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Best Practice Guide |
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Food and Beverage Growers and Processors |
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Compressed AirEnergy Use BasicsCompressed air is one of the most common industrial equipment systems, and is found in about 70 percent of all U.S. manufacturing facilities. The energy needed to operate compressed air systems costs manufacturers approximately $1.5 billion each year. Compressed air systems vary widely in size, ranging from as little as 5 horsepower (hp) to more than 50,000 hp. These systems also vary in application, most often powering pneumatic tools, but also are applied directly to materials and as an aid to other industrial processes such as combustion and oxidation. Although compressed air is critical to manufacturing, these systems are some of the most inefficient in terms of energy usage. Roughly 80 to 90 percent of the electricity used to operate compressed air systems is converted to low-temperature waste heat. This lost energy can quickly add up, each year costing individual manufacturers as much as double the purchase and installation cost (first-cost) of the entire system (see text box). Energy efficiency measures can achieve significant energy savings, as high as 50 percent in some cases. Because of expensive operating costs, improving the energy efficiency of compressed air systems often payback investment in short time. Despite this high return on investment, manufacturers have been slow to address energy efficiency related to compressed air; only about 20 percent have undertaken energy efficiency improvements. Compressed Air System Basic Components
Calculating Compressed Air Electricity Costs
Resources Improving Compressed Air System Performance: A Sourcebook for Industry. Compressed Air Challenge and U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The Compressed Air Challenge(CAC) is a voluntary coalition of industry, manufacturers, state research and development agencies, energy efficiency organizations, contractors, and utilities. CAC provides a number of resources online, including best practices, tips, and case studies, as well as live trainings held throughout the country. The mission of CAC is to develop and provide resources that educate industry on the opportunities to increase net profits through compressed air system optimization. Efficiency Improvements in Industrial Compressed Air Systems. Pacific Gas & Electric Company, April 25, 1997. Air Compressor Energy-Saving Tips. Minnesota Technical Assistance Program, University of Minnesota, 2003. U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Industrial Technologies Program, Compressed Air Best Practices. Wise Rules for Industrial Energy Efficiency: A Toolkit for Estimating Energy Savings and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ENERGY STAR, September 2003. The Compressor Guy website, archived files on Profit and Productivity Thieves and Unregulated Use. Northwest Food Processors Association Efficiency Practices and Emerging Technologies websites offer useful information and tips for the food processing industry. California Energy Commission websites on Food and Fiber Processing Technologies and Energy in Agriculture. |