Air Technologies Blog

By Compressed Air Best Practices

A four thousand, five hundred and fifty pound (4550 lbs.) race car is running at 170 mph and facing wind resistance of 150 mph. The car then enters a curve creating a three-degree “yaw” (the change in angle from the direction the car is headed and the airstream). The car struggles to maintain speed as the yaw changes and the dynamic downforce load on the car changes. Suddenly, the driver-less car comes to a stop on the stainless-steel track. The rolling-road track is supported by a cushion of compressed air.

To read the entire article click here.

Here is a thermal image before / after shot of K21 and K23 starter contactors. Please note… amp draw was fine. Thermal Image uncovered a problem with L2 at 158F and 175F. Further inspection of the contactors showed contacts inside the starter were severely burnt. Thanks to the thermal camera this problem was taken care of before a more serious issue took place (Fire, burnt up wiring, burnt up unit due to contactors welding closed… preventing shutdown of unit, etc.). A big difference in temps with new contactors!

If you need help getting to the true root cause of your compressed air equipment failures please call 866-468-9814.

Trey Donze
Plant Services Article

When a world leader in adhesive manufacturing wanted to reduce its monthly nitrogen costs without having to make an upfront capital investment, it contacted Air Technologies (www.aircompressors.com), a leader in providing compressed air and nitrogen as a utility service.

The manufacturer uses nitrogen to blanket the production tanks, keeping oxygen from reacting with the product. Nitrogen also is used in the packaging process to keep the product from hardening in the package. The facility is fed from a nitrogen pipeline running along the back of the property. The nitrogen enters the building at a pressure of 115 psig with a purity of 99.99%. The gas is then regulated down to a maximum pressure of 55 psig, with the majority of the users requiring 40 psig.

To download the entire article please click here. If you want more information about how this Nitrogen system may help you please click here.

We agree that there are many more than ten problems in compressed air systems. Over the many years that we have been solving these problems we have developed this top ten list of the more costly ones. These are problems, that when fixed, will put money back into your pocket—usually with a short payback period. Since your compressed air system is one of the most costly energy users in your plant it only makes good sense that you take care of problems when they arise.

The number 7 problem is air systems that use air when not needed. You need to find these areas and stop the bleeding. Number 4 is compressor systems with water problems and manually opened drains. Manually set drains are potentially huge users of air that can easily get out of control, even to the point of needing additional air compressors to maintain plant pressure.

Inefficiencies in compressed air systems can be significant. Energy savings from system improvements can range from 20 to 50 percent, in some cases even more. For many facilities this is equivalent to thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars of potential annual savings, depending on use. A properly managed compressed air system can save energy, reduce maintenance, decrease downtime, increase production throughput, and improve product quality.

We can help you save energy dollars through your compressed air system. To schedule a free evaluation performed by an experienced compressed air systems engineer please click here. To download this top ten problem list click here.

We wish everyone a Happy New Year and the very best in 2010. We’re embarking on another year to make great things happen for our Customers!

We’re very thankful and grateful for the opportunities that our customers provided us in 2009.

As a team, we’re fully committed to serving our customers well by providing each one with an outstanding experience!

One thought that has been consistently on my mind as our economy begins to recover - please manage your compressed air systems better in 2010 than 2009. Air compressor systems are normally one of the largest consumers of electricity in any business, especially within manufacturing.

During recessions many parts of our business get our full attention because we’re so consumed with being at our best. However, as economies improve and businesses get back on track, many times those helpful and vital initiatives go by the wayside. My point, please keep your compressed air system on the top of your list, even in a good economy. Create an internal discipline to keep your compressed air system operating properly and at peak efficiency.

My top FIVE action items to improve your compressed air system in 2010 and lower your annual compressed air costs:

1. Complete all of your quarterly inspections and preventive maintenance! Take action when repairs are required so the problem doesn’t become a larger and more expensive issue in the future.

2. Ensure your compressed air dyers and filters are properly applied, installed and working well.

3. Inspect your compressed air piping network for proper sizing, reduce overall pressure drop and eliminate leaks aggressively.

4. Make sure compressed air controls are installed and working properly.

5. Attend one class this year learning how to better manage your compressed air system.

Air Technologies® can help you achieve these top 5 action items to provide your business with the highest quality compressed air possible while reducing your overall operating costs.

Best Regards,

Kurt Lang

Air Technologies®

klang@aircompressors.com

Sign up for our eNewsletter to discover more ways you can drive down your costs right now and improve your bottom line!

For more information about how you can provide your business with the highest quality compressed air possible while reducing your overall operating costs, please call 866-468-9814 or contact us online.

In today’s economic climate, many manufacturing operations, perhaps yours, have been downsized. However, the size of most air compressors has stayed the same, so chances are you’re paying more for compressed air than you need to. You can find out with an MBox study from Air Technologies.

An MBox study is a week long 24/7 profile of your production air requirements and cost. During the audit you operate normally and our MBox data loggers record the activity of your compressors. You receive a detailed report with your compressor scope of supply, data pages (including power and air consumption, load cycles, running hours, etc.), profile graphs and charts, and an executive summary.

What Does an MBox Study Do For You?

• Records hard data based on actual measurements of your air compressor in use.
• Shows exactly where you can make improvements in your compressed air system to reduce operating costs.
• Plots simulations using your data to show benefits of upgrading to new technology.
• Projects payback periods to justify a cost-saving capital investment.
• Provides professional audit/profile reports.
• If your compressed air system is running efficiently, we’ll tell you.
• If you can run your compressed air system more efficiently, we’ll show you how.
• If fixing problems or upgrading to more efficient technology will pay for itself, we’ll back it up with data and propose a solution.

For more information please click here.

Here is a thermal image before / after shot of K21 and K23 starter contactors. Please note… amp draw was fine. Thermal Image uncovered a problem with L2 at 158F and 175F. Further inspection of the contactors showed contacts inside the starter were severely burnt. Thanks to the thermal camera this problem was taken care of before a more serious issue took place (Fire, burnt up wiring, burnt up unit due to contactors welding closed…preventing shutdown of unit, etc.). A big difference in temps with new contactors!

If you need help getting to the true root cause of your compressed air equipment failures please call 866-468-9814.

Free ENERGY SAVINGS Brochure! Includes 12 solid ideas on saving energy dollars through your compressed air system. It also includes an air loss costs chart and power costs. In many industrial facilities, air compressors use more electricity than any other type of equipment. Inefficiencies in compressed air systems can therefore be significant. Energy savings from system improvements can range from 20 to 50 percent or more of electricity consumption. For many facilities this is equivalent to thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars of potential annual savings, depending on use. A properly managed compressed air system can save energy, reduce maintenance, decrease downtime, increase production throughput, and improve product quality.

We can help you save energy dollars through your compressed air system. To schedule a free evaluation performed by an experienced compressed air systems engineer please click here. For a free Energy Savings brochure click here.

DirectAIR^® is buying compressed air as a worry free utility. With DirectAIR^®, Air Technologies^® installs a complete state-of-the-art compressed air facility in our own building at your site. We will own, operate and maintain this facility for an agreed time period and supply a steady stream of high quality compressed air, GUARANTEED!

We can even buy back existing industrial compressed air equipment so that you can recover the plant space for more productive uses. Eliminate the time you and your personnel spend on compressed air issues so you can focus on what you do best—your product.

For more information please visit www.directair.com.

CDI has developed a new design of thermal mass flowmeter that is less expensive and easier to install than conventional designs. The flow meter is particularly suited to compressed-air auditing and branch-line metering in compressed-air distribution systems. Thermal-dispersion mass-flow technology gives the meter sensitivity to low leakage flows, while its innovative mounting design makes it easy to install.

The low cost of the meter makes it ideal for installation at points throughout an air distribution system to track valuable compressed air and assess system operation.  For pricing and more information please click here.