A metal products processor installed a new 75-kW VSD controlled air-cooled compressor in its plant — located in a separate compressor room. The environment in the plant is full of aerosols produced by the process machinery cutting and milling process, so the ventilation system is the compressor room was updated to bring in 100% outside […]
Air Preparation
ControlAir achieves SIL 3 certification for volume boosters
ControlAir LLC is pleased to announce that its Type 6100 aluminum and Type 6200 stainless steel large flow capacity volume boosters were awarded a Certificate of Compliance to IEC 61508 for a SIL 3 safety rating. This is in addition to the larger Type 6500 aluminum and Type 6600 stainless steel volume booster family. SIL […]
What are air leak best practices?
Leaks waste compressed air energy. Typically, 15% to 30% of all the compressed air produced by the air compressor never gets to the final use. A key part of managing system energy is also managing leakage. To properly manage leaks, it is important to have a management champion overseeing the leakage levels in the plant […]
Regenerative dryer reduces costs, increases performance of dust collector system
Dust collector systems play a critical role in maintaining compressed air cleanliness for manufacturers. Plant operators are always looking for any incremental advantage to improve pulse jet cleaning in bag (sock) or reverse flow cartridge systems. This is because even the slightest improvement in dust cake contaminate removal can create a cost-improving ripple effect throughout […]
Compressed air knowledge Lacking? Throw the book at it!
By Ron Marshall If you want to learn a lot about compressed air, you need to be prepared to read. There are very few comprehensive training courses covering the full subject of compressed air from inlet air, through the compressors, filters, piping and to the end uses. One “must have” document is the Compressed Air […]
Compressed air fail: When unloaded is loaded
A compressed air auditor placed data loggers on a 100 psi system, measuring pressure, power and flow. He downloaded the data and started scanning through it only to find a surprise. Instead of finding a system running between its 90 to 100 psi setpoint, the system, during low load times reached as high as 150 […]
Compressed air fail: Mind the gauges
A sawmill had a large compressor located in a small outbuilding near their mill. The compressor was moved away from the plant because there was excessive dust inside. But even in a remote location, the sawdust found its way into the compressor intake — and deposited inside the compressor’s air-cooled aftercooler. The restriction caused by […]
Compressed air fail: Verification spots trouble
An aerospace plant purchased a new high efficiency variable speed drive compressor to replace an older VFD unit that had come to the end of its lifespan. The new compressor was more efficient than the old unit and was expected to save significant energy; calculated specific power was projected at 22 kW per 100 cfm […]
Compressed air fail: Flow meter trouble
A sawmill was having trouble finding a flow meter to measure the compressed air that was produced by compressors totaling 1,500 cfm utput. This flow was running through a 3-in. pipe. The plant personnel contacted a compressed air expert to see if he could help. They were surprised by his answer. The most common and […]
Mode selection makes a difference
A little button press can make a big difference. The compressor in the photo was running in a control mode called online/offline (aka load/unload) for the first bit of its service life but now has been changed to a mode called modulation. The reason for the change, as found by a compressed air system auditor, […]
