It is common knowledge that heat is produced as a by-product of compressing air. What is not as well known a fact is that you can enhance your overall compressor efficiency by over 90% by recovering and utilizing this heat.
You might not even be aware of just how much waste heat your air compressor is producing. To help put things into perspective, waste heat that is produced from a smaller type of compressor like a 25 hp compressor provides enough energy to heat an average household.
Understanding Heat Recovery
The very first step to utilizing waste heat is having a basic understanding of how your plant’s compressed air systems and equipment work.
The overall efficiency of a compressed air system can be as low as 10-15% with main components contributing to these figures being: heat of compression and the wasted air originating from leaks, inappropriate uses and artificial demand.
The heat energy that is produced is concentrated in the decreasing air volume. In order to maintain proper operating temperature, this excess heat must be transferred by the compressor to a cooling media before air goes into the pipe system.
Up to 90 percent of that excess heat can be recovered and used in your operation. This waste heat can be used in a practical manner You can use it as a space heater in winter or as a supplement or replacement to the oil, gas or electricity used to create hot water for washrooms.
Don’t Let Your Waste Go To Waste
Along with an array of other benefits, your entire system could be improved by practicing heat recovery from your air compressor.
Plant wide energy savings, reduced downtime, increased production, lower scrap rate and so much more can be achieved. You simply need to improve the performance of your compressed air system.
We highly recommend you call upon our team of experts to come and evaluate the systems you currently have in place. Let us optimize or upgrade your system and see how we can get you the most from your air compressor.
CDA Systems can support you with evaluation of existing plant air systems to access the need for preventative maintenance, inefficiency, and energy reduction retrofits. Book a site visit or request a quote on 925.667.3400/sales@cdasystems.com.