Major Soft-Drink Producer Replaces Compressed Air with High-Speed Blowers Improving Process and Saving Money

Introduction

Rising energy costs and growing concern for industrial environmental impact has manufacturing taking a second look at their operations' energy efficiency. One area increasingly under review is the use - or more importantly, the misuse - of compressed air. When used "inappropriately" (as defined by the Department of Energy's Compressed Air Challenge), high pressure compressed air bleeds into the atmosphere producing a significant energy loss, as well as a comparably high demand on compressor utilization. With a price tag of $1.5 billion in U.S. manufacturing compressed air energy costs each year (according to the Department of Energy), compressed air alternative solutions, such as high-speed, centrifugal blowers, represent a significant energy and cost saving option for manufacturers. Recently, a major U.s. soft drink bottler replaced their compressed air system with a JetAir Technologies high-speed centrifugal blower system realizing an 87% true energy power savings and an 80% energy cost saving, as well as a return of compressed air compressor capacity.

Problem

A leading soft drink bottler's compressed air needs were threatening to exceed its Michigan plant's compressed air capacity. Faced with the cost of buying a new compressor, the bottler re-assessed their compressed air use to identify compressor and energy saving opportunities. In the audit, the soft drink bottler identified the use of compressed air in a gap transfer on their canning line as a source of compressed air and energy inefficiency. The soft drink bottler's system was generating 100 PSI of compressed air for an application that only required 2-3 PSI. this compressed air was directed through two 1/4" copper tube nozzles to transfer empty, open aluminum can s from a single cable-pulley system to a second cable-pulley system over an unassisted gap of approximately 18-20 inches. The purpose of the gap was to provide access for the inkjet date imprinting which is visible on the bottom of the cans. The compressed air application, although an inefficient use of compressed air, enabled the continual flow of the cans across the inkjet printer to the second cable-pulley system.

Gap Transfer System

In their quest to regain compressed air capacity, the soft drink bottler's plant engineer contacted JetAir Technologies regarding the possibility of replacing the compressed air application with a high-speed, centrifugal blower system. A JetAir Technologies' applications engineer visited the bottler's plant to assess the situation. The visit confirmed the soft drink bottler's concern. JetAir's application engineer found significant compressed air and energy waste, as well as a concerning high noise level cause by the nozzles at the transfer.

Although only needing 2-3 PSI of pressure at the site of the gap transfer, the compressor was producing 100 PSI, a full 50 times the needed amount. The flow measured at each nozzle was 49.9 CFM. Assuming the industry standard of 4 CFM per kW, the application was requiring 22.7HP(18kW) of energy generation. With an operating schedule of 12 hours a day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year, the total energy usage was estimated at 53,430 kW-Hr, the application was costing the soft drink bottling manufacturer a total energy and maintenance costs of $4,530 a year.

JetAir Technologies' engineers recognized the issue's similarity to a recent gap transfer project for a leading Styrofoam cup manufacturer. Having tested and provided a similar system, JetAir Technologies' engineers used this technology and experience to replace the compressed air nozzles with a custom, high-speed centrifugal blower system. As a visual representation, the engineering team also sent an example of the solution to the drink manufacturer. "That's one of the value added things JetAir Technologies provides. We'll test just about anything, make a video of it, and post it." - Scott Lynn, JetAir Technologies' Eastern Regional Manager.