Maintenance Practices Good and proper maintenance practices will dramatically improve the performance efficiency of a compressor system.

Following are a few tips for efficient operation and maintenance of industrial compressed air systems: 1. Lubrication: Compresso r oil pressure should be visually checked daily, and the oil filter changed monthly. 2. Air Filters: The inlet air filter can easily become clogged, particularly in dusty environments. 3. Filters should be checked and replaced regularly. 4. Condensate Traps: Many systems have condensate traps to gather and (for those traps fitted with a float operated valve) flush condensate from the system. Manual traps should be periodically opened and re-closed to drain any accumulated fluid; automatic traps should be checked to verify they are not leaking compressed air. 5. Air Dryers: Drying air is energy-intensive. For refrigerated dryers, inspect and replace prefilters regularly as these dryers often have small internal passages that can become plugged with contaminants. Regenerative dryers require an effective oil-removal filter on their inlets, as they will not function well if lubricating oil from the compressor coats the desiccant. The temperature of deliquescent dryers should be kept below 100F to avoid increased consumption of the desiccant material, which should be replenished every 3-4 months depending on the rate of depletion.

Developed Checklist Compressor Maintenance 1. Inlet Filter Cartridges Inspect and clean or replace as per manufacturer specifications. Required frequency is often related to operating conditions. Dirty filters increase energy consumption. 2. Drain Traps Clean out debris and check operation periodically. 3. Compressor Lubricant Level Inspect daily and top-off or replace as per manufacturer specifications. Change lubricant filter as per manufacturer specifications. 4. Air Lubricant Separator (for lubricant-injected rotary screw compressors) Change as per manufacturer specifications or when pressure drop exceeds 10 psid, whichever is less. 5. Lubricant Selection Select compressor and electric motor lubricant as per manufacturer specifications. 6. Belt Condition Check belts for wear and check/adjust tension as per manufacturer specifications. 7. Operating Temperature Verify that operating temperature is per manufacturer specifications. 8. Air Line Filters Replace particulate and lubricant removal elements when pressure drop exceeds 2 to 3 psid. Inspect all elements at least annually regardless of pressure drop indication. 9. Water Cooling System For water-cooled systems, check water quality (especially pH and total dissolved solids), flow and temperature, and clean/replace filters and heat exchangers as per manufacturers specifications. 10. System Leaks Check lines (especially joints), fittings, clamps, valves, hoses, disconnects, regulators, filters, lubricators, gauge connections and enduse equipment for leaks. 11. System Cleanliness Check system for compressor and motor lubricant leaks and cleanliness. 12. Pressure/Flow Pressure (psi) and flow (cfm) are inversely proportional. As pressure goes up, air flow goes down. 13. CFM 5 CFM per horsepower on a 100 psi air compressor 14. Pressure Drop Each psi pressure drop equals 0.5% in horsepower.

15. Piping Bypass piping and valving on compressed air system components (dryer, filter, drop legs, etc.) allows periodic inspection, maintenance and repair without interrupting air supply to the complete system. 16. Heat Load The heat load on an air-cooled compressor is hp x 2545 BTU/hour. 17. Dryers 65 percent of condensate is removed by the aftercooler; 96 percent can be removed by a refrigerated dryer. 18. Moisture Every 10-degree increase in discharge temperature doubles moisture content. 19. Slope Slope main lines about 1.16" per foot away from the air compressor. Install drop legs for condensate removal. 20. Pneumatic Tools If a pneumatic tool immediately slows down when trigger is pulled, check fittings to ensure there is not a restriction in air flow. 21. Air Supply Shut Off Before making or breaking any air connection, always turn off air supply. Use a ball valve to turn off the air supply. Never kink a hose as a shortcut - you could damage or even rupture the air hose. 22. Air Hoses Protect air hoses from damage - move them out of the way of vehicles so they are not run over. Be sure not to drag hoses or expose them to sharp corners.

Option Checklist 1. Find and fix current compressed air leaks and try to prevent the same. Check for leaks and pressure losses throughout the system regularly (monthly). 2. Avoid the improper, yet common practice of cracking drains in an effort to insure moisture free performance at a particular point-of- use. 3. Regulate all point-of- use operations at the lowest possible pressure using a quality regulator. 4. Eliminate the use of air hoists, and air motors. 5. Shut off the air supply to "off- line" production equipment. 6. Isolate single users of high pressure air. 7. Monitor pressure drops in piping systems. 8. Evaluate your need for modulating compressors. 9. Use high efficiency motors in place of standard motors. 10. Consider multiple staged compressors.

11. Lower the output pressure as far as possible. 12. Use waste heat off the compressor to help the rest of the plant save energy. 13. Avoid delivering higher pressure to the entire plant just to meet the requirements of one user. 14. Understand multiple compressor system controls. 15. Utilize intermediate controls/expanders/high quality back pressure regulators. 16. Understand the requirements for clean- up equipment. 17. Use the drying technology that gives you the maximum allowable pressure dew point. 18. Choose "best in class" products for all compressor parts in case of replacements. 19. Monitor the differential pressure across the air filter. Excessive pressure drop in filters also wastes energy. 20. Use cool outside air for the compressor intake. 21. Adopt a systematic preventive maintenance strategy for your compressor. 22. Impart training and create awareness among employees for efficient operation and maintenance of compressor systems. 23. Ensure the entire system is monitored by good housekeeping practices. 24. Ensure condensation can be removed swiftly from the distribution network, or does not occur. 25. Check that receivers are sized to store air for short heavy demands.