Compressed Air

Increase your compressed-air efficiency—we’ll help!

Present in nearly all industrial facilities, compressed air is often referred to as the fourth utility in many industrial plants. It can be in the form of running a simple air tool or for more complicated tasks such as the operation of pneumatic controls. The Department of Energy reports that 10 percent to 30 percent of a typical industrial facility's energy use is consumed by compressed air systems. Yet, most systems only use about one-fourth of the power consumed to create useful compressed air. The rest ends up wasted. So it's easy to see that improvements in the efficiency of compressed-air systems can lead to significant energy savings.

Very often, the cost of generation is not known; however, some companies use a value of 18-30 cents per 1,000 cubic feet of air. Some companies also estimate that a leak expelling one cubic foot per minute of air costs about $125 annually. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the overall efficiency of a typical compressed air system can be as low as 10% to 15%. For example, to operate a 1-horsepower (hp) air motor at 100 pounds per square inch gauge, approximately 7 to 8 horsepower of electrical power is supplied to the air compressor.

Suggested actions

• Determine the cost of compressed air for your plant by periodically monitoring the compressor operating hours and load duty cycle.
• Use a systems approach while operating and maintaining a compressed air system.
• Adopt a plant-wide compressed air management policy to cut costs and reduce waste by eliminating inappropriate uses, fixing leaks, and matching system supply with demand.

The best way to evaluate potential savings is with a compressed-air system audit. You also may be eligible for rebates, as well as additional financial help through our commercial and industrial grant program.