ENERGY SAVING

OPPORTUNITIES IN
ALUMINIUM INDUSTRY
[MASTER AIR CONTROLLER]

By
P K Srivastava
Forbes Marshall in
workshop on " Best Practices in Energy Efficiency
in Aluminium Sector
Dated : 16th Dec 2016
 The Energy cost

500 SCFM compressor (90 kw)

running for 24 hrs x 365 days with
70 % load & 30 % unload consumes
6,38,604 kWh /year

So @ Rs. 5 kWh it costs 32 lacs /year

which is purely the energy cost only.

This is around 4 times the capital cost of compressor itself.

Compressed Air Energy
Inefficient power source even if well maintained

Eight compressor horsepower yields . . . One horsepower of compressed air

 Fluctuating Air pr. Problem In industries

The Root Cause Of Air Pressure Fluctuation
Rate of demand and supply rate variations
Lack of useful storage. (capacitance)
Conventional Solution when Demand exceeds
Supply
is to add more Compressors with which,
Increase in Energy Consumption.
Overpowering of entire system.
Artificial Demand

Reduce Artificial demand to Reduce the Total Plant

demand

This reduction directly affect the supply system i.e. overall reduction in
compressor working hours as a result of reduced demand side load &
hence in turn reduction in power consumption for the system.
 The Living Example
Flow In

Flow Out

Controlled
flow
The flow output can be controlled as per the demand requirement
rather than just supplying to the demand users without any demand as
in where there is no dam or Control Device. This reduces the load on
the supply system & thus saves.
 FM- Master Air Controller

Forbes Marshall Master Air Control (MAC) is an energy saving control system, which actively
helps control the balance across the demand and supply sides. It introduces a differential
pressure between the receiver and itself and thus creates a useful high-pressure storage.
This helps in isolating the compressors from the demand surges. Peaks in demand are
handled by MAC, rather than being directed towards the compressors. This allows compressors
to run for longer on no-load. As a result, mass of air is reduced and a high and compressor load
cycles are reduced. This decrease in compressor load cycles is directly proportional to the
decrease in energy consumed by the compressors.
Thus, due to the MAC compressors are protected from artificial demand and the have
to cater only to base demand, and resulting in savings on compressed air energy consumption.
Furthermore, a constant pressure is now delivered to all plants and pneumatic equipment,
increasing quality and productivity in production processes.
Existing Compressed air systems
Generation side User side Pressure
Pressure

Without
MAC

Generation side User side Pressure

Pressure

With MAC
The Installation Architecture

MAC creates storage due to controlled differential pressure across

upstream receiver & itself.
This storage isolates compressors from demand side peaks &
troughs.
Peaks are met with stored energy instead of additional horse power.
Fast response time by increased velocity due to pressure difference
(similar to potential difference as in electrical circuits) across itself
The Savings
Without With MAC
MAC

Total Savings- = 1740 1560 = 180 kWh i.e.- 180 / 1740 = 0.1 = 10
% So @ 5 Rs./kWh = Rs. 3,28,500 /-

This is the simplest saving with a MAC & it can range from 10
% to 30 %
The Benefits
Without With MAC
MAC

Benefits of Master Air Control Features of Master Air Control

Saves energy consumed by air compressors by HMI for better GUI
cutting artificial demand for air
History & trending feature
Reduction in compressor loading & induces higher
unloading period Fail safe operation

Separates compressors from demand side peaks & Accurate pressure control
lows, thus prevents compressor cycling to minimal
Provision of pressure control via addition of
Consistent air pressure delivery to demand side air demand meter

Enhanced useful air storage capacity Highly responsive to fine changes in demand

Accommodates to any make of compressor

Demand reduction tends to reduce leakages in

plant
The Success Story
Average Energy Consumption (kWH)
700

600

500

400

Without MAC With MAC

300
Energy Consumed = 5510 kWH/day Energy Consumed =
4400 kWH/day
200

Energy Saved = 1110 kWH/day

100
Energy Cost Saving = Rs. 23 Lakhs per year
0
(10%)

Without MAC With MAC

The graph shows a actual saving figure of a Basic version of MAC

installed at one of our customers . The data shown is as provided by the
customer.
 Questions??

PL. contact us.

Forbes Marshall
House No. 306, Road no. 7, Sonari West Lay Out , Jamshedpur 831 011
Phone no. [+91 657 2319180, [+91] 92346 08069
Email : psrivastava@forbesmarshall.com