Process, Controls & Plant Focus on: Compressed Air 24 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk April/May 2024 David De Pril, Director, Product Management, ELGi Compressors Europe examines ways to consume less energy, produce more, and bring lasting benefits in terms of sustainability, profitability, and effectiveness to your compressed air applications. Compressed air with energy efficiency at the core It is not a revelation to anyone in the industry that energy is the largest operating expense, accounting for the majority of utility costs. With increased energy prices, it’s important that we look at energy efficiency improvements in more detail. Especially as investing in energy efficiency can provide real savings, ensure superior process performance, and real financial outcomes. In manufacturing processes using compressed air, air compressors consume approximately 12% of the total electrical energy, and over the lifespan of an air compressor, 80% of the cost is energy use, and 20% is the cost of the unit including maintenance. Energy consumption reduction targets across the European to be achieved by 2030. The revised EU Energy Efficiency Directive (EU) 2023/1791, published in September 2023, will accelerate energy efficiency across the European Union, requiring EU countries to collectively reduce their energy consumption by 11.7% by 2030, relative to the 2020 reference scenario. Additionally, EU countries will have to achieve new annual savings of on average 1.49% of total energy consumption from 2024 to 20301. Embracing energy efficiency practices is much more than compliance. It is also the right thing to do. Decarbonisation of heavy industrial processes is central to reaching targets combatting climate change. With the industry being the third-largest carbon contributor after energy production and transport, energy efficiency measures in industrial processes have enormous decarbonisation potential. An informed, holistic view – air audit Whether you’re considering a new air compressor or planning to upgrade the existing system, working closely with a subject matter expert capable to design or redesign your compressed air systems, one that could then remain as your service provider, is critical. This will ensure you get the true picture of all areas that need to be addressed when aiming at improving the energy efficiency of your operations. Your expert partner would conduct a compressed air system energy audit, or Air Audit to identify areas of loss or inefficiencies within a compressed air system. Moreover, skilled energy audit engineers can then identify and modify faults and disorders. A complete analysis looks at everything from the compressor to the environment in which it operates, as well as operational demands such as peaks and troughs in air demand and operational expansion planning. A finite analysis of the bigger picture - understanding how even the most minor system elements impact the energy consumption associated with the compressor. The aim is to strike the right balance in technical and economic choices - in compressor units, capacities, operational parameters, energy efficiency, planning for future air demand changes, and considering all energy costs. A proper Audit Report details recommendations on short-, medium-, and longterm measures for energy conservation, along with financial estimates and analysis for their implementation. These recommendations come with databases and fact sheets generated by measurements and tests conducted in your plant and the field. After this study, manufacturers can propose making educated decisions about their assets, upgrade investments, and ultimately achieve a reduced compressed air energy consumption. Sizing the air compressor and selecting the right technology With so many air compressor technologies in the market today, the right selection for your production can be overwhelming. When choosing an air compressor, assessing the load type is critical. For example, a screw air compressor doesn’t shut down immediately and goes into unload state to limit too many motor starts and stops. This unloading process consumes up to 30% of energy, increasing the
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