If you use compressed air at your company, then it's likely the largest part of your electricity bill. Also, if you're like most companies, you could make small improvements to reduce this bill by 15% or more.
Here are some easy fixes that would save you money:
1. Fix The Leaks.
I'm sure you if you have the air conditioner on, you make sure everybody closes the windows and doors. The same principle applies to your air system. If you have leaks, you're just "leaving the doors and windows open." Hundreds or thousands of dollars in electricity are literally leaking out of your system, until you fix it. Not only that, it makes your compressor run more, which increases your maintenance costs and wear & tear on the compressor. You would never accept this with your A/C system, so why do most companies accept this with their compressed air system?
2. Lower The Pressure.
Every time you lower your system pressure by 2 psi, you save approximately 1% on your electrical costs. Additionally, if you have leaks, they leak less air at lower pressures - sometimes a considerable amount. Why not lower your system pressure to just above what you use? If you have proper tank storage (4-5 gallons of storage per CFM of compressor) and air system with a low pressure drop, then you should make this change immediately. If you don't have proper storage, get it. A big tank is big bank - it saves you money in so many different ways, I cannot list them all in this blog post.
3. Pressure Drop.
Pressure drop is the difference in psi coming out of the compressor from the pressure at the end of the line where you use the air. This is often caused by pipe being too small, in-line filter elements not being changed or too many twists and turn in the piping. Changing the filter elements is an easy fix, but the others may take a little more time or money. However, the return on investment should make it worth the effort. If you are unsure about taking this step, call or email us. We can figure out your return on investment.
4. Maintenance.
You should be doing this anyway. Changing the filters and oil on your compressor(s) lets them run more efficiently. Changing the elements in in-line filters reduces pressure drop. Cleaning the coils on condenser in a dryer makes it run more efficiently, and cleaning the coils on the compressor cooler lets the compressor run more efficiently and keeps it from overheating. Make sure you have a proper preventative maintenance program in place is essential. You may want to consider a professional compressor company to put you on a maintenance program. Our service department offers this program for companies of all sizes, so please contact them if this interests you.
5. Reduce the size of your blow down/blow offs.
A lot of personnel use compressed air to clean equipment or themselves. They just take a hose and blow the dust off of them or the equipment. If they're using an open hose, then you're losing a considerable amount of money every time. Please look at this chart. This is just a leak, so reducing the pressure and the size of the leak saves you a lot of money. Put a regulator and blow gun on that hose - it probably costs $20-$50, and will save you hundreds of dollars in energy costs. Use the smallest orifice blow you can with the least amount of pressure you need to get the job done.
There are many other ways to reduce your electricity bill and compressor maintenance by optimizing your compressed air system. Please call or email us if you need help or more information.
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