By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge A mineral processor purchased a VSD controlled compressor for their plant, to save energy. This unit very nicely supplied the variable compressed air load, automatically ramping up to full speed when peak demands required full flow, but efficiently turning down to low speed when normal demands consumed […]
Air Compressors
Compact portable air compressor
Atlas Copco launched its XAS 90 air compressor for utility and pneumatic-tool applications demanding as much as 88 cubic feet per minute of air power. โWe took day-to-day functionality and ROI into account when developing the XAS 90,โ said Rich Elliott, Atlas Copco product manager, low-pressure air compressors. Atlas Copcoโs HardHat canopy, which is made […]
Compressed air fail: Compressor not contributing due to piping challenge
By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge A spring water bottling plant had a compressor room filled with a complicated piping to connect their four compressors to the two main areas of their plant. The plant personnel had learned a long time ago that supplying the main plant with excessive pressure increased the power […]
Lehigh purchasing assets of Ortman Fluid Power from Quincy Compressor
UPDATED: Quincy Compressor LLC of Quincy, Ill. has announced a definitive agreement to divest its assets in Ortman Fluid Power to Lambertville, N.J.-based Lehigh Fluid Power Inc. The sale is expected to close during the first quarter of 2015. Officialsย said thisย offers opportunities for customers of Lehigh and Ortman who will now have access to a […]
Compressed air fail: Unexpected operation of VSD compressor
By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge A metal foundry had a compressed air audit done thatย showed their three load/unload compressors were running inefficiently. Even though the units were controlled by a sequencerโwhich was supposed to coordinate the compressors according to the plant flowโthe compressors were running inefficiently. Data logging showed significant pressure differential […]
Compressed air fail: Can the compressor โsee?โ
A seed cleaning and distribution center had installed a small 20-hp lubricated screw compressor, a desiccant dryer and a large 1060-gal storage receiver installed in their facility. Even though the storage receiver was more than sufficient to reduce the compressor load/unload cycles down to a low frequency, the compressors continued to load and unload rapidly, […]
How efficient are your air compressors?
Just what is your facility’s leakage level? How efficient are your air compressors? These are questions you can answer for yourself with some quick and inexpensive tests involving a calculator and a stopwatch. The answers you find could surprise you. For compressors that use load/unload controls, there is an easy way to roughly estimate the […]
Air compressor failures: Fix or replace?
Many decisions are made in keeping compressed air systems running smoothly, but one of the most important is equipment selection. From time to time, equipment failure forces us to choose to repair our old air compressor or select a new one. Often, for a major component failure, the cost of the repair of the compressor […]
Handle hot surfaces quickly saves energy in the plastics industry
Piab introduces a new material for its line of piGRIPยฎ suction cups as well as its smaller Bellows and Universal models. The material – HNBR is known for superior mechanical properties that equates to excellent durability, tear and abrasion resistance.ย This material provides an extended lifetime compared to conventional suction cup materials. A key application […]
Simrit’s piston sealing systems reduce friction
Simrit, the industrial sealing division of Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies, has developed three new piston seals that reduce friction and lower energy consumption in applications like mechanical transmissions and pneumatic cylinders.
