A compressed air auditor did a study at a plastic products plant. Before the study, the maintenance manager had mentioned he was extremely proud that he had 100% redundancy in his system. After the study, the auditor had to tell him some bad news — every one of his compressors were running to service his peak!
Compressed air is one of the most expensive utilities in industrial plants, yet many facilities operate their systems without real data on air usage, efficiency, or waste. Installing a compressed air flow meter provides real-time readings, helping to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and extend equipment life.
A flow meter allows plants to measure and track air usage accurately. Without knowing how much air is being consumed and where it is going, optimizing a compressed air system is nearly impossible. By identifying peak usage periods and comparing consumption across departments, facilities can make better decisions and allocate air appropriately.
Leak detection is another major benefit. Studies show that leaks can account for 20-30% of a plant’s compressed air consumption. A flow meter helps detect leaks in real time, allowing for quick repairs and reduced energy waste. It also quantifies the cost of lost air, making it easier to justify maintenance efforts.
Flow meters also help optimize compressor control. Many facilities oversupply air or fail to match supply with demand, leading to inefficiencies. With flow data, plants can adjust compressor settings, improve sequencing, and reduce unnecessary runtime, lowering energy costs and extending equipment life.
Right-sizing system components is another advantage. Many plants operate with oversized compressors, dryers, or piping, which leads to wasted energy. A flow meter verifies actual air demand, ensuring the system is appropriately sized and preventing unnecessary equipment investments.
In the case of this plant, they had many flow meters, they just hadn’t bothered checking them! Within a period of a few months, some undetected major leakage (and added equipment waste) had caused the compressed air demand to increase high enough to demand all the plant’s compressors. After an aggressive leakage study, the load went back to normal with only two compressors running.
Installing a compressed air flow meters is a smart investment for any facility looking to optimize performance, reduce costs, and improve reliability. Many plants find a flow meters are essential tools for better system management.
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