BCAS and Carbon Trust project helps to save energy
October 1st 2007 Compressed air is used by virtually all manufacturing and process sectors around the world. Production of compressed air accounts for nearly 30% of Industrial electricity consumption across the EU and BCAS has again joined with the Carbon Trust to run a project to help companies avoid wasted energy and costs in their existing system while improving productivity and quality
The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) encompasses a variety of member companies and individuals including compressed air users,equipment suppliers and manufacturers,both within uk and internationally.
BCAS has over 100 members whom it advises on technical, legislative and environmental aspects as a trusted impartial provider of information. BCAS aims to help compressed air using sectors identify low cost opportunities for carbon reduction: saving one unit of compressed air equates to 10 units of electricity.The principles and their practical solutions are applicable across nearly all industrial sectors.
Initially,BCAS is working with the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC) to target two of the major compressed air consuming sectors. The project is now being rolled out across other sectors.
The project complements existing Carbon Trust compressed air related activities and forms part of an ongoing carbon reduction drive by BCAS and will target two of the greatest sources of avoidable waste in compressed air systems: Leakage – losing air through leaks continues to be greatest single source of avoidable waste. Compressed air leaks cause fluctuating system pressure and less efficient operation of air tools/equipment. Hence leaks reduce productivity, and contribute to carbon emissions. The awareness level of the leak problem is not matched by implementation of leak management programmes.The project will enable sites to more effectively take control of leakage problems.
Over-pressurisation – this is a widespread practice due to the inherent need for a continuous air supply for production and the fact that continuous pressure is considered to be of far greater immediate importance than energy saving. The project will trial flow control technology at selected sites to ensure greater reliability of air supply as well as reduction of compressed air consumption.
Reduction of these outputs will directly lead to reduced electricity consumption and hence reduced carbon emissions. There will be the added benefit of increased reliability of the compressed air supply, less rework and product wastage (reducing landfill and disposal costs) and overall improved productivity rates.
Compressed air represents possibly the greatest low-cost opportunity for electricity savings on your site because: It is invisible and rarely monitored, so is often overlooked as an energy saving opportunity.
Saving one unit of compressed air saves ten units of electricity.
There may be perceived barriers to implementing leak management programmes.
Over-pressurisation accounts for a large proportion of the avoidable waste in practically every compressed air system.
All compressed air systems have a minimum operating pressure and flow rate necessary for the installed equipment in the system to function correctly. However, a higher pressure than needed is often applied with the system consuming more compressed air and, therefore, more energy.
The difference between the air flow of the system at its optimum operating pressure and the air flow being consumed at the actual pressure applied to the system is often referred to as "artificial demand".
Because air pressure and airflow are dynamic (as flow increases, pressure will correspondingly decrease) simply reducing the air pressure at source can quickly cause problems with low pressure in the system. To eliminate artificial demand, it is necessary to separate supply from demand and this can be achieved through the creation of useful storage, controlled regulation of the plant air supply and a staged leak repair programme with quantifiable results.
If you have a compressed air system,with multiple compressors and an installed capacity of at least 100kW then this unique project is for you. The loan of the pressure-flow control equipment and its installation will be provided free of charge by BCAS members. The project is risk free and the results of the air audit and savings will be verified by AEA Energy and Environment who are acting as independent consultants on this project.
For further information please email Chris Dee, Executive Director at BCAS on chris@bcas.org.uk More articles from BCAS: | 
