Managing Compressed Air

Compressed air is used in large units in production unit of any foundry since it helps a lot in cutting cost and contributes a lot to safety aspect in the foundry. Adding to this one must note that installation and proper managing of the compressed air is very essential as compressed air is an expensive utility.

The managing of compressed air efficiently helps in using energy efficiently and there by results in saving costs. This is because cost related to electricity of compressed air takes more than seventy percentage of the annual operating cost in any foundry. Apart from this cost there are addition costs resulting from compressed air namely maintenance and depreciation cost. So the above numerical figures clearly show that managing compressed air efficiently helps directly in saving costs by using energy usefully.

Proper steps must be taken to manage compressed air. This results in taking steps in various directions. Some to name are detecting and repairing the leaks, upgrading applications which are less efficient, controlling and taking steps for air lost in systems like drainage and so on. Thus proper steps towards managing compressed air leak losses would help in managing compressed air effectively.

The formula for calculating compressed air leak losses is:
VL = [VC × t] / T
In the above VL denote the volume of leak loss, VC denote the capacity of the compressor at full load m3/min, t denote the time seconds of full-load compressor operation and T denote total measured, elapsed time.

So after calculation proper steps towards managing and control must be taken so that compressed air leak losses are never more than percentage five in a foundry. Steps must be taken to study each part of the existing system and optimize it wherever needed to save energy and cost. For proper optimization of the system scanning of system must be made overall in all directions. To name few among these demand analysis, control peak demand, correct poor applications, eliminate waste, eliminate leaks, manage system, maintain system, train operators, monitor performance.

Careful analysis of needs of various elements like compressed air pressure, volumetric flow and the duration of their usage must be made. The above is a vital step since it helps to know the demands and needs accurately and prevents the collision of activities and usage of resources from other systems.

To manage the correct demand analyzed as above and to meet the peak demand the capacity in compressed air storage must be sufficient. If not it is wiser to install needed storage for compressed air to handle demand well.

Proper steps must be taken to analyze and replace systems which are poor to handle system efficiently. It is important to note here cost must also be taken into account while going for improved systems.

It is vital to avoid leaks and waste and steps must also be taken to have the process ongoing to have the ongoing effective system. In this aspect of eliminating waste various steps and monitors are needed. Some of them to name are by taking care to switch of the unwanted compresses, using minimum pressure as needed to generate compressed air, preventing loss of compressed air and so on.

It is very much essential to manage the system in which steps like installation of load shaping, accounting each user for compressed air usage, using a metering system to record usage at various points. Such managed system must be properly maintained for ongoing system efficiency. For this regular maintenance at consistent period is very essential. Apart from this at regular intervals proper detection, monitoring and prevention mechanism must be taken to have well maintained and managed system.

Without having trained operators it is not possible to achieved quality as well as profit. For this proper plan for training of operators must be made along with giving the accountability of compressed air usage to users of the system.