• Dewpoint dependent switching

• Assorted purge methods • Heated purge

• Blower purge

• Vaccuum purge

Demand Side Opportunities

• Distribution system

• Pressure reduction

• Inappropriate End Uses

• Leaks

Solutions – Distribution Systems

• A closed loop system is recommended

• Large consistent pipe diameter

• Avoid too many elbows, tees, etc. Keep it simple!

• Account for any critical application and high-volume/intermittent

applications by installing satellite air receivers and metered recovery

• Drops should come off the top of the main

header to prevent any condensate from entering

the process.

Solutions – Pressure Reduction

• Reducing pressure also reduces

the amount of energy lost by leaks

• Pressure is often raised to appease

a specific process or machine

• Booster?

• Regulate the “system” and points of

use

• Lockable?

Solutions – Inappropriate End

Uses

• Address points of use for

volume, pressure, and quality

• Investigate and address high

volume, intermittent

applications (metered

recovery?)

• Challenge point of use

requirements and appropriateness

or inappropriateness of

applications

Solutions – Inappropriate End

Uses

Solutions – Leak Repairs

• Typical system has 15 – 25% air leakage

• Normally a simple payback of less than 6

months

• Not caring about leaks could lead to

increasing compressor system capacity

Solutions – Leak Repairs

• Leak management MUST be an ongoing

process

• Leak tag and awareness program

• Try a weekend leak audit

• Duct tape is NOT an

acceptable solution

Case Study:

Oversized Compressor With Poor

Control Method

• 100 Horsepower compressor operating 24/7

• Modulation controls

• Undersized primary storage

• Significant reduction in staff and production

• Customer locked in at $.14/kWh

Case Study

Case Studies – Fixing Leaks

Action Items

• Basic block diagram

• Supply and Demand

sides

• Baseline and calculate energy

use and costs

• Implement control strategy

• Baseline, determine leak load

and recalculate

• Identify and fix leaks

• Reduce pressure

Action Items

• Correct inappropriate uses

• Check preventive maintenance items

and other opportunities to reduce costs

and improve performance

• Review distribution system and identify

high volume demands

• Dedicated/metered storage

• Re-measure, and optimize controls

• Implement continuous improvement

program

Available Resources

• Compressed Air Challenge

• Training sessions (Fundamentals & Advanced)

• Eligible for IESO Training incentive program

• Online resources

• Compressed Air & Gas Institute (CAGI)

• Compressed Air Best Practices E-Magazine

• Your Compressed Air Service Provider

• Your Electricity Service Provider!

• WE WANT TO HELP!

Jeff Scott, CEM, CMVP

Key Accounts & Outreach Manager – Industrial

ENWIN Utilities Ltd.

Tel: (519) 255-2888 Ext: 726

Email: jscott@enwin.com

www.ENWIN.COM

My Contact Information

Questions?