RELIABILITY / COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEMS
AVOID
BAD AIR
Reduce operating pressure
and properly size storage to
maximize compressed air
system reliability
By Dean Smith and Alton Stokes, iZ Systems
for the Compressed Air Challenge
All rotating equipment eventually fails, and your
compressed air system is no different. Ignoring this can mean
trouble for your production or, worse, cause a production
outage. Well-designed systems have automatic backup strate-
gies to recover and, if implemented correctly, should cause
minimal pressure fluctuations or performance degradation.
Justifying backup equipment can be difficult, especially with
facility support equipment. But without backup, preventive
maintenance schedules can be degraded, relegating critical
maintenance to off times or not occur at all. Without mainte-
nance, the potential for a failure increases exponentially.
For firms specializing in air and vacuum audits, the most
common marching orders from clients are to find energy sav-
ings and to increase system reliability. These basic needs work
together. As identified by the Compressed Air Challenge, 50%
of the compressed air produced in most industrial systems
is typically wasted through leakage, artificial demand, and
inappropriate usage (Figure 1). This means, if sufficient waste
can be found and eliminated from a system, one or more
compressors can be turned off creating energy savings and
providing a backup unit.
THE SYSTEMIC OVERVIEW
The missing ingredient in virtually every compressed air
system is sufficient storage receiver capacity, but how does
this affect reliability? When storage is too small relative to
26 JANUARY 2012 WWW.PLANTSERVICES.COM
DAYS
compressor size, the compressors cycle too frequently, which
shortens air-end life. Also, a relatively small change in air
demand causes a rapid change in pressure, which causes
compressors to overreact trying to maintain the system
setpoint. To compensate for these fluctuations, the average
system pressure level is often increased to ensure the pres-
sure stays above the minimum acceptable level for produc-
tion. This increase in pressure creates artificial air demand,
one of the primary waste categories, where the higher pres-
sure causes unregulated uses and leakage to consume more
air than at lower pressure, but it also increases the work the
compressors must perform to provide the required com-
pressed air. Even if the compressors are rated for the actual
operating pressure, every 2 psi increase in discharge pres-
sure increases the work energy required by 1% (at a nominal
100 psig) increasing compressor component operating tem-
peratures, decreasing the lifespan and increasing required
maintenance costs. In worst case scenarios with minimum
storage capacity, backup compressors will be left running
unloaded, so they can quickly be available to maintain stable
system pressure with the obvious negative impacts on oper-
ating and maintenance costs, and unit life.
In addition to unstable system pressure, there are other
reasons for a higher-than-necessary operating pressure,
including excessive pressure drop at the point-of-use filters
and regulators, insufficient storage at the point of use for
high-speed applications, unregulated open blowing, and
elevated leak rates, which pull down pressure locally and
affect other applications. Any steps to reduce operating
pressures are going to have a positive impact on reliability,
long-term equipment integrity, and operating costs, so iden-
tifying these types of issues is critical. One option would be
a complete professional system audit, which would address
all of these areas in order to minimize system pressures.
Properly sizing system storage is primary to minimiz-
ing these issues and starts with providing for the failure of
the largest compressor without having the system pressure
fall below the minimum acceptable level at any time. This
requires two considerations. First, a backup compressor
with adequate capacity must be available and capable of
automatically starting. Second, sufficient storage capacity is
needed to slow the rate of pressure loss so that the compres-
sor can load up before system pressure drops too low. The
size of storage required is dependent upon the size of the
largest compressor and can be surprising (Figure 2).
If this setup is applied on a system with four 200-hp
1,000-cfm-rated compressors in a system that has 1,100
gal (10 cubic ft/psi) of storage capacity, the failure of a fully
loaded compressor would cause the pressure to fall at a rate
of 100 psi/min (1.67 psi/sec). If the spare compressor takes
20 seconds to start and load, system pressure will have fallen
about 33 psi before the spare unit delivers any air. If, on the
other hand, the system had 10,000 gal of storage capacity,
the pressure would have only fallen 3 psi for the same event.
With this cascaded control strategy, system pressure will
range as high as 110 psi and as low as 90 psi through the
normal operating range of the control scheme, which is not
PROPERLY DESIGNED AUTOMATION
SYSTEMS CAN MANAGE A SET OF
COMPRESSORS WITHIN A SINGLE
CONTROL BAND BY CYCLING ONLY
ONE COMPRESSOR.
preferable but can be managed in several ways, such as a
pressure flow controller or an automation system.
Properly designed automation systems can manage a set
of compressors within a single control band by cycling only
one compressor, while any other units which are operating
remain fully loaded (Figure 3). Additionally, by monitor-
ing the rate of pressure change, the automation system can
make decisions to properly respond to air demand changes
without unnecessary cycling or compressors starts. Com-
bined with a pressure flow controller to stabilize system
pressure, automation can maximize efficiency and reliability
by monitoring compressor operating conditions and alerting
operators when appropriate. Modern automation can even
shift compressors with abnormal conditions to the back of
the sequence and start other units in their place.
Annual preventive programs should be scheduled for
compressors prior to the worst conditions occurring. Nor-
mally, the worst conditions are in the summer, so spring
time is the best time to clean coolers, replace filter elements,
and perform any other preventive activity. Going into the
summers higher temperatures with the compressed air
equipment in its best possible condition will minimize the
risks of an interruption and maximize the reliability of the
compressed air system.
OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE PRACTICES
There are a few basic maintenance and operational practices
that must be managed or maintained to improve compressed
air reliability.
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reduce compressor inlet temperatures will reduce inter-
nal and discharge temperatures, which are the source of
many unexpected shutdowns. If your compressor room
is more than 10 F above ambient, then some additional
ventilation should be considered. If the compressors are
air-cooled, duct the heat outdoors in summer to reduce
temperatures and indoors in winter to recover heat. This
heat recovery can provide enough energy savings to
fund the project.
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a compressor to work significantly harder to deliver the
same volume of air. The fouled filter creates a vacuum
at the compression element, but the discharge pressure
requirements stay the same, so this is an increase in
the required compression ratio on the compressor. This
vacuum at the inlet also means the compressor must
increase its output capability if it can, by increased speed,
modulation level, or loading percentage, in order to de-
liver the same volume as it could with clean filters. This is
an energy issue, as well as a maintenance issue, as it causes
the efficiency to fall and the temperatures to increase.
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DEMAND COMPONENTS
Increased demand
from excessive
system pressure Normal production
Inappropriate uses
Leaks
Figure 1. Half of the compressed air thats produced is wasted in
the form of leaks, inappropriate uses, and articial demand.
(Source: Compressed Air Challenge)
WWW.PLANTSERVICES.COM JANUARY 2012 27
RELIABILITY / COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEMS

changers and separators also forces
the compressors to work harder to
deliver the same air flow. This will
result in higher amp levels on the
motor and higher temperatures.
Filter and dryer pressure drop

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after the compressor discharge
has the same effect and should
also be monitored and managed
at minimum levels. Find out the
specifications for pressure drop on
this equipment and then monitor it

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maintenance is required.
with an accurate gauge to deter-
ANY STEPS TO REDUCE drop also leads to higher tempera-
tures because the ability to remove
OPERATING PRESSURES heat is impacted. Monitoring
ARE GOING TO HAVE approach temperatures is often the
A POSITIVE IMPACT ON best way to monitor for these kinds
RELIABILITY, LONG-TERM PG
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cations from the manufacturer and
EQUIPMENT INTEGRITY, compare the outlet air temperature
AND OPERATING COSTS. to the inlet cooling medium tem-
mine when flushing or element perature with an infrared tem-
replacement is required. perature gun to quickly learn when
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THE BIG AND LITTLE OF COMPRESSED AIR

Compressor
#1
110 Compressor
#2
105 Compressor
#3 Backup
Pressure (psig)

100 Compressor
#4
95

90

85 Production minimum requirement

80

Figure 2. A cascaded control scheme results in higher average system pressure but allows automatic backup to function.

SINGLE PRESSURE BAND CONTROL

110

105 Unload
n oa pressure
ressur

Single set point

oint control pressure
ressur
Pressure (psig)

100

95 Load
oad pressure
ressur

90
Production minimum requiremen
85 Production minimum requirement

80
Figure 3: By monitoring the rate of pressure change, the system properly responds to air demand changes without unnecessary cycling or
compressors starts.

28 JANUARY 2012 WWW.PLANTSERVICES.COM

 levels can create the opportu-
nity for a backup compressor and
reduce system pressure, but, at
a minimum, it will save energy.
Performing a leak audit with an ul-
trasonic gun on a priority basis
larger leaks first will maximize
results and minimize costs.
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leading cause of air system con-
tamination. Testing drains every
day as part of a normal operator
walk-through is recommended
and offers the opportunity to catch
these problems before they affect
production. There are no main-
NEW. tenance-free drains and even the
best technology available requires
Six amazing models. regular rebuilding to be reliable.
One trusted name.
Dean Smith is a certied Compressed Air

The Fluke P Series 3 Challenge Level II instructor and quali-

ed to lead CACs LI and LII seminars.

P 3
He is general manager of iZ Systems.
Proven Contact him at dsmith@izsystems.com or
Practical (404) 307-6836. Alton Stokes is senior
Performance air systems auditor at iZ Systems. Con-
tact him at astokes@izsystems.com or
(251) 490-4981. For more information,
The only thing that precedes Flukes visit www.compressedairchallenge.org.
highest standards of quality is our
reputation for making the finest
measurement tools in the world.
Fluke thermal imagers are no THE COMPRESSED AIR CHALLENGE
exception. And, the P3 series handily
The CAC (www.compresse-
delivers on the promise to offer the
most tool for the money. dairchallenge.org) is a voluntary
Ti27 collaboration of manufacturers,
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distributors, and their associa-
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operating personnel and their
associations; consultants; state
Find out more about these
new products from Fluke at
research and development
www.fluke.com/P3series agencies; energy efficiency
Ti29 organizations; and utilities.
TiR29 The mission of the CAC is to
be the leading source of
product-neutral compressed
air system information and
education, enabling end users
to take a systems approach,
leading to improved efficiency
Ti32
and production and increased
Thermal Imagers
TiR32
net profits.

2011 Fluke Corporation. 4060043B