North Pacific Industrial Coatings replaced two previous-generation air compressors with one variable-speed ELGi unit, reducing its energy demand by 100,000 kW per year.
ELGi collected data from the company’s air compression operation and worked with the local energy utility to obtain a rebate that repays its investment in just two years.
Industrial companies in nearly every sector are seeking to make their operations more sustainable, reducing energy demand, and lowering carbon emissions. One critical element of operations that has been traditionally overlooked and is providing new opportunities for energy savings is air compressors. Compressed air is often considered the “fourth utility” for industrial applications, and all too often, compressors are operated inefficiently.
North Pacific Industrial Coatings (Coatings) is a Kent, Washington-based commercial painting company that provides a wide range of blasting and painting services. Coatings worked with ELGi distributor Evergreen Compressed Air (Evergreen), based in Renton, to analyze its air compressor operations that support the heat and sandblasting of steel that is used in prefab construction, mezzanine structures, staircases, and more.
Coatings had been using two 200 hp rotary screw air compressors. Their old age had become a factor — frequent breakdowns were resulting in expensive service bills and halted production, which decreased the company’s operational uptime. Additionally, their older and less efficient design was contributing to high energy bills.
Evergreen technicians collected multiple weeks’ worth of data from Coatings compressors using specialized, electronic loggers. The results were analyzed with custom software that showed exactly when Coatings energy use was spiking — specifically, certain shifts on specific days and times. Evergreen’s analysis showed that Coatings could potentially save 100,000 kW per year of electricity by switching to a single variable-speed air compressor. Plus, a new air compressor would provide reliability and uptime benefits, along with a new warranty and support services.
“Compressed air is critical to our blasting operation at Coatings, and we wanted to pursue new equipment that would be more reliable, supported by a new warranty, and also enable us to optimize our energy use,” said Roger Moshier, Production Manager at Coatings. “ELGi and Evergreen proved to be ideal partners for this strategy. The solutions were based on hard data. We were able to identify the exact scenarios in which our electricity demand spiked and choose a new air compressor that solved our unique challenges.”
Government incentives
Evergreen recommended an EG200V-125 — an ELGi EG Series 250 HP Rotary Screw Compressor with Variable Speed Drive. The design of this compressor enables operations at extreme temperatures — from cold to hot, and from dry to extremely humid conditions, leading overall to higher reliability in industrial settings. Its high-efficiency air ends are equipped with unique η-V profile rotors that have a 4/5 lobe combination, enabling it to run at low rotor speeds. This design reduces pressure losses, and together with OSBIC (oil separation by impact and centrifugal action), its 3-stage separation provides best-in-class oil contamination reduction (<1ppm) and excellent energy efficiency.
Evergreen and ELGi helped Coatings identify government incentives to help justify its new capital investment. Armed with the data its team collected from Coatings’ compressed air operation, Evergreen assisted Coatings in applying for an energy rebate with the local energy utility, Puget Sound Energy (PSE). The data was crucial to obtain the rebate.
Evergreen provided a turnkey installation to Coatings, subcontracting the electrical work to make the project easy for Coatings. The entire process of installing the new EG200V-125 was completed in one day, and the company saw immediate results. The new compressor reduced power consumption by varying the motor speed, eliminating frequent load-unload cycles. One of Coatings’ older air compressors became a “true” backup, meaning it will only be used if the primary compressor is offline, improving the company’s uptime prospects for the future.
After installation of the EG200V-125, Evergreen used data loggers to obtain readings on Coatings’ new air compressor usage. This data proved that the solution was effective. The ELGi proved to be a more energy-efficient solution, along with operating more quietly. This data was submitted to the energy utility to finalize the rebate application. PSE auditors confirmed the data’s results, and its field technician visited Coatings to confirm its success on site.
The energy savings from its new air compressor combined with the energy company rebate will enable Coatings to recoup the cost of its ELGi compressor in just two years. Evergreen provides ongoing support to Coatings, handling equipment checkups and maintenance. In addition, ELGi provides a 48-hour uptime guarantee backed by ample parts supplies and a nimble maintenance team. ELGi provides a five-year package warranty period, the longest in the industry, with lifetime air end coverage.
“Uptime is critical to our operations,” Moshier said. “With the quality we are seeing from the new ELGi compressor along with the support that Evergreen has already provided, we expect to see our uptime metrics increase while avoiding critical breakdowns. Evergreen and ELGi are very easy to do business with, and they went the extra mile to make the project a success for us. This has reassured our decision to go with the EG200V-125.”
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About ELGi North America
ELGi North America, headquartered in Charlotte, NC, is a subsidiary of ELGi Equipments Limited, a leader in compressed air solutions for over 60 years. Established in 2012, ELGi North America, in conjunction with its subsidiaries, Pattons, Pattons Medical, and Michigan Air Solutions, offers a comprehensive range of compressed air products and services. Our product offering includes oil-lubricated and oil-free rotary screw and reciprocating compressors, dryers, filters, and ancillary accessories. ELGi and its subsidiaries serve multiple industry verticals spanning medical applications, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure. For further information, please visit www.elgi.com/us/
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