The generation of compressed air accounts for approximately 1/3 of all energy costs in an industrial facility. According to the Compressed Air Challenge, about 30% of that compressed air is lost through leaks. This means nearly 10% of your facility’s energy costs are simply wasted through poor connections, faulty air valves, improper installation, etc. In addition to simply wasting money, compressed air leaks can also contribute to a variety of other operating losses. A leak can cause a drop in system pressure. When this occurs, end users may not operate as efficiently and have an adverse effect on production. This same drop in system pressure will also cause the equipment to cycle on/off more often, shortening the life of your compressor and other equipment. If the leaks cause an issue in supply volume, it may lead to the belief that more compressor capacity is necessary, further increasing your operating costs.

To put leaks in perspective (assuming energy costs of .10/ kWh):

• A $200/year leak cannot be felt or heard
• A $800/year leak can be felt, but not heard
• A $1,400/year leak can be felt and heard.

(Compressed Air Challenge)

If you walk through your facility, how many leaks can you hear? These are only the REALLY bad ones!!  So if we know that a large amount of compressed air is leaking, what do we do about it? A proper leak prevention plan is the key to success. Since these leaks are impossible to see and some cannot even be heard, you need a tool to help assist you. EXAIR’s NEW Model 9207 Ultrasonic Leak Detector is the right tool for the job. When compressed air leaks through a pipe, it creates an ultrasonic signature due to turbulence. While this sound is not always detectable by the human ear, this meter will allow you to locate leaks up to 20’ away.

High pressure gases create a high frequency turbulence when moving into an area with lower pressure. This results in an ultrasonic noise that is outside the range of human hearing. The ULD detects these signatures, creating an audible sound through the supplied headphones and indicating the intensity via the front-facing LED display as the meter is brought closer to the origin.

The ULD comes with attachments allowing you to filter out background noise in a typical industrial plant and includes “+” or “-“ buttons for fine-tuning the meter’s sensitivity settings. This new model offers heightened ability to detect leaks in hard-to-reach areas while also complying with IEC 613326-1 standard that designates its ability to operate in typical electromagnetic environments found within an industrial plant.

In almost any industrial plant, huge amounts of savings can be realized rather easily by implementing a leak protection program. EXAIR has the Model 9207 Ultrasonic Leak Detector ready to ship same-day from stock. Get yours on order today and start saving money!

Tyler Daniel, CCASS

Application Engineer

E-mail: TylerDaniel@EXAIR.com

Twitter: @EXAIR_TD