Compressed Air

Compressed air is widely used in all aspects of industry. It is non-hazardous, readily available, can be stored easily and is a convenient source of power for a range of machines and tools. However it is not cheap to operate. Approximately 10% of all electrical power in industry is employed in compressing air. Over its lifetime, the operating cost of a compressed air plant will be many times its initial purchase and ongoing maintenance costs. Typically the Life Cycle Costs of a compressed air system can be broken down as follows:-

Energy savings have been estimated to be up to 30% of the energy input to the compressor. These savings are achievable through initially selecting the most efficient type of compressor, ensuring the correct air system design and ongoing efficient operation and good maintenance. This includes maximising the use of the latest technologies available and also ensuring that attention is paid to the simple measures of good housekeeping, eg, keeping leakage rates to a minimum.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has produced the following case study on compressed air:
Case Study 11 - Compressed Air Case Studies