And the leaks?
Numbers are frightening even with the ideal situation with all the compressed air being used by the machines, but reality is never ideal. There are leaks in all installations, and although some of them are unavoidable, when produced in terminal elements, valves, fittings, actuators, etc., many others are produced in the pipes themselves and in defective elements of the installation.
Hole diameter (mm) |
Looses at 7,0 bar (l/s) |
Power consumption (KW) |
Yearly consumption (KWh) |
Yearly loose costs (€) |
0,8 |
0,2 |
0,1 |
600 |
78 |
1 |
1 |
0,3 |
1.600 |
208 |
1,5 |
3,1 |
1 |
6.000 |
780 |
3 |
11 |
3,5 |
21.000 |
2.730 |
5 |
26,7 |
8,3 |
49.800 |
6.474 |
6 |
45,8 |
15 |
90.000 |
11.700 |
10 |
105 |
37 |
222.000 |
28.860 |
As may be seen in the above table, this type of leakage cannot be ignored, a simple 3mm hole in a compressed air line, can reach an expense of about 3000€ a year.
Optimization of the pressure used
Another of the points lagging behind in the industry, is in the pressure. The optimization in the working pressure, could avoid unnecessary costs to the industries. Many times, due to the above-mentioned leaks or bad installations, is established a higher pressure than that would be necessary.
|
Consumption for a cylinder (7 bar) |
Consumption for a cylinder (5,5 bar) |
Pressure (bar) |
7 |
5,5 |
Cylinder diameter (mm) |
50 |
50 |
Amount of cylinders |
10 |
10 |
Cylinder stroke (mm) |
400 |
400 |
Cycles/min |
5 |
5 |
Air cost (€/Nm^3) |
0,1 |
0,1 |
Working hours/day |
16 |
16 |
Working hours/year |
250 |
250 |
Nl/min |
628 |
510 |
Nm^3/year |
150.720 |
122.460 |
€/hour |
3,77 |
3,06 |
€/year |
15.072 |
12.246 |
A bad management of the working pressure, causes an increase in consumption and a major deterioration of the installation for the generating part of the compressed air (Compressor, filters, etc.), the conveyor (Pipes), and the actuators.