Tag: variable speed compressor

Variable Speed Drive Air Compressors

Published on by John BallLeave a comment

Compressed air is a clean utility that is used in many different ways, and it is much safer than electrical or hydraulic systems.  But most people think that compressed air is free, and it is most certainly not.  Because of the expense, compressed air is considered to be a fourth utility in manufacturing plants.  I did write a blog earlier titled, “Basics of Compressors”.  There are two main types of speeds for air compressors; fixed and variable.  In this blog, I will cover the Variable Speed Drive (VSD) Air Compressors. 

The VSD Air Compressor controls the speed of the electrical motor by supplying different frequencies and voltages.  It can range from around 20% capacity to 100% capacity depending on the system requirement.  With most systems, the amount of air flow fluctuates throughout the day.  With a VSD Air Compressor, it can run at lesser horsepower ratings for lower demands.  If your plant operates at different compressed air demand levels, the VSD air compressor can help cut the electrical cost. 

 As an example, let’s say you have a 20-horsepower air compressor which can produce roughly 100 SCFM of compressed air.  If the demand drops to 20 SCFM, then the VSD can change the ratio of the electric motor to run like a 4-horsepower compressor.  And a 4-horsepower compressor uses much less electricity to generate compressed air. 

Overall, the VSD does offer better efficiency if there are fluctuations on the demand side.  To go even further, EXAIR has been manufacturing Intelligent Compressed Air Products since 1983.  We are able to save you money by reducing the use of compressed air on the demand side.  Together with a VSD air compressor, our products will help a compressor system to operate at much lower electrical power, saving you money.  If you need alternative ways to use your compressed air, an Application Engineer at EXAIR will be happy to help you. 

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

Photo: Technical Illustration of a portable single-stage air compressor by Brain S. Elliot.  Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Sustainability – Fact or Fiction

Published on by 1 Comment

As the world goes eco-friendly it’s not clear how much environmental good will come from all the green products consumers are buying. Many companies peddle new or improved green products through their marketing campaigns, but it pays to look beyond the product pitches and into how the company behaves.

It’s refreshing to work for a company that is really walking the talk. EXAIR’s sustainability plan has real and quantifiable achievements.

  • Our variable speed drive air compressor reduced our electrical consumption by over 4,000 kWh in the past year compared to a conventional air compressor
  • Through a leak detection and mitigation program, one million cubic foot of compressed air per yer was saved
  • Migrating our customers to electronic delivery of invoices reduced traditional postal service mailed copies by over 50% and a 67% reduction in  printed paper pages
  • Most shipments use recycled Kraft paper with a perfect “green score ” of 360
  • Fresh water consumption was reduced through a coolant management program that extends usable life of water-soluble coolant from six weeks to six months.
  • Natural gas consumption was reduced by installing programmable thermostats wherever possible to match heating and cooling cycle with facility usage patterns
  • Solid waste/trash was reduced by 88% through and expanded recycling program
  • All metals, wood, waste water, cans, and plastics are 100% recycled

Do you want to improve your sustainability scorecard by reducing compressed air consumption?  Give our application engineers a call and they will be happy to assist you. They can be reached at 1-800-903-9247

Joe Panfalone
Application Engineer
Phone (513) 671-3322
Fax (513) 671-3363
Web: http://www.exair.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/exair_jp
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/exair