Compressed air is a form of power that allows the accumulation and transport of energy. It is used in driving pneumatic tools, sand blasting, industrial cleaning, spray painting, starting diesel engines, supplying air in mine tunnels, and manufacturing of plastics and other industrial products. Compressed air products include reciprocating air compressors, rotary screw air compressors (lubricated and 100% oil free), air compressor parts, compressed air filters, compressed air dryers, after coolers, condensate systems, specialty lubricants and ancillary accessories. Compressed air is expensive to produce but optimization of compressed air systems can provide energy efficiency improvements of 20 to 50%. Compressed air management includes air leak detection, air leak tagging, location report, compressed air performance test, plant air consumption test, and power consumption test on each compressor.
To maintain higher air quality it is necessary that compressor inlet air intakes be clear of contaminants such as moisture, dust, oil emulsions, and condensed liquids. Filtration is used to remove them.
For control strategies it is wiser to take the systems approach not the individual components approach. A highly variable demand load will require a more sophisticated control strategy to maintain stable system pressure than a consistent, steady demand load.
Stabilizing system pressure is an important way to lower energy costs and maintain reliable products and product quality. The three methods used to stabilize system pressure are adequate primary and secondary storage, pressure/flow controllers (P/FCs) and dedicated controllers.