Control air leaks and save energy.

July 19, 2021 1:29 pm Published by

Using compressed air to provide power to production equipment can be costly. To power a compressor requires about 10 times more energy than is produced to run your machinery. Air compressors produce mostly heat, with only a small proportion of the energy remaining to use for compressed air powered applications. Additional losses occur as a result of drying equipment, pressure losses, and leakage, all reducing the amount of compressed air available to the plant.

As part of the lead up to the Champion Compressor roadshows in July we have been researching the costs of compressed air leaking from your system. On average 25% of the compressed air produced is lost because of system leakage before it reaches the intended machinery. In extreme cases this figure can rise well above 50%.  The net costs can be as high as;

  • £320.00 per annum for a 1.5mm hole
  • £1,250 per annum for a 3mm hole
  • £5,000 per annum for a 6mm hole.

Large leaks can often be heard without any equipment. Ther can also be visual cues which indicate that air is leaking. Some leaks can go unnoticed because the sounds blend in with plant and other noise. In many cases, the leaking air is not visible or audible; or is located at a point in the distribution system which is hard to reach, creating difficulties in finding the source and enabling a continuous waste of resource which could potentially cause production problems.

Harrier Pneumatics provide complete air auditing and leak detection services for compressed air systems. They can help you by:

  • Achieving the lowest operating cost for the compressed air system and a good ROI
  • Improving manufacturing productivity
  • Lowering capital spending
  • Lowering your carbon footprint
  • Saving money and energy

With the Government’s super deduction capital allowance scheme in operation right though this year and 2022,  there has never been a better time to track down the errant leaks in your compressed air system as the cost of replacing worn out or faulty machinery has never been lower. Learn more about the scheme here and get in touch to discuss how Harrier can upgrade and improve your pneumatic systems.

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This post was written by Harrier Pneumatics