Duquesne Light Company

Industrial Efficiency Program

Energy Efficiency Opportunities in Plant
Compressed Air Systems
Presented by Deanna Weaver, PE and Robin Flick, PE of Nexant, Inc.
June 26, 2019
Duquesne Light - Industrial Efficiency Program
Limited Time Promotion*

• Up to 50% Increase in Rebates!

• Incentive Rates Increased from

$0.05/kWh to $0.075/kWh*

• Eligible Custom Categories

– Compressed Air
– HVAC
– Process Optimization
• Invoices MUST be dated between
May 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
• Project MUST be Installed by March
31, 2020

*Program availability and incentive levels subject to

change and/or termination without prior notice. 2
Outline

• Introduction to Compressed Air

• Supply-Side Components and Opportunities
– Positive-Displacement Compressors and Controls
– Dynamic Compressors and Controls
– Air Treatment (Compressed Air Dryers, Drains, and Filters)
• Demand-Side Opportunities
• Case Studies

3
Compressed Air Systems

• Compressed air systems are all unique

– No two systems are the same
– Since each is custom-designed, opportunities vary from one system to the next
– Even with well-designed systems, plant demands and operations often change
over time leaving significant opportunity for savings from poorly configured
systems
• At best, a compressed air system has an input/output efficiency of
about 15%
– A majority of the energy input into a compressor turns into heat that must be
removed
– In reality, efficiency may be even less when considering part-load losses, leaks,
and inefficiencies at the end-use equipment
– Significant savings can be realized by using electricity to drive an application
directly rather than compressed air

4
Compressed Air Systems

Compressed air systems consist of several main components (see diagram)

– Supply Side
• Compressors
– Air Treatment
• Filters & dryers
– System Storage
• Wet and dry receivers
– Demand Side
• Leaks & end uses (air tools, cylinders, pumps, painting, blow-off, etc.)

5
Compressor Types

• Positive-Displacement
– Reciprocating (Piston)
– Rotary Screw
– Rotary Vane
– Scroll
• Dynamic
– Centrifugal
– Axial

6
Positive Displacement Compressors
Reciprocating Compressors

7
Positive-Displacement Compressors
Rotary Screw Compressors

8
Positive-Displacement Compressors
Rotary Screw Compressors

Basic schematic for lubricant-injected rotary screw compressor:

• Oil helps lubricate and

seal clearances between
the rotors and housing
as well as remove a
majority of the
compression heat to
improve efficiency
• Oil-free compressors use
special coatings and
typically require two
compression stages with
intercooling in between
to remove compression
heat and are generally
less efficient at full load

9
Capacity Control Methods

• Capacity controls vary air compressor output to maintain

desired pressure setpoint at the outlet of the compressor
• Capacity control method greatly impacts compressor energy
use
– Air Compressors are generally most efficient operating at full load
– Part-load operation is unavoidable due to variations in system
demands
• Due to inefficiencies at part load, systems with multiple
compressors should ideally only have a single compressor
operating at part load at a time
– This is typically referred to as the trim compressor
– The other compressors should operate as base load only
(fully loaded when needed or off in standby)

10
Capacity Control Methods
Positive-Displacement Compressors

Positive-Displacement Compressors:
– Start/Stop
• Generally efficient but hard on motors and compressor components
• Limited to small (<25 hp) reciprocating compressors with dedicated storage
– Load/Unload (aka Online/Offline)
• Similar to start/stop but motor keeps running
• Best suited for base load
– Inlet Valve Modulation (aka Continuous Run or Mod/ACS)
• Least efficient (70% power at 0% flow)
– Variable-Displacement
• Uses poppet, turn, or spiral valves to vary effective length of screw
• Better part-load efficiency from 50-100% flow
– Variable-Speed
• Best part-load efficiency
• Best suited for trim role
Centrifugal Compressors:
– Inlet Butterfly Valve (IBV) with Blowoff
– Inlet Guide Vanes (IGV) with Blowoff
• Slightly better part-load efficiency within the throttle range

11
Inlet Valve Modulation Capacity Controls
Rotary Screw Compressors

• Motor and compressor run continuously while inlet valve throttles the
inlet to the compressor
• Mass flow is reduced
• Pressure ratio increases
Full Load Part Load
14.7 psia 14.7 psia

14.7 psia 7.35 psia

114.7 psia 114.7 psia

Capacity = 100% Capacity = 50%

Pressure Ratio = 114.7/14.7 = 7.8 Pressure Ratio = 114.7/7.35 = 15.6

12
Inlet Valve Modulation Capacity Controls
Rotary Screw Compressors

Inlet Valve Modulation Performance Curve

– Least efficient control method

– A 10% reduction in flow results in a 3% reduction in power

13
Inlet Valve Modulation Capacity Controls
Rotary Screw Compressors – Example Photos

14
Load/Unload Capacity Controls
Rotary Screw and Reciprocating Compressors

• Operates between two pressure setpoints

• Example: Load at 90 psig / Unload at 100 psig
• Screw Compressors
– Loaded: Inlet valve is fully open and the compressor produces full rated
capacity until pressure rises to the unload pressure setpoint
– Unloaded: Inlet valve is fully closed and the compressor produces no flow
until the pressure falls to the load pressure setpoint
– When unloaded: The oil separator is blown down to relieve pressure on the
discharge side of the screw
• 15-30% power when fully unloaded depending on design
• Oil separator must be blown down slowly to avoid oil foaming
(roughly 40 seconds to fully unload)
• Reciprocating Compressors
– When unloaded, the inlet valve is held open to prevent compression and the
compressor simply pumps ambient air in and out of the cylinder
– Double-acting reciprocating compressors may have multiple steps of
unloading, such as 0-50-100% loading steps by unloading a single side of
the cylinder

15
Positive-Displacement Compressors
Rotary Screw Compressors

Basic schematic for lubricant-injected rotary screw compressor:

16
Load/Unload Capacity Controls
Rotary Screw Compressors

Load/Unload Performance Curve

– Note: The compressor does not actually operate at any capacity other than 0%
and 100%. The graph represents average power for a given compressed air
demand.
– Rapid cycling due to inadequate storage results in higher average power
because the oil separator has less time to blow down between load cycles,
resulting in higher unloaded power

17
Variable-Displacement Capacity Controls
Rotary Screw Compressors

• Motor and compressor run continuously while the effective length of

the screw is varied (using slide, poppet, or turn valves) to vary the
amount of intake volume that is compressed
• Mass flow is reduced
• Pressure ratio stays relatively constant

18
Variable-Displacement Capacity Controls
Rotary Screw Compressors

Variable-Displacement Performance Curve

– Better performance at 50-100% capacity

– Typically switches to Load/Unload below 50%
– Coexists with inlet valve modulation controls on some
compressors

19
Variable-Speed Capacity Controls
Rotary Screw Compressors

Variable-Speed Performance Curve

– Shaft speed varies to proportionally adjust compressor output

– Almost ideal compressor performance from 0-100% capacity
– Typically shuts off after reaching minimum speed.
– Best suited for trim compressor role

20
Centrifugal Compressors

• Have pressure-dependent performance

curves similar to centrifugal fans.
• Excessive pressure rise leads to surge
(unstable/reverse flow), which can be
damaging and must be avoided.
• Turndown is achieved by a combination
of inlet throttling and blowoff
– Throttling range is limited by surge
– Once throttle limit is reached, excess
capacity is blown off to atmosphere and
wasted.

21
Centrifugal Compressor Capacity Controls
Inlet Throttling with Blowoff

Centrifugal Performance Curves

120%
100%
Percent kW Input

80%
Blowoff Range
60%
Throttle Limit
40%
20%
0%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%
Percent Flow Capacity
Centrifugal - Inlet Butterfly Valve (IBV) w/ Blowoff
Centrifugal - Inlet Guide Vanes (IGV) w/ Blowoff

– Inlet Butterfly Valve (IBV) control is typically the standard control option
– Inlet Guide Vanes (IGV) pre-swirl the air as they throttle resulting in increased part-load efficiency
– Operation in the blowoff range can be extremely inefficient and should be avoided.
– Best suited for base load

22
Energy Use Reduction Opportunities
Air Compressors

• Optimize Compressor Controls

• Increase Storage Capacity
• Install a Variable-Speed Screw Trim Compressor
• Reduce System Pressure
• Utilize Outside Air for Air Compressor Intakes
• Recover Compressor Waste Heat

23
Optimize Compressor Controls

Applicable to:
– Systems with multiple compressors operating at part load
– Systems with compressors located throughout the facility instead of a central location
Objective:
– Optimize control strategy so that only one compressor will be at part load, trimming the system,
while the other compressors are either fully-loaded if needed (for base load) or remain off
– The trim compressor should be the compressor with the best part-load efficiency
Solutions:
– Optimize individual compressor pressure setpoints
• Relatively simple and cheap (labor only)
• Suitable for smaller systems (1-2 compressors)
• Utilizes cascading or nested setpoint strategies
• Controlling multiple compressors requires large pressure bands
• Relies on individual compressor pressure sensors and sensor drift, pressure drops across filters
and dryers, and/or changes to setpoints can result in multiple compressors operating at part load
– Install a master sequencer
• Requires capital investment
• Uses a single common pressure sensor to control all of the compressors in the most efficient
way possible
• Typically required to optimize systems with >2 compressors while still maintaining reasonable
pressure control band
Economics:
– Energy savings: 5-50% depending on system complexity and existing control methods
– Installed cost: $2,000-$100,000 depending on system complexity and control system features

24
Optimize Compressor Controls

• Cascading Pressure Setpoint Strategy

– Effective for smaller systems with
load/unload controls
– Controlling multiple compressors requires
large pressure band and higher average
operating pressure (inefficient)

• Nested Pressure Setpoint Strategy

– Effective for smaller systems with a
variable-speed or variable-displacement
trim compressor

• Master Control System

– Intelligently sequences multiple
compressors together in the most-efficient
configuration
– Maintains the minimum average operating
pressure while still maintaining minimum
pressure requirement
– Systems with only centrifugal compressors
should attempt to minimize blowoff by
modulating all operating compressors to
the throttle limit before allowing any blowoff

25
Increase Storage Capacity
Rotary Screw Compressors

Applicable to:
– Systems with <1 gallon/cfm of storage capacity using a lubricant-injected rotary screw
compressor with load/unload or inlet modulation controls as the trim compressor
Objective:
– Increase storage capacity to improve part-load efficiency of the trim compressor while using
load/unload capacity controls
Solution:
– Install an additional storage receiver
• Dry storage is preferred because too much wet storage can potentially overload dryer during
spikes in system flow demand
• Total storage should be increased to >3 gallons/cfm to optimize part-load efficiency
• The trim compressor should be adjusted to use load/unload controls if currently using inlet
valve modulation
Economics:
– Energy savings: 5-25% depending on existing storage volume
– Installed cost: $2,000-$20,000 depending on storage volume required

26
Install a Variable-Speed Trim Compressor

Applicable to:
– Systems without a variable-speed or variable-displacement screw compressor
– Systems that have low storage volume
Objective:
– Use a variable-speed screw compressor as the lead trim compressor to improve part-load
efficiency of the system
Solution:
– Install a variable-speed screw trim compressor
• The new trim compressor should be as large or larger than the other compressors to avoid
control gaps and it should have a large turndown range (40% capacity or below is ideal)
• A two-stage compressor should be considered for compressors that are <100 hp for increased
efficiency and longevity
• The controls should be optimized so that the new variable-speed compressor is always
trimming while the other compressors are either fully-loaded or off (base load)
Economics:
– Energy savings: 15-50% depending on existing compressor controls and loading
– Installed cost: $25,000-$250,000 (depending on size)
– May be less economical for oil-free systems

27
Compressor Ratings
Compressed Air and Gas Institute

• The Compressed Air and Gas

Institute (CAGI) provides
independent verification of
compressor operation
• See the CAGI website for links
to CAGI datasheets:
http://www.cagi.org/performan
ce-verification/data-
sheets.aspx

28
 Reduce System Pressure

Applicable to:
– Systems with a pressure setpoint >100 psig
Objective:
– Compressors should generate compressed air at a pressure similar to the pressure required by the
end-use equipment
– For every 2 psi reduction in discharge pressure, a 1% reduction in compressor energy is commonly
realized for positive displacement compressors operating in the 75-130 psig range
– Reducing pressure also reduces flow through unregulated demands and leaks for additional
savings
Solutions:
– Reduce compressor pressure setpoints
• Most all air tools are designed for operation at 90 psig or less.
• System pressure should be a few psi higher than end uses to account for pressure loss in air
treatment equipment and distribution piping
• Setpoints should be adjusted slowly (a few psi per day) to confirm that all production equipment is
performing adequately after each adjustment
• Any setpoint strategies (cascading/nested) should be maintained with the adjustment
– Install high-efficiency low pressure drop coalescing filters (aka mist eliminators)
– Install larger supply piping to end-users and/or dedicated storage as needed to reduce losses
– Consider installing a booster compressor to serve any equipment that requires higher pressure
Economics:
– Energy savings: 2-15% depending on pressure reduction achieved
– Installed cost: <$2,000
– Savings may differ for centrifugal compressors – should also increase throttle range
29
Utilize Outside Air for Compressor Intakes

Applicable to:
– Any regularly operating compressor with an air intake inside the building that is located
relatively near an outside wall
Objective:
– Air compressors generally operate at higher efficiency with lower inlet temperatures
– For each 5°F reduction in compressor intake temperature, a 1% reduction in compressor
energy may be realized
Solution:
– Duct outdoor air to the compressor intake
• Outdoor air should generally be ducted from the nearest exterior wall
• The intake should be shielded from rain and birds
• The duct size should generally be larger than the intake connection size to reduce pressure drop
• A mixing damper should be included to ensure temperature stays above minimum requirement
(typically around 35°F).
Economics:
– Energy savings: 2-5% depending on average compressor room temperature
– Installed cost: $1,000-$5,000 per compressor
– Savings may differ for centrifugal compressors – should also increase throttle range

30
Recover Compressor Waste Heat

Applicable to:
– Any regularly operating air-cooled compressor that exhausts heat outside with heated areas
nearby
Objective:
– A majority of the power required to run an air compressor turns into heat that must be
rejected
– Roughly 80% of compressor power turns into heat that can be recovered
Solution:
– Duct compressor exhaust to nearby heated area
• Include damper to divert exhaust back outside during the summer months
• The duct size should generally be as large as the exhaust ducting to reduce pressure drop
Economics:
– Energy savings: Depends on compressor size and heating demand
– Installed cost: $1,000-$5,000 per compressor
– Savings on water-cooled systems may be less depending on recoverability

31
Air Treatment

• Air treatment components

– Aftercooler
• Cools and removes moisture using ambient air or tower water
– Dryers
• Removes remaining moisture via refrigeration or desiccant
– Filters
• Remove particulates as well as any remaining oil and moisture
– Condensate Drains
• Removes condensed water and oil (condensate) from aftercoolers, dryers, filters, and receivers

32
Air Treatment
Why Dry?

Why dry compressed air?

– Compressing air decreases its ability to hold water vapor and increases its
dew point temperature
– The dew point temperature of the compressed air depends on inlet air
conditions:
• Inlet air @ 75°F, 50% RH, 14.7 psi (0psig), 55°F dew point (DP)
• Dew point of compressed air will be 115°F
– The aftercooler cools the air down to 100°F removing a majority of the
moisture
– Subsequent cooling beyond 100°F dew point results in water vapor
condensing out of the compressed air
• Cooling WILL happen, whether active or passive
• Would result in up to 25 grains/lb of dry air condensing downstream
(~1 gallon/hour for a 500 scfm system)
– Water in supply lines can cause a range of issues:
• Corrosion of distribution piping
• Increased maintenance on end-use equipment
• Production problems and ruined or faulty products (food processing, injection
blow-molding, industrial paint systems)

33
Air Treatment
Why Dry?

• Inlet air conditions:

75°F, 50% RH, 55°F DP,
65 grains/lb

• Air is compressed to 100 psig,

160°F, 30% RH, 115°F DP
(red line)

• As air is cooled through

aftercooler, condensate begins
to form at 115°F (light blue line)

• Air leaves aftercooler at 100°F,

100% RH, 40 grains/lb and
would continue to cool back
down towards ambient temp
(~75°F) (dark blue line)

34
Air Treatment
Drying Compressed Air

• Aftercoolers
– Standard equipment used to reduce the temperature of compressed air
leaving compressor down to 100°F or lower using ambient air (air-cooled
models) or cooling tower water (water-cooled models)
– Removes the bulk of the water content within the compressed air (40%-75%
depending on compressor inlet conditions)
• Refrigerated Dryers
– Uses refrigeration cycle to further cool the compressed air down to a dew
point of 35°F-40°F
– Removes a majority of the remaining water content (up to 95%)
– Relatively efficient (~0.8 kW/100 scfm)
• Regenerative Desiccant Dryers
– Use special desiccants to adsorb moisture
– Used to reduce dew point down to 0°F or less (typically -40°F)
– Sometimes required for moisture sensitive applications or for distribution
systems that will be subjected to ambient temperatures below freezing
– Desiccant regeneration is energy intensive (up to ~2.7 kW/100 scfm)

35
Air Treatment
Drying Compressed Air

• Air enters the dryer at ~100°F,

100% RH, 40 grains/lb

• A refrigerated dryer would

drop the dew point close to the
freezing point (35°F-40°F),
leaving ~4 grains/lb
(light green line)

• A regenerative desiccant dryer

would adsorb nearly all water
vapor present in the air,
reducing dew point to -40°F
and leaving <0.1 grains/lb
(dark green line)

36
Refrigerated Dryers

Refrigerated Air Dryers

– Similar to a home dehumidifier
– Use a traditional refrigeration cycle to
reduce compressed air to relatively low
temperatures (35°F-40°F)
– The air is then typically reheated by the
air entering the dryer via an air-to-air heat
exchanger
• This reduces the relative humidity of the
air leaving the dryer
• Also precools the air entering the dryer to
reduce refrigeration load
– Two basic types:
• Non-cycling
• Cycling
– Relatively efficient (~0.8 kW/100 scfm)

37
Refrigerated Dryers

• Non-cycling models
– Standard control option
– Uses constant compressor
operation with hot-gas bypass to
handle variable compressed air
and moisture loads
• Cycling models
– High-efficiency control option
– Pumped thermal mass
(water/glycol) allows compressor
to cycle in response to load
without affecting dew point
performance
– May also have variable-speed
compressor and fan controls
– Typically a cost-effective option
when a new dryer is needed.

38
Regenerative Desiccant Dryers

Desiccant Compressed Air Dryers

– Typically utilize two large desiccant towers
– Compressed air is dried by one of the towers while the other regenerates
– Once the desiccant in the drying tower becomes saturated air is redirected
to the freshly regenerated tower so that the saturated tower can regenerate
– Regeneration is energy intensive (up to ~2.7 kW/100 scfm)

39
Regenerative Desiccant Dryers

Regeneration Options:
– Heatless models (standard-efficiency)
• Small portion of dried compressed air is diverted from active tower to purge
saturated tower
• Purge air is expanded to atmospheric pressure, increasing moisture
retention
• Uses ~15% of compressed air capacity to purge; least efficient
– Heated models (more efficient)
• Electric heater pre-heats the diverted purge air prior to entering the
saturated tower
• Heating the air further increases the moisture retention, reducing the total
cfm needed for purge
• Uses ~7.5% of compressed air capacity to purge; more efficient
– Heated blower models (most efficient)
• A dedicated blower with heater uses room air to purge the saturated tower
• No compressed air required for regeneration
• This is the most efficient regeneration option for desiccant dryers in oil-
flooded systems

40
Regenerative Desiccant Dryers

Regeneration Options (continued):

– Heat of compression models (most-efficient)
• Typically limited to oil-free systems due to higher temperatures available and
possible desiccant fouling with oil-flooded systems
• Hot air leaving the compressor is routed through the saturated tower to pick
up moisture prior to entering the aftercooler
• Air is then routed through the active tower

Regeneration controls:
– Timer controls (standard-efficiency)
• Switches towers and starts regeneration based on a fixed time setting
• Timer is typically set to regenerate towers as needed to meet full rated
drying capacity regardless of actual air demand and moisture load
– Demand-based controls (high-efficiency)
• Regeneration frequency is controlled as needed to maintain measured dew
point at the dryer outlet
• Can provide significant savings for systems with oversized dryers or low
average compressed air demand

41
Install High-Efficiency Air Dryers

Applicable to:
– Systems with desiccant dryers using standard timer-based regeneration controls
– Systems with desiccant dryers that do not require -40°F dew point air
– Systems with heatless desiccant dryers
– Systems using non-cycling refrigerated dryers on trim compressors
Objective:
– Dry the air to the correct moisture content using the best technology
– The dew point of dried compressed air should be as high as possible to minimize energy
usage
Solution:
– Utilize a cycling refrigerated dryer to dry all air requiring 35°F-40°F dew point
– Utilize a heated blower regenerative desiccant dryer to dry all air requiring -40°F dew point
• All desiccant dryers should be equipped with dew point sensors and use demand-based
regeneration controls rather than a fixed timer
– Utilize a heat of compression desiccant dryer for all oil-free compressors
Economics:
– Energy savings: 2-15%
– Installed cost: $2,000-$200,000

42
Energy Use Reduction Opportunities
Demand Side

• Optimizing the air compressors on the supply side allows

for larger savings on the demand side
– Using a high-efficiency variable-speed screw trim compressor
and optimized controls maximizes savings from flow reductions
– ~0.18 kW/scfm or ~$135/scfm annually for systems running 24/7

• Common Demand-Side Opportunities:

– Install No-Loss Condensate Drain Valves
– Leak Repair
– Replace Air-Powered with Electric Equipment
– Install High-Efficiency Air Nozzles

43
Install No-Loss Condensate Drain Valves

Applicable to:
– Systems with timer-controlled or manually opened
condensate drains
Objective:
– Condensate must be removed from the compressed air
system
– No-loss drain valves are available that only allow water to
leave the system, not air and should be used on all systems
to reduce the purge losses associated with removing
condensate from the system
Solution:
– Install no-loss drains on all condensate drainage points in
the system that don’t already have them
• Common drainage points: intercoolers, aftercoolers, filters,
dryers, storage receivers, etc.
– Carefully follow installation instructions to ensure proper
condensate removal while minimizing air loss.
Economics:
– Energy savings: 1-5 cfm per drain is typical
– Installed cost: $300-800 per drain

44
Leak Repair

Applicable to:
– Facilities without a regular leak management program
– Facilities that haven’t had a leak audit in the last 2 years
Objective:
– Compressed air systems have numerous leaks typically
accounting for 10-40% of system load.
– Repair leaks is relatively simple and a regular leak repair
program can result in significant energy savings while
increasing available compressor capacity
Solution:
– Perform a leak-down test during shutdown to confirm and
quantify the opportunity
– Identify and repair compressed air leaks throughout the system
• An ultrasonic leak detector can be purchased to assist with
identifying and pinpointing leak locations as well as verifying
successful repair
• Use properly sized fittings and sealants when repairing leaks to
ensure effective repair
Economics:
– Energy savings: 1-2 cfm per leak is typical
– Installed cost: < $100 per leak

45
Replace Air-Powered with Electric Equipment

Applicable to:
– Systems with air-powered equipment such as diaphragm pumps or paint
stirrers
– Systems with continuous blowoff applications
Objective:
– Compressed air can be convenient, but is an inefficient way to power
end-use applications
– Driving equipment with compressed air requires over 5 times the
electrical energy compared to using electrically driven equipment
– Many common devices can be upgraded to electric alternatives to
reduce flow demand on the compressors
Solution:
– Replace air-powered equipment with electrical alternatives
• Replace pneumatic paint stirrers with electric motor-driven paint stirrers
• Replace pneumatic diaphragm pumps with electric motor-driven
positive-positive displacement pumps (diaphragm or gear pumps)
• Replace pneumatic vibrators with electric motor-driven vibrators
• Use explosion proof equipment if required
– Replace compressed air blowoff applications with low-pressure blowers
Economics:
– Energy savings: 50-90% per application
– Installed cost: $1000-$10,000 per application

46
Install High-Efficiency Air Nozzles

Applicable to:
– Systems with intermittent blowoff applications not using engineered air
nozzles
Objective:
– High-efficiency engineered air nozzles are available that are designed to
entrain surrounding ambient air to amplify the air jet produced by the nozzle
– Using a open piece of pipe or tubing can require as much as twice the air
consumption of an engineered nozzle
– IF blowoff applications are required, and IF they must use compressed air,
they should use an engineered air nozzle
Solution:
– Install high-efficiency engineered air nozzles on all required blowoff
applications
– Blowoff applications should be interlocked with production line control
systems or controlled using part sensors to minimize unnecessary blowoff
operation
Economics:
– Energy savings: 30-50% per nozzle
– Installed cost: $50-$200 per nozzle

47
Case Studies
Full System Upgrade

• Baseline System:
– Two 100 hp and one 75 hp fixed-speed rotary screw compressors
• Using load/unload capacity controls with inadequate storage (~1
gal/cfm)
• Using individual pressure controls only with multiple units running at
part load
– Three non-cycling refrigerated dryers
• Upgrade:
– Install a new 125 hp variable-speed screw trim compressor
– Install a new 1,060 gallon storage tank and sequence compressors
– Install a new cycling refrigerated dryer to dry all plant air
• Result:
– Savings: ~600,000 kWh or $50,000 annually
– Cost: $150,000
– Incentive: $30,000 ($45,000 during the promotion!)
– Simple Payback: 2.4 years (2.1 years during the promotion!)

48
Case Studies
Full System Upgrade

• Baseline System:
– Two 200 hp and one 400 hp fixed-speed rotary screw compressors
• Using inlet modulation capacity controls
• Using individual pressure controls only with multiple units at part load
– Two heatless desiccant dryers w/ standard timer controls
• Upgrade:
– Install a master control system to sequence the compressors
– Install a new 200 hp variable-speed screw trim compressor
– Install a new heated blower desiccant dryer w/ EMS demand control
• Result:
– Savings: ~2,000,000 kWh or $170,000 annually
– Cost: $400,000
– Incentive: $100,000 ($150,000 during the promotion!)
– Simple Payback: 1.8 years (1.5 during the promotion!)

49
Case Studies
Leak Identification and Repair

• Baseline System:
– Two 125 hp and two 40 hp rotary screw compressors
• One variable-speed trim compressor
• Three fixed-speed load/unload units (baseload only)
• Upgrade:
– A leak study was performed and 50 leaks were identified and
repaired
– The leak repair effort resulted in an average load reduction of ~55
cfm
• Result:
– Savings: ~85,000 kWh or $7,200 annually
– Cost: $6,100
– Incentive: $4,250 ($5,490 during the promotion!)
– Simple Payback: 3 months (1 month during the promotion!)

50
Questions?

51
We Are Here To Help!!
Large Industrial Energy Efficiency Program

Contact your Energy Manager Today

Deanna Weaver, PE

Call 724.900.5950
Email dweaver@nexant.com
Visit dlcindustrialefficiency.com