![]() Aging, rusted piping with threaded fittings presents the perfect opportunity for leaks. And the amount of air that flows through the opening increases as the pressure differential between the compressed air and the atmosphere increases. Any opening to the atmosphere that is large enough to allow an air molecule to pass through it will become a leak. Air under pressure flows to areas of lower pressure. Leaks are the most obvious source of compressed air waste. There are three main ways in which compressed air is wasted in a compressed air system: leaks, artificial demand, and inappropriate usage. Since compressed air is a very expensive utility, wasting it is to be avoided. As energy costs have increased, they have garnered the attention of facility managers, who are charged with finding new solutions to reduce costs. As the average electricity rate has risen to $0.10 per kWh, the electric cost to operate that same compressor under the same conditions is now $137,578. The annual electric cost to operate that compressor was $41,273. When the manufacturer installed the compressor, energy cost was $0.03 per kWh. ![]() For example: A manufacturer operates a 200 hp compressor, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Many manufacturers overlooked compressed air costs for years when power was inexpensive, but as energy costs have increased significantly, it is imperative that facilities become educated about how important the total cost of ownership of their compressed air system is to saving money. The bottom line is, maximizing energy efficiency saves money. ![]() This fact makes it a wise decision to purchase the most energy efficient equipment available and to operate it in a manner so it delivers its maximum efficiency. Over the lifespan of a typical compressor, energy typically costs several times more than the purchase price of the compressor. The most expensive component in the total cost of ownership of a compressed air system is the energy required to produce and deliver an uninterrupted supply of clean, dry compressed air at a stable pressure to every application in the system. The efficiency focus of compressed air becomes that of producing it as inexpensively as possible and not wasting it. Despite this inefficient conversion of energy, compressed air usage surpasses both electric and hydraulic power sources for industry, largely based upon the prominent benefits of using compressed air. It takes approximately 8 horsepower worth of electrical energy to produce 1 horsepower worth of compressed air energy.
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