Did you know? Compressed air is often referred to as the “fourth utility” besides water, electricity, and gas, and it is one of the most expensive resources required by production companies. However, we have often observed that in many instances, as much as 50% of compressed air is lost due to wrong usage, pressure losses, artificial demand, and air leaks, leaving behind only half of the total compressed air generated for utilisation.

In this context, by ensuring maximum utilisation of compressed air, an industry can improve its energy efficiency, reduce operational costs, and positively impact the environment. Energy efficiency is increasingly becoming a focus area for environmental regulatory policies such as the European Union's (EU) Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). The revised EED will legally bind the EU's energy-saving objective on all companies, obliging EU countries to collectively reduce their energy consumption to 9% below 2020 levels by 2030. Additionally, EU countries will likely have to achieve new annual savings of 1.5% of total energy consumption as of 2024.

Optimising the air compressor's energy consumption can lower the energy costs of the production process. However, as explained in this article by David De Pril, Director, Product Management and Marketing, ELGi Compressors Europe, one should look beyond the compressor’s energy consumption while calculating the total cost of ownership (TCO). An ELGi Air Audit studies the air compressor deployed along with other factors such as the compressor's environment, operational demands, operation pattern, and expansion plans. It gives a complete understanding of the compressed air usage of the entire production process, allowing for studying even the minor elements which can provide overall higher energy efficiency for the plant.

Hence, conducting an ELGi Air Audit is strongly recommended to identify areas of loss or inefficiencies and improve your energy efficiency, resulting in high energy savings and quick Return on Investment on your CapEx.

Why ELGi Air Audit?

An effective Air Audit by an ELGi Partner accurately measures the complete consumption pattern of compressed air over time, helping with leakage detection, compressor sizing, and energy optimisation. The information can help customers make the right decision about the ongoing operations and future expansion of the system. An Air Audit can help with the following:

Identifying leakages that have developed throughout the system over time.
Eliminating inappropriate use of compressed air throughout the plant.
Calculating the actual compressor demand to avoid supplying higher pressure than necessary for applications.
Selecting the correct pressures by setting the proper load and unload pressure as low as possible to meet application demands.
Minimising pressure loss to as low as possible.

With over 63 years of experience as an industrial air compressor manufacturer, ELGi offers the utmost value for your investment. Our range of rotary screw compressors includes both oil lubricated compressor and oil-free compressor options. We ensure our service technicians are trained to conduct thorough air audits, identifying opportunities for energy savings. Additionally, our oil free air compressors deliver reliable Class Zero compressed air, meeting the highest industry standards.

Here are some examples of how an ELGi Air Audit has helped customers across Europe improve their energy efficiency.

Swedish manufacturer reduces its monthly energy consumption by 4,000 kWh.

Solö Mechanical Solutions AB is a subcontract manufacturing company in Eskilstuna, Sweden. To improve the efficiency of its existing systems, Solö undertook an air audit with ELGi to learn if it could improve production efficiency and energy costs. The air audit discovered inefficiencies, and Solö upgraded its air compressor to an ELGi EG37 with a VFD (Variable Frequency Drives) to resolve them. This upgrade reduced Solö’s monthly energy consumption by 4,364 kWh, leading to cost savings of 350 EUR a month*, translating to savings of over 20,000 EUR in the next five years.

Read the detailed case study here.

A leading Spanish manufacturer of bed fittings benefits from ELGi Air Audit.

ARGOMANIZ, a leading company in Spain that manufactures hardware and hinges for beds and furniture, had two older air compressors at their production site. A complete air audit from ELGi concluded that the two air compressors needed to be more efficient. Replacing the two compressors with one efficient EG75V from ELGi helped ARGOMANIZ reduce their energy consumption and gain significant cost savings.

Read the detailed case study here.

Global brake pad manufacturer from the UK reduces its energy consumption.

ELGi conducted an Air Audit for a global brake pad manufacturer in Hartlepool, United Kingdom. The results prompted the customer to opt for a 600 kW turnkey solution comprising large EG-series air compressors, air dryers, and oil-water separators to ensure reliable and efficient production. This tailor-made solution improved operational efficiency, reduced site air pressure by 0.5 bar, and led to an approximate 3.5% decrease in energy consumption.

Read the detailed case study here.

Maximise Efficiency and Save Costs with Compressed Air System Energy Audit.

Most companies need to be more aware of how much their compressed air systems cost to operate and how this impacts the efficiency and quality of their production. An ELGi Air Audit can help understand the actual costs comprehensively. This can help with significant cost-cutting and other prospective improvements. An efficient ELGi Air Audit can help you save money and energy while also lowering your carbon footprint.

ELGi has over 150 authorised Channel Partners across Europe to assist you with an ELGi Air Audit. Contact our expert team at ELGi to learn more about our Air Audits. We will be happy to support you in getting the most out of your compressed air system.