Whitepaper to reduce energy consumption

09 December, 2016

It provides an overview of how to save energy in a typical system, highlighting areas where waste occurs, steps to minimise it and then where to go for further information.

Marion Beaver, technical officer at BCAS, commented: “Both energy and plant managers are busy people who have to deal with a lot of different building services and processes. It is unrealistic to expect them to be experts in managing compressed air systems, so this whitepaper aims to provide an informative overview, rather than a detailed guide.”

The whitepaper points out that compressed air typically accounts for 10 per cent of an industrial company’s electricity bill and for some sectors it is far more. It also urges end users to consider the whole system and points out that every element impacts upon its energy consumption.

Beaver continued: “While the largest energy consuming component in the system is the air compressor; it is the demand by users, the overall design and how well the system is maintained that will determine the demand placed on the compressor and its energy consumption.”

The guide explores finding and fixing leaks, good housekeeping and staff involvement, efficient use of compressed air, pipework, control and maintenance, and advice on treating the compressed air. It concludes by referring the reader to further sources of information.

A copy of the whitepaper can be downloaded from www.bcas.org.uk