We all know that a pinched copper tube blowing onto a product is a really inefficient way of using compressed air.
How bad is it? A 1/8 inch hole will flow 26 CFM at 100 psi, which uses at least 6 HP on your air compressor. If you run three shifts five days per week and pay $0.10 per KW, that little piece of copper blow off tube probably cost you around $2900 per year. Many blow offs have smaller openings than 1/8 inch.
There are really three solutions out there to save energy and costs associated with air blow offs.
#1 is to convert to a blower, which may not be feasible in some applications.
#2 is to put a nozzle on the end of the tube to reduce the flow and the sound level, which works just fine but many of the nozzles disappear after period of time.
#3 is to reduce the amount of air by changing or and inserting a control valve.
Solution #3 is the direction that Parker's Air Saver Unit has taken. It is a valve that converts a continuous air blow to a pulsed air blow without the need for any other external control. Air is blown with a series of ON and OFF pulses. When the blow is OFF, there is no air consumption. By using switching valve technology the Air Saver Unit can reduce air consumption by up to 50%, which translates into:
- Large reductions in air consumption.
- Savings in compressor power consumption.
- Reduction in plant CO2 emissions.
- Big contribution to energy-saving activities.
- Improved efficiency.
When you consider that air blowing accounts for up to half of all compressed air used in plants, the potential energy and cost savings is considerable. In the example outline below, the application of Air Saver Unit valve on four nozzles with a one minute below per four minute cycle operating for three shifts, five days per week saved plant operators $3,500 annually.
| Sample Application | —› | 4 nozzles
6 mm dia. | + | $0.10/
kWh | + | 1 min
blow per
4 min
cycle | + | 3 shifts
5 days/
week | = |
|
Air Saver Unit Valve Calculator
Summary Sheet |
| VALUE IMPACT SUMMARY |
| Reduced Total Annual Air Discharge per Blowing Nozzle (cfm) by: | 3,232,005 |
| Reduced Annual CO2 Emissions Generated (per Blowing Nozzle, in tons) by: | 5.77 tons |
| Reduced Annual Air Generating Costs Per Blowing Bozzle by:: | $892.03 |
| Quantity of Air Blowing Nozzles with Same Application Specifications: | 4 |
| Reduced Annual Air Generating Costs For All Nozzles by: | $3,568.13 |
| Reduced Annual CO2 Emissions Generated (For All Blowing Nozzles) by: | 23.07 |
This is the only the tip of the iceberg for air conservation. To find out more about how to properly use this Air Saver valve and other energy conservation components click on the link below to register for the Introduction to Industrial Pneumatics seminar being held from 8:30AM to 12PM on October 20 at the Parker Store in Lewiston, Maine.
Need a system engineer to look at specific air use problem in your plant? Please call Frank Lederer at 508-351-1817 or email:
Frank Lederer at FLederer@HopeAir.com.
