Use the excess heat to your advantage
Approximately 10% of all electricity used in industry is accounted for by compressed air systems. It is a thermodynamic fact that around 95% of this energy is converted to heat and is wasted to the atmosphere through heat dissipated by the motor and cooling system, with the majority lost via the oil cooler. By re-directing the hot oil to a high-efficiency oil to water heat exchanger, the heat can be transferred to water, raising the temperature to a required level for a multitude of applications during the heat recovery process to become more energy efficient while saving on energy costs.
Nice to have or… must have?
The heat generated during compression is paid for as part of the process, then paid for again during removal by way of cooling fans. Instead of simply removing the heat, it can be used to generate hot water, heating systems, and application processes in other areas of the installation. CompAir’s innovative heat recovery systems delivers the opportunity to save money, energy and help to protect the environment.
Upgrade your compressed air system
- Significant cost savings
- Lower CO2 emissions
- Factory fitted integrated system
- Retrofit kits for installed systems including all pipework and fittings
- Low investment costs
The heat recovery principal
The basic principle lies in the transferral of heat into a medium and then transporting it to where it can be utilised. The hot cooling air of a closed air-cooled compressor can be diverted to an enclosed area via ducting for heating. If water was to be heated, the oil in the oil cooler is chosen as the transfer medium, this will provide approximately 72% of the overall power consumption for water heating.
Maximum efficiency
Every degree of water temperature costs money. If the water supply is already 60º Celsius higher than the standard water supply temperature, that’s 60º of heating that doesn’t need to be paid for. Pre-heating water for heating systems, hot water supply, or for use in industrial processes such as steam generation can provide significant savings and pay for itself rapidly.
