 | | Technical Articles | |
On this page, you'll find technical articles reprinted from trade journals and industry magazines on the various aspects of compressed air and air system design. The main ideas are summarized in short abstracts. To launch or download the article, simply click on the title or Adobe Acrobat symbol. |
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 | Ease Your Purchasing Pressure
| | The impact of compressed air on workflow and product is often overlooked. The bad news: costly rework due to poor quality paint jobs and workflow interruptions due to inadequate air supply can increase cycle times, causing real monetary losses. The good news: You have complete control over your compressed air system. Author: Michael Camber
Source: Bodyshop Business | |  Select the Right Pressure for Your Air System
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| Maximizing Compressed Air Energy
| | A plant or manufacturing facility’s need for compressed air is undeniable. Not only is it necessary for the functioning of tools, but it is also essential in the processing of products that require clean, high quality air as part of its production cycle. Not all compressors are created equal, nor do all plants’ needs follow specific guidelines. Choosing the right system for your plant’s operational needs is vital, often determining productivity, customer service and quality levels. Author: Kathy Scott, Magazine Editor
Source: Plant Safety & Maintenance | | Maximizing Compressed Air Energy
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| Clean = Green
| | Consumers want to buy from environmentally responsible businesses and as illustrated by the ever-increasing number of companies seeking the relatively new ISO 14001 certification. Virtually every industry segment is currently trying to reduce water pollution. In the compressed air industry, condensate treatment, though sometimes overlooked, is becoming increasingly important. Author: Scott Norton
Source: Chemical Processing | | Clean=Green
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| New Blower Packages Improve Dewatering System Performance
| | Dewatering processes, such as carpet dewatering in the textile industry and pulp dewatering in the paper industry, are excellent opportunities for incorporating current rotary-lobe blower technology, and improving system efficiency and lowering operating costs. A rotary-lobe, positive-displacement blower setup for vacuum operation and coupled with a moisture separator before the blower provides a new dewatering method that is more energy efficient and significantly more controllable. Author: Calvin Wallace
Source: Industrial Waterworld | | Improve Dewatering System Performance
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| Reinventing the Industrial Blower
| | Today, industrial blowers are the workhorses of the process industry. These high volume, low pressure air producers are being used by the hundreds in some operations for a variety of applications from material handling to aeration. However, despite the prevalence of industrial blowers there is a downside: blowers can create noise levels that rival jet engines if not properly designed or enclosed. Therefore, finding an industrial blower package that has been properly designed and optimized to reduce sound output is necessary to prevent dangerous ambient noise levels and sound vibrations that can damage other equipment throughout the system. Author: Ed Sullivan
Source: Processing | | Reinventing the Industrial Blower
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| Effective Portable Compressor Maintenance
| | Portable compressors are the power plants of any construction site. The best way to ensure your power plant’s continuing performance and reliability is a regular maintenance routine. The key is to plan preventive maintenance in advance to avoid unexpected and expensive downtime. Author: Chance Chartters
Source: Compact Equipment | | Effective Portable Compressor Maintenance
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| Variable Frequency Drive
Compressed Air Solutions Series - Issue 1 | | When is variable frequency drive is right for your application? The advantages seem obvious adapt output requirements to various demands. However, there is a reason that not every single rotary screw compressors is sold with variable speed drive. Author: Kaeser Compressors, Inc.
Source: The Kaeser Report | | CAS: Variable Freqency Drive
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| Managing Peak Demand
Compressed Air Solutions Issue 2 | | With the country's aging fleet of power plants, most US utilities levy steep "peak demand" charges when business exceed their alloted, un-penalized power consumption. Peak demand charges are a particular concern for today's manufacturers who need to optimize operating efficiency and reduce overall costs at every turn. Author: Kaeser Compressors, Inc.
Source: The Kaeser Report | | CAS: Managing Peak Demand
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| Rotary Lobe Blowers - Features and Benefits at a Glance
Compressed Air Solutions Issue 3 | | Processors and manufacturers across the country use blowers and blower packages in a wide variety of applications. From bulk and pneumatic conveying to soil remediation and waste water treatment, blowers produce high volumes of low pressure air. Author: Kaseser Compressors, Inc.
Source: The Kaeser Report | | CAS: Rotary Lobe Blowers
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| CAGI Data Sheets...The Only Reliable Performance Comparison
Compressed Air Solutions Issue 4 | | The Compressed Air and Gas Institute (CAGI) has established a uniform testing and reporting procedure for compressors. These CAGI data sheets provide an apples to apples comparison of unit performance and are available from any member manufacturer. This article includes a sample sheet and line-by-line explanation. Author: Kaeser Compressors, Inc.
Source: The Kaeser Report | | CAS: CAGI Data Sheets
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| Reliable and efficient concept
Tailor-made air supplies for PET bottle production | | It's immediately obvious from a glance in the beverages section of any supermarket – the containers and bottles of polyethylene terephthalate, better known as PET, are competing strongly with conventional glass containers and bottles. And there's a good reason; PET offers both the beverage industry and the consumer immense advantages. Compressed air plays a central role in the production of modern packaging mediums. In this particular field of operations, tailor-made system solutions can increase efficiency significantly. Author: Michael Bahr
Source: Getränkeindustrie (6/2003) | | Reliable and efficient concept
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| Outsourcing air needs – a supply concept with a future
User study by BASF Coatings confirms savings | | Cost-reduction is the buzz phrase of the year in compressed air engineering. Compressed air plant manufacturers will be showing off their new products and services at this year's Achema, and most of them will be aimed at saving money. This isn't just a reaction to the current economical situation, but also a general trend that is developing in the interests of the user; global competition is dictating the rules and over the long term, only those companies will survive who efficiently utilise the resources they need. In this connection, supply concepts such as compressed air outsourcing are rapidly gaining in popularity. Author: Klaus Dieter Bätz, Michael Bahr
Source: CHEManager (10/2003), page 29 | | Outsourcing air needs – a supply concept with a future
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| Scaling down the costs
| | If consumption is high, savings can be high, too. This point has gradually got through to industrial users of compressed air. Up to 30 percent power savings are possible - in some cases - even more. But it's a long way from realising something to doing something about it. With the help of modern compressed air engineering and analysis techniques these savings can be made much easier and quicker than is generally thought. Author: Erwin Ruppelt
Source: Der Betriebsleiter (4/2003), page 54 f. | | Scaling down the costs
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| Is variable speed drive the panacea we're looking for?
| | What does a compressed air system have in common with a symphony orchestra? Best performance is not achieved by outstanding soloists, but by optimum interplay. Experienced compressor manufacturers can now offer system solutions to industry that meet
this requirement in every respect. As well as correct system design and sizing, both the master controller and the internal controller play a very important role. Author: Erwin Ruppelt, Michael Bahr
Source: Drucklufttechnik (1-2/2003), page 24 | | Is variable speed drive the panacea we're looking for?
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| "Worldwide Teleservice gives transparency to compressed air systems"
| | Web technology is now forcing its way into compressor
engineering, for example, via Sigma Air Manager, Kaeser's new
master controller. Erwin Ruppelt, from KAESER Kompressoren, Coburg,
explains its effect on compressed air systems and the compressed
air field. Author: Olaf Stauß
Source: INDUSTRIEANZEIGER 5•6/2002, page 39 f. | | Worldwide Teleservice (PDF)
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| Buying Compressed Air instead of Compressors
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The number of industrial enterprises choosing to buy their compressed air as a utility rather than investing in its means of production is increasing, with good reason, as can be confirmed by numerous satisfied customers.
Author: Michael Bahr | | Buying Compressed Air (PDF)
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| A Matter of Choice: Reduced air costs using optimized compressor controllers
| | What does an air center have in common with a symphony orchestra?
The answer is that overall quality is not judged on the outstanding
performance of soloists but rather on the harmonious
performance of the whole. Experienced manufacturers such as
Kaeser are now able to offer tailor-made, highly economical
compressed air supplies to the beverage industry. As well as the
correct design and planning of a compressor package, it is not just
the master controller, but also the internal controller that plays
a major role in more efficient air production. Author: Erwin Ruppelt
Source: Getränkeindustrie (7/2000) , page 392 ff. | | A Matter of Choice (PDF)
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| New system solution: More Sure and Economical Compressed Air Treatment
| | Increases in applications of compressed air in the chemical and
food industries can be clearly seen over recent years. At the same
time, the demands of quality and economy of production of this
energy source are also rising, In response, the manufacturer Kaeser
Kompressoren has developed a comprehensive system solution for sure
and cost-effective air treatment. Author: Erwin Ruppelt
Source: Verfahrenstechnik 34 (2000) No. 9, page 30 ff. | | New System Solution (PDF)
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| Zurich to Thalwil, An Example of Modern Tunneling Technique
| | Swiss Railways have laid a parallel dual railway line between
Zurich and Thalwil to relieve the heavy traffic load on the
lakeside section of this route. The new line, opened for passenger
and goods trains in 2003, passes through a tunnel for 9.4 of it's
total 10.7 km length under the Allmend Brunau region. The
geological structure through which the tunnel was driven presents a
stiff challenge in which compressed air played a major role. Author: Michael Bahr
Source: SchweizerBauJournal 5/2000 | | Tunneling Technique (PDF)
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| Lower Costs Because of Synergy Effects. Modern technology makes screw compressors even more efficient.
| | Synergy effects improve economy in air compression. Compressed
air is one of industry's main energy sources, which means that the
cost of its generation becomes increasingly important. By means of
a master control system it is possible to synchronize the output of
the compressors to match the actual air demand exactly. The
internal compressor controller Sigma Control gives clear
information on the operational status of the machine. Also,
Teleservice brings savings in service costs and at the same time
increases machine availability with the help of global
communication (based on package networking). Compressors with
direct drive are a development that improve economy and,
together with premium efficiency EPACT motors, represent a further
important step in the reduction of power costs. The synergy effects
of these individual measures can add up to overall cost reductions
of up to 30%. Author: Michael Bahr, Erwin Ruppelt
Source: Maschinenmarkt 43 (1999), S. 28 ff. | | Lower Costs Because of Synergistic Effect (PDF)
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| Piesau Glassworks Opts for Efficient Air Technology. Traditional glassworks successful on the open market
| | Entry into the open market proved to be a successful venture for
the German Piesau Glassworks in Thuringia, turning them into a
competitive international presence. Whereas the smelting furnaces
run on electricity and gas, compressed air is the main energy
medium for the processing machines in which glass vessels are
blown. The article describes the efficiency of the compressed air
and vacuum stations, which are under the control and supervision of
a KAESER VESIS master controller. With regard to overall
economy, this equipment offers a decisive advantage in that the
optimized performance and utilization of the compressors as well as
improved ventilation will bring the user a shorter payback time. Author: Michael Bahr, Erwin Ruppelt
Source: Glas-Ingenieur 5 (1999), S. 52 ff. | | Glassworks Piesau (PDF)
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| Next Summer Will Surely Come! How to avoid overheating problems in compressed air installations.
| | Soaring summer temperatures bring sweat to the brows of many
production managers whose plant relies on compressed air being
delivered by equipment not adequately designed and installed for
realistic year-round conditions. The article deals with the cooling
aspect of compressor and dryer design and installation. The
compressor room itself as well as the compressors in it must be
properly ventilated with provision for inlet and exhaust air. Heat
of compression has to be taken away and should ideally put to some
useful purpose via a heat recovery system. The air dryer downstream
of the compressor has to be designed to cope with high ambient and
high air inlet temperatures. All these criteria should be taken
into account for optimum configuration of an air system that can be
relied on. Author: Erwin Ruppelt
Source: Schweizer Maschinenmarkt 20 (1993), page 106 ff. | | Next Summer Will Come for sure (PDF)
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