Management of compressed air systems

Conference · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996

OSTI ID:227086

Brod, S R; Ray, S

Compressed air is perhaps the most inefficient form of commonly used energy in industrial facilities. Yet, it typically receives only modest management focus towards efficient optimization. Most commonly, the areas of primary management concern regarding compressed air systems are minimizing initial capital costs and ensuring reliable support of production operations. By broadening the current focus and aggressively managing the entire compressed air system, costs of compressed air can often be reduced by as much as 30%. In order to effectively manage compressed air systems, a general knowledge of numerous facets is required. Only once this knowledge is gained can the system as a whole be properly optimized. The purpose of this paper is to draw upon experience gained in numerous industrial assessments to provide a practical overview of compressed air systems. It is not meant to provide detailed operational information but rather managerial information. Topics covered are: (1) Overview of Compressed Air Systems - A general discussion of air compressors and systems focusing on the needs of industrial customers. (2) Industry Analysis - An analysis and comparison of compressed air use across industry sectors. (3) Best Practices - An overview of typical cost saving opportunities and best practices and their applicability to industrial customers. (4) Metering Techniques - Determining the benefits of an optimization strategy requires having an understanding of compressed air load profiles which can best be gained through metering.

• OSTI ID: 227086
• Report Number(s): CONF-951173--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE
ECONOMICS
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MANAGEMENT