Because the compressed air system is complex and involves many links, there are many factors affecting the energy consumption of the compressed air system, among which the more important factors include equipment factors, installation factors, usage factors and so on.

Monitoring compressed air usage, identifying compressed air inefficiencies and leaking waste, and investing in new high-efficiency air compression system equipment are important ways for companies to improve plant efficiency by reducing electricity consumption.

Judging from the current energy efficiency level of compressed air systems, it is not difficult to achieve an average energy saving rate of 20%-30%. Energy-saving measures that can be taken include the initial selection of high-efficiency air compressor types, maintaining a reasonable operating pressure, reasonable and correct equipment installation, waste heat utilization, and continuous efficient operation and good maintenance. Of course, the most important thing is to use simple and economical measures to keep the system leakage rate to a minimum.

Compressed air leaks are nearly one of the most common forms of wasted energy in factories. According to industry statistics, the leakage of compressed air accounts for an average of 20%-30% of the entire compressed air volume. The main cause of these leaks is poor management, and with the increase of years, the leakage will become larger and larger, such as broken pipes due to corrosion, loose joints of pipe fittings, improper use, leakage of gas equipment and facilities. In addition, according to the relevant survey results of the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the rough statistics of the industry, every system has leakage phenomenon, and nearly 60% of the factories have not taken any measures for leakage in the air system.

Since the compressed air is compressed by the work of the air compressor, and the air compressor is driven by the motor, the leakage of the compressed air indirectly means the waste of electric energy. Quantitative compressed air leakage is a relatively complicated task. Under different pressures, different sizes of leakage apertures have greatly different air leakage volumes. Therefore, it is particularly important to install corresponding monitoring devices for the air compressor system. This is not only because it can monitor the system flow and pressure, but also has a guiding role in the correct layout of the compression system and pipeline, which can prevent the air compressor from working overtime and avoid unnecessary energy consumption.

The air pressure system monitoring device can use traditional analog sensors or wireless sensors. In addition to determining the appropriate sensor style, you should also focus on the types of data the sensor can collect, including pressure, humidity, temperature, and flow, to create a complete state of the air compressor system.

In recent years, the digitization and intelligence of industrial equipment have developed rapidly, and the Internet of Things has penetrated into the air compressor industry. Correspondingly, some are designed for compression

Wireless sensors designed for air system monitoring have also emerged. They can not only provide the most basic measurement functions, but also provide critical data to cloud-based monitoring platforms and access real-time data at any time. Big data and intelligent analysis can help users and devices

Provide the most professional operation advice.

The monitoring equipment is installed in different positions of the air compressor system, which will collect different data and make different judgments. But only the right location yields the most realistic operational data, so it is recommended that a professional determine which sensors are needed and where they need to be placed.

Without measurements in the field and without a data model, it can be difficult to spot the problem. The premise of using big data means to carry out informatization and green transformation of the air compressor system and improve energy efficiency is to have accurate data sources, and the air compressor system monitoring device is the provider of data and provides support for the improvement of system energy efficiency. Its main functions include:

1. Monitor and measure system pressure

It has become common for us to waste tens of thousands or even tens or millions of energy each year due to an inefficient compressed air system. These inefficiencies are often caused by these reasons, including:

Inappropriate pipe size

· Corrosion inside the pipe

· Too many corners, especially right-angle corners

· Compressor selection is not allowed

Lack of temporary storage for compressed air

2. Monitor water content by humidity

We know that when the air is compressed by an air compressor, the kinetic energy is converted into potential energy, and the temperature increases. When the air is exhausted, the air pressure decreases, the temperature decreases, and a part of the water vapor in the compressed air liquefies. The harm caused by water in compressed air is mainly manifested in: condensation water on pneumatic equipment will take away lubricating oil, resulting in reduced equipment efficiency or even damage. Condensed water will also accelerate the wear of valves in the pipeline, causing malfunction or misoperation of pneumatic control equipment, resulting in product damage, resulting in rework and scrapping; rusting of pipelines and equipment, and freezing of water at the low points of the pipeline , the pipeline is also at risk of bursting. In some applications, excess moisture can also breed harmful bacteria that can contaminate the finished product.

Humidity sensors can prevent the above problems. For example, when the humidity in the compressed air system is too high, it indicates that there may be problems with the dryer and the condensate removal system. At this time, it is necessary to carefully check the steam-water separator, air storage tank, dryer adsorbent and other parts.

3. Pay attention to the flow sensor

A common cause of inefficiency in compressed air systems is clogged lines. The inner wall of traditional compressed air pipes is relatively frizzy, and the degree of corrosion will become more and more serious with the passage of time, the inner diameter will become smaller, and the pressure drop will become larger, thus restricting the flow of air. Pipe size is too small

It will also lead to low efficiency. In many cases, the size of the pipeline is only suitable for the initial gas demand, but as the air demand on the gas end increases, the pipeline will be too small to meet the gas demand.

One of the reasons why pipeline leakage is very common is that the wall of the pipeline is corroded for a long time, and the air is pressurized, which leads to the leakage of the pipeline; resulting in pipeline leaks. As mentioned above, the importance of pipeline leakage cannot be ignored.

Proper placement of flow sensors in the compressed air system facilitates accurate identification of potential leaks, inappropriate use of compressed air, and the needs of the entire system and individual gas ends.

The best way to monitor system leaks is to measure the amount of compressed air required to maintain system pressure during periods of downstream dead air demand. The larger the required air volume, the more leaks there are in the system and the more serious the problem.

4. Help to achieve a reasonable system layout

After collecting pressure, humidity and flow data for the compressed air system, the new system layout can be analyzed and redesigned. The ultimate goal is to reduce pressure drop, increase flow and provide higher air quality. A set of compressed air system with reasonable design, timely maintenance and high energy efficiency is not difficult to save tens of thousands of yuan every year. It also minimizes the risk of lost production by increasing the reliability of the compressed air supply and the safety of the system.

Reasonable compressed air system pipeline design should try to avoid the following situations:

·Too many elbows

·Sudden changes in airflow

·The pipe is too long

·Unused compressed air ducts without isolation sections are too long

·Pipe diameter is too large or too small