By Ron Marshall A food processing plant recently built an expansion to their existing building. The compressed air system in the new plant was of very efficient cutting edge, self-contained design. The system uses a mix of VSD and fixed-speed compressors with a central controller, desiccant air dryers with dewpoint control, large storage, and pressure/flow […]
Aventics refines its Advanced Valves once again
Right from the start, simple handling was one of the most important features of the AV valve system series. ΊΪΑΟ³ΤΉΟs specialists from Aventics have taken this approach one step further and now have a new solution to showcase at the Hannover Messe 2018. With outlets on the bottom, the AV system is optimized for installation […]
How do I put my compressor to sleep?
By Ron Marshall One of the biggest wastes of energy in a compressed air system is allowing your air compressor to use energy when it is not producing air. This can be a big problem with screw compressors, due to the way these compressors typically operate. Well-maintained modern day screw compressors running in load/unload control […]
How important is pressure to my compressed air efficiency?
By Ron Marshall The pressure at which you operate your system has a significant effect on the energy efficiency of your air compressors, and Β can affect the air consumption of the compressed air powered tools and equipment in the plant. Running at higher pressure than desired causes higher system flow and more power consumption, increasing […]
Leybold to present vacuum portfolio at ANUGA FoodTec
At the leading trade fair Anuga FoodTec in Cologne, Leybold will present its vacuum technologies for the food processing and packagingΒ industry from the 20th to the 23rd March 2018. The efficient solutions of the vacuum supplier are used worldwide. In a wide variety of applications, theΒ pumps, systems and measuring devices of this long-established company makeΒ a […]
Will a VSD compressor save me money?
The development of the variable speed drive screw compressors has had a large impact on the efficiency of compressed air systems worldwide.Β If properly applied, one or more variable speed controlled compressors installed in a system will save energy and may even help better control system pressure. Typical fixed speed compressors always run their main […]
Why are my compressed air lines freezing?
The water vapor contained compressed air will condense out if the temperature of the air in plant piping falls below the compressed air dew point. If the pipes are below the freezing point of water, such as in an outdoor installation in winter, then ice forms. The ice will build up and block the flow […]
Should I buy a bigger air compressor to supply my future growth?
A big question when buying an air compressor is βwill it be big enough?β Having a larger compressor than you currently need reduces the possibility of pressure problems due to lack of capacity, but purchasing a compressor that is too large can significantly increase your operating costsβespecially if you choose a fixed speed lubricated screw […]
Pneu-Connect allows seamless integration of grippers to Universal Robots
PHD has released new accessory for seamless integration of pneumatic grippers on collaborative robots. The PHD Pneu-Connect connects directly to the tool port on the robot arm making it easy to attach a PHD pneumatic gripper to a Universal Robot (UR) brand cobot. The Pneu-Connect incorporates a built-in pneumatic directional control valve for opening and […]
Compressed air fail: Forgotten dryer setting
By Ron Marshall A food processing plant purchased an energy saving externally heated purge type dryer to save compressed air system energy. This dryer is designed to consume only 7.5% purge flow, compared to 15% for a standard heatless dryer, and was purchased with an onboard energy management system (EMS). The internal dewpoint dependent switching […]
