Energy conservation in Air Compressor

💨 Reducing Compressed Air Leakages in Plants to Save Energy

Compressed air is one of the most expensive utilities in any industrial plant. While it is essential for powering pneumatic tools, actuators, and process equipment, it is also highly energy-intensive. A major source of inefficiency in compressed air systems is air leakage, which increases compressor running hours and power consumption. By identifying and reducing leakages, industries can achieve significant energy and cost savings.  

🔍 Existing System and Its Operation

A leakage test was conducted in the plant, and the leakage percentage was found to be around 37.5%.  

- Observation: This is far above the acceptable limit.  

- Impact: Excessive leakage forces compressors to run longer on load, consuming more energy and reducing equipment life.  

- Result: Higher operating costs and reduced system reliability.  

⚙️ Proposed System and Its Operation

In a well-maintained compressed air system, the permissible leakage is only about 10%.  

- Target: Around 27.5% of leakages need to be plugged to bring the system within acceptable limits.  

- Benefits:  

  - Reduced compressor load hours  

  - Lower energy consumption  

  - Extended compressor life  

  - Improved system efficiency  

📊 Energy Saving Calculations

- Average Unload Time: 9 seconds  

- Average Load Time: 15 seconds  

Percent Leakage = Average Load Time\(Average Load Time + Average Unload Time) *100

= 15/(15+9) * 100 = 37.5 %

- Leakage Identified: 37.5% (very high, should be reduced)  

- Average Power Consumption of Screw Compressor :  

  - On load: 58.5 kW  

  - On unload: 39.1 kW  

- Leakages to be Plugged: 27.5%  

🔧 Energy Saving Potential

- Annual Energy Saving: 28,041 units  

- Annual Cost Saving (@ ₹8/unit): ₹224,326  

- Investment Required: ₹5,000  

- Simple Payback Period: 0.02 years (less than 1 month)  

✅ Conclusion

Reducing compressed air leakages is one of the simplest and most cost-effective energy conservation measures in industrial plants. By plugging leaks and maintaining the system properly:  

- Compressor running hours can be reduced  

- Energy consumption drops significantly  

- Annual savings of over ₹224,000 can be achieved with minimal investment  

- The payback period is extremely short, making this an attractive efficiency improvement project.