Tag: compressed air ultrasonic leak detector

Starting a Leak Prevention Program: Maximize Efficiency and Savings

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

Compressed air systems are the unsung heroes powering countless processes across all industries. However, they come with a hidden cost: leaks. Even the most well-maintained systems experience some level of leakage, often wasting 20-30% of a compressor’s output, according to the Compressed Air Challenge. This inefficiency translates directly into higher energy bills, increased compressor wear, and unnecessary maintenance expenses. The good news? You can take control of these losses by implementing a Leak Prevention Program. Let’s dive into how to establish such a program and why it’s a game-changer for your bottom line.

Compressed air isn’t cheap—it’s often one of the most significant energy expenses in a facility. When leaks go unchecked, you’re not just losing air; you’re losing money. A single leak can cost thousands of dollars annually, depending on its size and your energy rates. For example, at $0.07 per kWh, a leak as small as 1/8 inch can waste over $2,933 worth of compressed air per year. Multiply that by dozens of leaks across a system, and the financial impact becomes staggering. Beyond the dollars, leaks force compressors to run longer and harder, shortening their lifespan and driving up maintenance costs. A Leak Prevention Program isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a strategic necessity for operational efficiency and sustainability.

EXAIR provides resources and tools to help you design and execute an effective Leak Prevention Program. Here’s a step-by-step approach to getting started:

  1. Establish a Baseline – Before you can measure improvement, you need to know where you stand. Document your current compressed air usage by tracking compressor run times, energy consumption, and system pressure. This baseline serves as your reference point to quantify savings once leaks are addressed. To measure the total volume of air, you can implement the EXAIR Digital flow meter.
  2. Identify Leaks – Here’s where EXAIR’s Ultrasonic Leak Detector (Model 9207) shines. Leaks produce high-frequency turbulence—ultrasonic “white noise” that’s inaudible to the human ear but easily detectable with the right technology. This handheld, high-quality detector converts these ultrasonic signatures into audible sounds through headphones and displays intensity on an LED screen, allowing you to pinpoint leaks up to 20 feet away. Whether it’s a faulty fitting, a worn valve, or a cracked pipe, the detector’s precision ensures you won’t miss a thing—even in noisy industrial environments.
  3. Document and Prioritize – Once leaks are identified, record their location, size, and estimated cost. There are two main approaches: the Seek-and-Repair method, where leaks are fixed immediately, or the Leak Tag method, where leaks are tagged and logged for scheduled repairs. For larger facilities, a master leak list can streamline tracking and ensure accountability. Prioritize repairs based on leak size and accessibility—tackling the biggest offenders first maximizes early savings.
  4. Repair and Verify Fix the leaks using appropriate methods—tightening connections, replacing seals, or upgrading components. After repairs, use the Ultrasonic Leak Detector again to confirm the fixes hold. This verification step ensures your efforts translate into real results.
  5. Track Savings and Optimize Compare your post-repair compressed air usage to your baseline. The reduction in energy costs, compressor runtime, and maintenance needs will reveal the program’s ROI, then you can turn your leak prevention program into a continuous improvement process.

The EXAIR Ultrasonic Leak Detector is an important building block for this program. Its ability to detect leaks quickly and accurately sets it apart from rudimentary methods like listening for hisses (which only catches the worst offenders) or using soapy water (impractical for large systems). The detector’s portability and ease of use mean your team can cover an entire facility efficiently, even during normal operations. Its directional sensitivity zeros in on leak sources, minimizing guesswork and downtime. With minimal training, your staff can become proficient, making it a practical investment for any operation.

Compressed air leaks will rob your system of its capacity, compressor life, and electrical cost.  It is important to have a leak preventative program to check for leaks periodically as they can happen at any time.  The EXAIR Ultrasonic Leak Detector and the Digital Flowmeters will help you accomplish this and optimize your compressed air system.  Once you find and fix all your leaks, you can then focus on improving the efficiency of your blow-off devices with EXAIR products like Super Air Knives, Super Air Nozzles, and Super Air Amplifiers, and save yourself even more money.  This blog is an overview of Step 2 of the Six Steps to Optimization. You may have more questions; and, that is great! You can find them in other EXAIR blogs, or you can contact an Application Engineer at EXAIR.

Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer

Send me an email
Find us on the Web 
Like us on Facebook
Twitter: @EXAIR_JS

Air Leak Photo Courtesy of the Compressed air Challenge

Six Step to Optimization:  Step 2 – Finding and fixing leaks

Published on by John BallLeave a comment

Since air compressors use a lot of electricity to make compressed air, it is important to use the compressed air as efficiently as possible. EXAIR has six simple steps to optimize your compressed air system. Following these steps will help you to cut electricity costs, reduce overhead, and improve your bottom line. In this blog, I will cover the second step – Find and Fix leaks in your compressed air system.

One of the largest problems affecting compressed air systems is leaks.  That quiet little hissing sound from the pipelines is costing your company much money.  For the amount of electricity required to produce compressed air, a study was conducted by a university to determine the percentage of air leaks in a typical manufacturing plant.  In a poorly maintained system, they found on average that 30% of the compressor capacity is lost through air leaks.  A majority of companies do not implement a leak prevention program; as result, many end up with a poorly maintained system.  To put a dollar value on it, a leak that you cannot physically hear can cost you as much as $130/year.  That is just for one inaudible leak in hundreds of feet of compressed air lines.  For the leaks that you can hear, you can tell by the chart below the amount of money that can be wasted by the size of the hole.  Unlike a hydraulic system, compressed air does not create a mess; so, leaks will not appear at the source.  You have to locate them by some other means. 

Most leaks occur where you have threaded fittings, connections, hoses, and pneumatic components like valves, regulators, and drains.  The Optimization products from EXAIR are designed to help optimize your compressed air system, and the most effective way is to eliminate leaks.  The Ultrasonic Leak Detectors can find the air leaks, and the Digital Flowmeters can monitor your system flow especially for those times when production is not running.  With both of these products implemented in a leak preventative program, you will have a far easier time identifying and locating leaks in order to keep your compressed air system running in an optimum condition.

EXAIR Ultrasonic Leak Detector:

When a leak occurs, it emits an ultrasonic noise caused by turbulence.  These ultrasonic noises can be at a frequency which is inaudible for human hearing (> 20 kHz).  The EXAIR Ultrasonic Leak Detector, model 9207, can pick up these frequencies and make the leaks audible through a process called “heterodyning”.  With a signal strength number and bar graph level display, you can find very minute leaks.  It comes with two attachments; the parabola to locate leaks up to 20 feet away, and a tube attachment to define the exact location of a leak among many connections within a pipe.  Once you find a leak, it can be marked for fixing.  This simple-to-use instrument can save you a lot of money and headaches.  You can watch a video about the Ultrasonic Leak Detector at this LINK.

EXAIR’s Digital Flowmeter w/ USB Data Logger

EXAIR Digital Flowmeter:

With the Digital Flowmeters, you can continuously monitor for waste.  Air leaks can occur at any time within any section of your pneumatic area.  You can do systematic checks by isolating sections, using a Digital Flowmeter to review flow readings.  Another way to monitor your system would be to compare the results over time.  With the Digital Flowmeters, we do offer the USB Datalogger as an option.  You can set certain time increments to record the air flows.  Once the information is recorded, you can connect the USB to your computer, and with the downloadable software, you can view the information.  You can also export it into an Excel spreadsheet to monitor.  Once the flow information starts trending upward for the same process, then you can use the Ultrasonic Leak Detector to find if and where a leak may be present.  The Digital Flow Meter can also act as a preventive measure to indicate when a pneumatic system is starting to fail by analyzing readings over time.

Compressed air leaks will rob your system of its capacity, compressor life, and electrical cost.  It is important to have a leak preventative program to check for leaks periodically as they can happen at any time.  The EXAIR Ultrasonic Leak Detector and the Digital Flowmeters will help you accomplish this and optimize your compressed air system.  Once you find and fix all your leaks, you can then focus on improving the efficiency of your blow-off devices with EXAIR products like Super Air Knives, Super Air Nozzles, and Super Air Amplifiers, and save yourself even more money.  This blog is an overview of Step 2 of the six steps. You may have more questions; and, that is great! You can find them in other EXAIR blogs, or you can contact an Application Engineer at EXAIR.

John Ball
Application Engineer
Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb

The Cost of Compressed Air Leaks

Published on by John BallLeave a comment

As margins get tighter and the cost of manufacturing climbs, industries are looking for ways to be more economical.  A big focus is on the compressed air system.  Compressed air is considered to be the “fourth utility” behind gas, water, and electricity.  Air compressors are necessary to run pneumatic systems, but they are the least efficient of the utilities.  For every $1.00 that is put into making compressed air, you only get roughly 5¢ of work from it.  So, it is very important to use this utility as efficiently as possible. 

One of the biggest problems affecting compressed air systems is leaks.  That quiet hissing sound coming from the pipelines is costing your company a lot of money.  A study was conducted by a university to determine the percentage of air leaks in a typical manufacturing plant.  In a poorly maintained system, they found that 30% of the compressor’s capacity is lost through air leaks on average.  Just to let you know, the majority of companies do not have a leak prevention program, so they will fall into the “poorly maintained” category.  To put a dollar value on it, a leak that you cannot physically hear can cost you as much as $130 per year.  That is just for one inaudible leak in hundreds of feet of compressed air lines.  The chart below shows the amount of money that can be wasted by the size of the hole for larger leaks. Unlike a hydraulic system, compressed air is clean, so leaks will not be visible at the source.  You have to find them by other means. 

Most leaks occur where you have threaded fittings, connections, hoses, and pneumatic components like valves, regulators, and drains.  The Optimization products that EXAIR offers are designed to help optimize your compressed air system, and the most effective way is to find and stop leaks.  We have the Ultrasonic Leak Detectors to find inaudible air leaks and the Digital Flowmeters to check your system and find leak rates.  With both products included in a leak prevention program, you will be able to keep your compressed air system running optimally and reduce the cost caused by wasting compressed air. 

EXAIR Ultrasonic Leak Detector: When a leak occurs, it emits an ultrasonic noise caused by turbulence.  These ultrasonic noises can be at a frequency which is inaudible for human hearing.  The EXAIR Ultrasonic Leak Detector, model 9207, can pick up these frequencies and make the leaks audible.  With a signal strength number and bar graph level display, you can find very minute leaks.  It comes with two attachments; the parabola to locate leaks up to 20 feet away, and the tube attachment to define the exact location in the pipeline.  Once you find a leak, it can be marked for fixing.  This simple-to-use instrument can save you a lot of money and headaches. 

EXAIR Digital Flowmeter: With the Digital Flowmeters, you can continuously watch for waste.  Air leaks can occur at any time within any section of your pneumatic system.  You can do regular checks by isolating sections with the Digital Flowmeter and watching for a flow reading.  Another way to monitor your system would be to compare the results over time.  With the Digital Flowmeters, we have a couple of options for recording the air flow data.  We have the USB Datalogger for setting certain time increments to record the air flows.  Once the information is recorded, you can connect the USB to your computer, and with downloadable software, you can view the information and export it into an Excel spreadsheet.  With the digital flowmeters, we also offer wireless capability.  You can have multiple flow meters that can communicate with your computers to continuously log and record the flow information via one gateway.  Once the flow information starts trending upward for the same process, you can use the Ultrasonic Leak Detector to find the leak.  It can also serve as a preventive measure if a pneumatic system is starting to fail.

Leaks in compressed air will cost you in terms of performance, compressor life, and electrical costs.  It is important to have a leak prevention program to check for leaks periodically, as they can happen at any time.  The EXAIR Ultrasonic Leak Detector and the Digital Flowmeters will help you accomplish this and optimize your compressed air system.  If you need more information, you can contact an Application Engineer at EXAIR.  Once you find and fix all your leaks, you can then focus on improving the efficiency of your blow-off devices with EXAIR products.  It will save you even more money. 

John Ball
Application Engineer
Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb

Photo: Soap bubble and pencils by Carola68.  Pixabay license. 

Ultrasonic Leak Detectors

Published on by bdwagesLeave a comment

With energy bills skyrocketing, it becomes critical to stop the waste. Air leaks are a constant part of any compressed air system. If you do not own an Ultrasonic Leak Detector, you are throwing money away. As air lines age, leaks happen. Rust erodes the pipes. Curves, twists and turns lead to weak joints. Fittings (especially push-in fittings) and other pipe connections will degrade and begin to leak. Day-to-day wear and tear, bumps and bruises will all cause small air leaks over time. Having an air leak in your system is similar to having a running toilet in your home. You won’t see any visible damage, but when you get that utility bill!

EXAIR Ultrasonic Leak Detector

It can be difficult to find the leaks in a large facility. The air lines could run a long way, with multiple twists and turns within your system. The area can be loud, and leaks can be very quiet… Of course the large leaks are easy to identify, see, hear and feel. But many leaks are very small, hard to locate and the noise form these leaks can be “Ultrasonic sound”, meaning that they are at a frequency between 20kHz and 100kHz, and cannot be heard by the human ear. To find these small leaks and to hear Ultrasonic sounds, you will need an Ultrasonic Leak Detector.

With this precision tool, you will be able to both hear and see where the leaks are. As you pass the Detector across the pipes the alarm lights will glow and grow, and if you have the noise canceling headphones on, you will also be able to hear the leak.

Here is an example of how costly 1 small 1/16th” leak can be:

Reach out today to discuss or order one of these money savings jewels, or any of our other intelligent compressed air products.

Thank you for stopping by,

Brian Wages

Application Engineer

EXAIR Corporation
Visit us on the Web
Follow me on Twitter