COST OF AN AIR LEAK

Carefully conducted technical studies have shown that, in most factories and manufacturing centers, air leaks reduce the efficiency predicted when the network was installed by over 20%.

Compressed air leaks are invisible. They have no color or odor. The hissing sound of leaking air blends in with the ambient noise of machines and pneumatic tools. Leaks are generally tolerated because they cause no damage. The best way to detect them is to visit the site outside production hours, when ambient noise is virtually absent.

You can then easily carry out the following test. Start the compressor first, if it is not already running. In many plants, the compressor is left running 24 hours a day. It’s not uncommon to hear the compressor running, even when operations have ceased and the equipment is no longer producing. A single 1/8″ diameter leak in the network is enough to continuously power 2 or 3 small tools, or an electrical energy demand of 4 KWH.

Keep the air lines pressurized and follow their course systematically to detect the slightest leak. The compressor works because it has to supply the air leaks.

Air usually leaks through a multitude of small slides. Each one is tiny, but their combined effect is considerable. This is what happens all day long. Every day, these little leaks produce big electricity bills. So the choice is simple: spend dollars or save them.

The cost of compressed air averages $0.26 per 1000 SCF (Standard Cubic Feet of Air). A medium-sized factory or workshop can make substantial savings if it systematically searches for air leaks throughout its network and carries out the necessary repairs.

Very often, certain losses that are so easy to eliminate are overlooked. For example, pneumatic tools are left connected to the distribution network after use, or worn or poor-quality air hoses are used. We use cheap clamps, fittings or blowguns. By making a few of these corrections, you can achieve substantial savings.