1. Main Headquarters: 120 Water Street, Suite 350, North Andover, MA 01845 With offices in: NY, ME, TX, CA, OR www.ers-inc.com
COMPRESSED AIR LOAD REDUCTION
APPROACHES AND INNOVATIONS
presented by
Mark D’Antonio
ENERGY & RESOURCE SOLUTIONS,
INC.

2. AIR SYSTEM OVERVIEW
 Compressor Plant
 Plant Auxiliaries
 Air Receivers
 Distribution System
 End Uses and Loads

3. AIR SYSTEM OVERVIEW
Source: DOE Compressed Air Challenge

4. DEMAND SIDE END-USES
 Normal Appropriate Uses
 Air Leaks
 Artificial Demand due to Excessive
Pressure
 Inappropriate Uses

5. APPROPRIATE USES
 Pneumatically Actuated Equipment
 Pneumatic Hand tools
 Instrument and Control Air
 Medical Applications
 Process Air

6. AIR LEAKS
 Monitoring
 Ultrasonic Leak Detection
 Typical Leaks
Tag # Room Location (psi) CFM Description/Comments
00-834 Machine Dept. Air drop 2" nipple 105 2.5 Reducer to iron nipple
00-835 Tool Room Sharp milling machine air gun 105 3.8 Quick connect at air gun
00-836 Tool Room Sharp milling machine regulator 105 1.3 Brass coupling-outlet of regulator
00-837 Wax Dept Assembly line- hose to air gun 65 1.6 Leak in air hose (taped up at leak)
00-838 Wax Dept Assembly line regulator 45 1.1 Regulator at 10' height, undetermined fitting
00-839 Wax Dept Solubles area air gun 45 1.6 Brass coupling into air gun 45 elbow
00-840 Wax Dept Wax press #009 87 2.1 Brass nipple to hose connector at regulator
00-862 Wax Dept Wax press #010 95 2.3 T connectors underneath unit, several
00-863 Wax Dept Wax press #006 105 5.0 Back of press-brass nipple into elbow
00-864 Wax Dept 208 Tank #3 35 1.3 Oil lubricator at regulator undetermined
00-865 Wax Dept Wax Press #004 105 2.5 Ball valve L into solenoid underneath machine
00-866 Wax Dept Wax Press #003 105 3.8 Brass coupling into solenoid below machine

7. AIR LEAK SAVINGS ANALYSIS
ERS Ultrasonic Leak Detection Survey
Results Summary
Facility: ____________ Corp.
Survey Date: April 1, 2001
Leak Repair Cost Summary Annual Demand and Energy Savings
Number of leaks detected and tagged: 176 Peak Annual
Estimated CFM attributed to repairable leaks: 450.2 kW kWh
Total Existing Usage: 538.9 3,052,863
Estimated Leak Repair Cost (at $100 per tagged leak): $17,600 Total Proposed Usage: 423.5 2,399,874
Additional Materials Required: $0 Annual Savings: 115.4 652,989
contingency 0% $0
Total Leak Repair Cost: $17,600 Cost Savings Summary
Demand Energy
Economic Summary kW saved: 115.4 kWh Saved per Year: 652,989
Total Electrical Cost Savings: $53,429 Rate: $6.72 On-Peak Rate ($/kWh): $0.0707
EEM Measure Life (Years): 3 Off-Peak Rate ($/kWh): $0.0658
Simple Payback (Years): 0.3 Total Electrical Cost Savings: $53,429

8. IMPROVING EFFICIENCY OF APPROPRIATE USES
 Pressure Reduction
 Volumetric Flow Control
 Demand Flow Control

9. REDUCE ARTIFICIAL DEMAND :
PRESSURE REDUCTION
 Reduce Artificial Demand
 Pressure Reduction
• Point of Use Regulation
• Central Regulation

10. VOLUMETRIC FLOW CONTROL
 Nozzles
 Air Knives
 Air Amplifiers

11. DEMAND FLOW CONTROL
 Interlocked Solenoid Valves
 Flow Controllers

12. SOLUTIONS FOR INAPPROPRIATE USES
 Open Blowing - Blowers
 Sparging/Agitation - Blowers
 Aspirating - Blowers
 Personnel Cooling - Fans
 Air Powered Diaphragm Pumps - Electric
Powered Pumps
 Induced Vacuum Systems - Vacuum Pump
 Cabinet Cooling - Blowers/Heat Pipe
 Condensate Drains - Airless Float-Activated
Drains

13. SOLUTIONS FOR INAPPROPRIATE USES

14. CASE STUDY - AUTOMOTIVE SEALING
SYSTEMS COMPRESSOR PLANT
Full Line
Size Load Average Percent Loading Average CFM Pressure
Manufacturer Type (HP) CFM 1st Shift 2nd Shift 3rd Shift 1st Shift 2nd Shift 3rd Shift (psi)
Sullair Rotary Screw, Single-Stage, Modulating 150 616 90% 90% 90% 554.4 554.4 554.4 105
Worthington Rotary Screw, Single-Stage, Modulating 150 600 44% 44% 44% 271.0 271.0 271.0 105
Worthington Rotary Screw, Single-Stage, Modulating 150 600 18% 18% 18% 110.9 110.9 110.9 105
Gardner Denver Rotary Screw, Single-Stage, Modulating 150 625 92% 78% 78% 566.7 480.5 480.5 105
Gardner Denver Rotary Screw, Single-Stage, Modulating 150 625 57% 57% 57% 351.1 351.1 351.1 105
1,854 1,768 1,768
kW kWh
Facility Compressed Air Usage: 538.9 3,052,863

15. CASE STUDY
COMPRESSOR PERFORMANCE
110 PSI motor
capacity CFM % HP BHP eff. KW KW/CFM
100% 616 110% 165 0.945 130.25 0.211
90% 554 100% 150 0.942 119.19 0.215
80% 493 91% 136 0.938 108.04 0.219
70% 431 81% 121 0.935 96.82 0.225
60% 370 71% 107 0.932 85.52 0.231
50% 308 62% 92 0.928 74.13 0.241
40% 246 52% 78 0.925 62.66 0.254
30% 185 42% 63 0.922 51.11 0.277
20% 123 32% 49 0.918 39.48 0.320
10% 62 23% 34 0.915 27.76 0.451
0% 0 13% 0 0.000 0.00 0.000
150 HP Rotary Screw - single stage, inlet modulation,
air-cooled, premium efficiency motor

16. CASE STUDY AIR LEAK RESOLUTION
Total
Cost
$
Energy
Savings
kWh
Demand
Savings
kW
Annual
Savings
$
$14,960 652,989 115.4 $53,429
Simple Payback (years): 0.3
ERS performed a compressed air survey using ultrasonic leak detection
equipment and tagged one hundred seventy six (176) compressed air leaks
throughout the facility. The majority of these leaks were located at
connection points of fittings, filters, lubricators, regulators, control valves,
and hand blow-off guns.
Most of the leaks were easily repaired. Leaks at threaded connections
were repaired by simply backing off the fitting, applying thread sealant,
and reassembling. Where parts had failed, such as hoses and filter bowls,
new replacement parts were installed.
We estimate the diversity of compressor loading and, utilizing a
performance curve for the size and type of compressor involved, predict
energy losses due to the leaks observed.

17. CASE STUDY EFFICIENT AIR NOZZLES
Total
Cost
$
Energy
Savings
kWh
Demand
Savings
kW
Annual
Savings
$
$5,180 79,698 10.3 $5,482
Simple Payback (years): 0.9
Blow-off and part positioning on selected equipment is achieved with a
steady stream of high velocity compressed air. The compressed air is
delivered through copper tubing focused on the desired locations. These
machines currently use 1/16” copper tubing to deliver air streams at 95-100
psi for part positioning and feeding. At 100 psi, such an orifice will
deliver just under 6.5 CFM.
Installation of efficient air nozzles was recommended to meet the process
requirements but with significantly reduced compressed air consumption.
An efficient air nozzle at similar pressure will consume only 4.5 CFM of
compressed air. These nozzles are designed to significantly reduce
compressed air consumption, thereby reducing compressor runtime.

18. CASE STUDY INSTALL AIR
SOLENOID VALVES
Total
Cost
$
Energy
Savings
kWh
Demand
Savings
kW
Annual
Savings
$
$3,650 121,499 na $8,357
Simple Payback (years): 0.4
There is a wide array of distributed equipment in the facility that requires
compressed air. During non-producing periods, some of this point-of-use
equipment continues to consume air and waste energy. Air loss at the
equipment during non-producing times can be curtailed by controlling
the supply to the equipment.
Compressed air supply should be controlled by installing solenoid valves
that are electrically interlocked with machine operation.With such an
installation, compressed air can be supplied to the equipment only when
it is required for operation, eliminating waste during machine
downtimes.

19. CASE STUDY FLOW CONTROLLER/REDUCE
PRESSURE
Total
Cost
$
Energy
Savings
kWh
Demand
Savings
kW
Annual
Savings
$
$40,600 72,724 60.6 $9,850
Simple Payback (years): 4.1
The existing compressed air system pressure setpoint of 105 psi is currently
required to meet the facility demand. This pressure setting is necessary to account
for pressure band fluctuations typical to compressed air systems with large
demand, inadequate storage and no precise flow controlling equipment. Pressure
swings of 10 psi are common. Subsequently, system pressures are set artificially
high to ensure demand requirements at the point of use equipment.
Installing a flow controller and storage capacity will solve this problem and save
energy. Flow controllers with sophisticated sensing and flow response capabilities
allow for delivery of pressures within a two psi band. This narrow band allows
demand side delivery pressures to be reduced considerably, lowering overall
compressed air consumption and reducing compressor run times.

20. CASE STUDY INSTALL SEQUENCING
CONTROL
Total
Cost
$
Energy
Savings
kWh
Demand
Savings
kW
Annual
Savings
$
$43,405 657,842 na $45,246
Simple Payback (years): 1.0
The facility’s compressor plant is composed of multiple rotary screw compressors
operating continuously in modulation mode. Each compressor operates on local
controls; no central sequencing controls exist. Installing a master sequencing
control system to network the compressors together will allow for dynamic
optimization of the system as a function of demand. Networking multiple
compressors with a microprocessor based sequencing controller facilitates system
optimization by minimizing compressor horsepower to meet the load.
The controller dynamically monitors system demand and continually adjusts the
compressors’ operating sequence. The controller will select horsepower in a
programmable manner to best match available compressor capacity, minimizing
compressor part-load operation and maximizing system efficiency. By establishing
a base/trim profile, all compressors on line are operated fully loaded before the
next compressor is brought online in the system.

21. CASE STUDY INSTALL BLOWERS FOR BLOW-OFF
OPERATIONS
Total
Cost
$
Energy
Savings
kWh
Demand
Savings
kW
Annual
Savings
$
$79,278 683,940 220.9 $64,846
Simple Payback (years): 1.2
On several extrusion lines, compressed air is currently used for
blow-off drying as the product exits the cooling tanks.
Additionally, blow-off is used as the product exits flocking
stations to remove excess flock. The same function can be
provided at a much lower operating cost with centrifugal blower
systems.
Installation of three centralized blower and air knife/nozzle
systems to supply blow-off air to the extrusion lines will result in
lower operating costs. Blower systems that deliver high volumes
of lower pressure air directed with air knife and nozzle systems
are effective and economical compared to compressed air.

22. CONCLUSIONS
 Optimize Appropriate End-Uses
 Eliminate Inappropriate End-Uses
 Reduce Artificial Demand
 Pressure and Pressure Drop Reduction