Industrial Utility Efficiency

Technology

In late October 2023, professionals from around the world gathered at the Best Practices 2023 EXPO & Conference at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois to source and learn about Sustainable, Safe and Reliable On-Site Utilities Powering Automation including compressed air, blowers, vacuum, pneumatics, motors and cooling water systems. 

What is In-Process Air Gauging?

In recent years, we have seen an upward trend of higher production manufacturers wanting to integrate their air gauging quality checks from a stand-alone, outside-of-machine device where the operator is performing a manual check to an automated in-process gauge. There are several reasons for this trend, including higher quality standards, tighter tolerances, as well as running a leaner operation. The benefits are 100 percent inspection of the required geometric callout, as well as handshaking between measuring device and machine to make each piece better than the prior one. It also removes any bad parts.

Managing Multiple-Compressor Systems: Utilizing Controls to Improve Performance

In this article, Chad Larrabee from Ingersoll Rand writes about today’s status quo in most air compressor rooms – a group of air compressors all running off their individual controllers with different control schemes attempting to coordinate them. Larrabee then describes the advantages of a smart system controller, which can direct " compressors to respond to one common signal … dynamically matching compressed air supply with demand.” He concludes by outlining the benefits of remote connectivity and automated alerts for maintenance staff.

Aluminum Plant Meters Compressed Air Flow to Solve Capacity Issues

A major Midwestern aluminum plant was experiencing dwindling compressed air capacity, primarily due to air leaks. If those capacity issues went unresolved, the facility would have needed rental compressors to keep up with demand. Instead, they turned to flow metering to identify and fix the leaks. In this article, they share their solutions with others who may be having similar difficulties.

Turbo Blowers Generate Significant Energy Savings at Victor Valley Wastewater

A replacement strategy for air compressors and blowers integrated into a system-level approach towards energy efficiency can deliver significant energy savings and optimize equipment performance. At the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority, a blower replacement project yielded annual energy savings of more than 928,000 kWh and \$98,000 in energy costs, while improving the reliability of its secondary treatment process. In addition, the agency qualified for important incentives from its electric utility — significantly improving the project economics and resulting in a 2.94-year payback.

Pneumatic Control in Modular Wastewater Treatment Plants

The design of wastewater treatment plants is changing, and it has something to do with LEGO® bricks. More specifically, it has to do with how large and complex LEGO structures are built. If you follow the instructions carefully, you build module after module, eventually piecing them together to create a fully functional and cohesive unit.

Variable Inlet Guide Vanes Boost Centrifugal Air Compressor Efficiency

Compressed Air Best Practices® (CABP) Magazine recently caught up with the Compressed Air and Gas Institute (CAGI) to discuss variable inlet guide vanes (IGV). The following interview describes how centrifugal compressor efficiency can be improved thanks to recent developments in IGV technology.

Flow Metering Demand-Side Projects in Large Compressed Air Systems

As a reader of this journal, you are well aware that large compressed air systems often have significant wasted air — often from leaks — that represent tens of thousands of dollars of waste per year. However, it is our experience that the so-called “low-cost” measures identified often go un-repaired, while other more costly capital projects get funded. Why? With an ROI of a half year or less, they seem like IQ tests to many compressed air auditors.

Desiccant Air Dryer Control: Seeing Isn’t Always Believing

Many thousands of dollars of annual electrical savings are being achieved worldwide using special purge reduction controls on desiccant air dryers. These controls reduce the expensive purge air that must flow through the dryer to regenerate the desiccant beds. But, unexpected problems with these controls can cause hidden problems that can reduce or eliminate the savings.

How Inlet Conditions Impact Centrifugal Air Compressor Performance

Compressed Air Best Practices® (CABP) Magazine recently spoke with Rick Stasyshan, Compressed Air and Gas Institute’s (CAGI) Technical Consultant, and Mr. Neil Breedlove of CAGI's Centrifugal Compressor Section and member company, Atlas Copco Compressors, about centrifugal air compressors. Specifically, the discussion outlined how various inlet conditions can impact the performance of centrifugal air compressors.

Taking Control of Compressed Air Pressure

“Jurassic Park,” Michael Crichton’s 1990 novel about a theme park full of genetically engineered dinosaurs, circles around one central theme — control. In fact, there are literally nine chapters titled “Control,” and most of those chapters follow the brilliant, chain-smoking systems engineer John Arnold as he ravenously tries to restore the control systems after a catastrophic collapse.

Air Compressors

When selecting an air compressor for your manufacturing operation, the common choice is the

Air Treatment/N2

Do you know and track the annual generated nitrogen energy cost per SCFM? Do you know what factors

Blowers

The plant upgrades, in combination with a progressive management strategy, allows the plant to

Compressor Controls

A large chemical plant in Celje, Slovenia, planned to retrofit a kiln used to produce titanium

Instrumentation

Pneumatics

Vacuum

Industrial ceramics have been produced in Hermsdorf, near Jena, since 1890. In the past, high-

Cooling Systems

The AIM (American Innovation and Manufacturing) Act was finalized by the US government at the end