Contrary to conventional wisdom, air is not free. Infact, air costs more than water, electricity of steam. Leakage is the largest single waste of energy associated with compressed air usage, with leakage rates eceeding 50% of site consumption proving common. The sources of leakage are numerous, but some of the most frequent problems are...
- Condensate drain valves left open
- Shut-off valves left open
- Leaking pipes and pipe joints
- Leaking hoses and couplings
- Air cooling lines left open permanently
- Air-using equipment left in operation when not needed
Detecting leaks is a straightforward matter, and can be achieved by utilising an ultrasonic detector. Good ultrasonic detectors are capable of detecting leaks from over fifty feet away, even in noisy areas of the plant. While the old fashioned soapy water technique also works fine, it cannot be performed from a distance and often takes up a lot of time.
Estimates of loss per year costs of air and nitrogen have become staggering. The savings gained from the relatively simple task of repairing leaks can be tremendous. Just take a look at the figures below, what can be considered very conserative.
| Diameter of leaks (ins) |
Cubic feet/day |
Loss/day
£'s/leak |
Loss/month
£'s/leak |
Loss/year
£'s/leak |
| 1/16 |
7,100 |
0.71 |
21 |
252 |
| 1/8 |
27,486 |
2.75 |
83 |
996 |
| 1/4 |
112,233 |
11.22 |
337 |
4,044 |
The above figures are based on 75 PSI, and a production cost of £0.0001/cubic feet, which is very conservative. These savings are more than sufficient to justify the cost of repair staff, leak detection equipment and all the tools and materials to make the repairs. Just don't forget to multiply the Loss/Year figure by the estimated number of leaks in your system!
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