Recently, I wrote a blog, “Flat Super Air Nozzles: Build Your Own System Overview”. It described how the Flat Super Air Nozzles could be used singly or joined together with accessories for flexibility in your application. In addition, it demonstrated the amount of compressed air savings and reduction in energy consumption to save you money. Tyler Daniel, a colleague, wrote a similar blog on “ROI – Is it Worth the Investment?” He explains the quick payback or ROI (Return on Investment) by using EXAIR Super Air Knives. In both posts, the word “Super” is intertwined with the product name. To expand a bit further, the word, “Super” is more than just a word. It is about cost savings, efficiency, and energy conservation. In this post, I will dive a bit more into the reasons why EXAIR uses the word, “Super”, and how it can help you.
When EXAIR started to manufacture compressed air products, we created a culture in making high quality products that are safe, effective, and efficient. Being leaders in this industry, we created a program, the Efficiency Lab, to compare blow-off devices with EXAIR products in noise levels, flow requirements, and force measurements. With calibrated test equipment, we compare the data in a qualified report to share with our customers. This information can be helpful to determine the total amount of air savings and safety improvements that EXAIR products can offer.
With the total amount of energy savings that the EXAIR products can provide, EXAIR was able to partner with Energy Star and the Environmental Protection Agency. This commitment by EXAIR for reducing energy to protect the environment for future generations is a cornerstone for our business model. Compressors use electricity to produce compressed air. In most industries, they consider compressed air as a fourth utility. If you have pneumatics in your facility wouldn’t it be best to use it, and the electricity it requires, as efficiently as you can?
In conjunction with the Efficiency Lab, we created a Cost Savings Calculator. It is a quick way to view payback periods and annual savings when using EXAIR products. As an example, I used a 1” Flat Super Air Nozzle, model 1126, and compared it to a 1/8” open pipe. (The reason behind the comparison is that the model 1126 can screw onto the end of the 1/8” NPT pipe.) With an operation of 24 hours/day for 250 days a year, the amount of air used by an 1/8” open pipe is near 70 SCFM (1,981 SLPM) at 80 PSIG (5.5 Bar). The model 1126 has an air consumption of 10.5 SCFM (297 SLPM) at 80 PSIG (5.5 Bar). By putting the information in the Cost Savings Calculator, it determined that the ROI was in 2.1 days. The annual savings was $5,355 per year. Imagine if you replaced ten blow-off spots in your facility, the amount of money that could be saved. Here is the worksheet below:
Why did I bring this up? Besides showing the “hidden” extra cost that is wasted when using sub-standard blow-off devices, it also shows the amount of compressed air that was saved. By using the model 1126, we were able to save 21,420,000 cubic feet of air per year (596,043 cubic meters of air per year). With this amount of energy savings, people take notice.
The people that did take notice were the utility companies that make electricity. Depending on your location, electrical suppliers initiated a rebate program to use engineered nozzles in your facility. Similar to other energy saving rebates, like LED lightbulbs and high efficiency furnaces, the electrical providers notice a big savings when using EXAIR products. If you qualify, the total cost to purchase and implement the EXAIR Super Air Nozzles are reduced. (Even if a rebate program has not been implemented in your area, the idea of saving energy and compressed air makes it very profitable and environmentally sound in changing over to EXAIR products). The website is DSIRE. “DSIRE is the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewables and energy efficiency in the United States.” Check it out to see if your area has instituted a rebate program.
When EXAIR uses the word “Super”, it is much more than just an adjective. It shows the quality and precision that EXAIR uses in manufacturing our products, and the amount of cost and energy savings that can be generated. Being backed by Energy Star, EPA, and rebate programs, EXAIR can help companies to upgrade their pneumatic systems. Together, we can save energy, improve the environment, and reduce compressed air. If you would like to discuss how EXAIR can work for you, you can contact an EXAIR Application Engineer to see if we can put the word, “Super”, into your compressed air program.
John Ball
Application Engineer
Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb