Industrial Utility Efficiency

Leaks

Given that compressed air leak management programs are meant to save energy, reduce CO2 emissions, and generate ROI, DENSO’s Maryville, Tennessee, manufacturing facility can definitively say it has scored a trifecta when it comes to results – and reaped benefits beyond hard numbers alone.

Best Practices for Acoustic Inspections in the Pulp and Paper Industry

Detecting Compressed Air Leaks Can Lead to Reduced Energy Waste, Boosted Productivity, and Improved Profits for Paper Mills

Many manufacturing industries including food and beverage, chemical, mining and pulp and paper are heavily reliant on the use of compressed air within their production processes. Paper mills are major industrial facilities that rely on compressed air throughout the entire process as it is used to separate and clean the raw pulp fiber, operate pneumatic tools, and even control valves.

DENSO Compressed Air Leak Detection Program Drives CO2 Reduction Results

Given that compressed air leak management programs are meant to save energy, reduce CO2 emissions, and generate ROI, DENSO’s Maryville, Tennessee, manufacturing facility can definitively say it has scored a trifecta when it comes to results – and reaped benefits beyond hard numbers alone.

The Myth of Leak Repairs

When fundamentals like leak detection are neglected, best practices begin to slip. Inefficiency does not happen instantaneously, but slowly becomes the new norm as leaks or open blows are overlooked. Maintaining peak compressed air system efficiency is essential to streamlined operations. Better yet: it doesn’t need to be complicated. A clear, concise, and actionable plan will prevent negligence and keep your operation up-to-date on energy efficiency and cost savings.

Compressed Air Audit Details Two Energy Saving Projects for Maintenance Teams

In this article, we will provide detail on the characteristics of the baseline system and then share the energy-saving work identified in two projects. These two projects represent work which can be performed by the maintenance teams in every plant. These are also project opportunities we find in almost every plant we visit. The two projects are to (1) repair/replace condensate drains wasting compressed air and (2) to perform a compressed air leak survey.

Air Compressor Control Lessons Learned at Metal Products Company

Their system was designed and built to achieve premium performance, yet in a recent compressed air assessment the numbers showed their system had surprisingly poor performance, and worse, their staff was unaware of the problems. This article discusses some of the challenges faced and some future solutions that could get their system back to higher performance levels.

DOE Better Plants Partners Get Serious About Compressed Air Systems

Compressed air is used in all the company’s plants and is often the single largest energy end use within them. As a result, compressed air energy-saving measures are often replicable across the company and offer significant positive impacts. One area of focus is with compressed air leaks since they are “the best low hanging fruit to focus on and they always keep popping up and waste energy”.

Whiskey Distillery Compressed Air Study Saves Energy

A premium whiskey distillery was seeking to renew their compressed air system and meet their corporate mandate in making their production facility more efficient. The first step on the road to improvement was having their compressed air system assessed. This article discusses some of the findings of the system study, which saved significant energy, improved system reliability, and captured a significant utility incentive to help with the study costs and the cost of a new compressor.

A High-Tech Way to Extend Your Reach to Leaks

One of the best ways to reduce compressed air costs is to look for ways to reduce leakage flow, an unnecessary load that is a constant demand on the compressed air system. This flow is never-ending and occurs during production periods, and during quiet times at night or on weekends. Reducing the flow in a well-controlled compressed air system will result in the reduction of compressor energy consumption, usually by about \$1,750 per every 10 cfm, and often reduces pressure loss, allowing your machines to run better. This article discusses some recent experiences in using an acoustical imaging leak detector.

Leak Detection Technology Transitions Toward Maintenance 4.0

Awareness and interest in leak detection only continues to grow thanks to a number of factors. What we have seen over the last 20 years is a more sustainable way of thinking, established international energy efficiency standards, reliable leak detection technology, and best practices to implement leak detection.

Saint-Gobain Makes Solving Sustainability Competitive and Fun

Challenging teams of employees to generate energy savings while having a good time in the process is the idea behind Saint-Gobain’s “Compress It,” which is the name given to the company’s competition and ongoing effort to reduce compressed air energy and costs. The initiative, which Saint-Gobain rolled out to manufacturing plants throughout North America in 2018, has been met with success. Compress It identified potential energy savings amounting to 26 Gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity and \$2.5 million.