Improving the energy efficiency of compressed air equipment

The project aims to reduce the amount of electricity consumed by the compressed air plant by 46 MWh per year for an annual production of 3,592,000 kWh m3 of compressed air.

Reduce the cost of compressed air production by using a permanent magnet motor and an intelligent control system. Design a new compressor casing with reduced flow resistance of the cooling air. Reduce electricity consumption with intelligent control of the cooling fan.

The planned result is a reduction of 46 MWh per year of electricity consumption for a 75 kW compressor at 70% load.

Project duration 24 months.

The project aims to reduce the amount of electricity consumed per cubic metre of compressed air produced per minute by 0.5 kW/m3/min.

The project will develop an energy-efficient plant with an intelligent control system for compressed air production. The compressed air will be produced by a screw-type compression mechanism driven by a permanent magnet motor with an intelligent control unit. An efficient heat removal system will be developed.

The plant will be designed in three-dimensional design and modelling software. The design will seek an energy-efficient layout of the plant components.

The new technology will use an oil-cooled permanent magnet motor controlled by an intelligent control system using a frequency converter, ensuring efficient operation of the compressor according to the air consumed and adapting to the needs of each user. The cooling system air flow will be controlled by a separate control unit so that an economical and consistent oil temperature can be ensured throughout the load by monitoring the compressor operation, the ambient temperature. Operating at a constant operating temperature results in the lowest possible power consumption.

The most energy-efficient compressed air production equipment will be used in all manufacturing sectors - wood, food, metal, automotive - where air compressors with asynchronous electric motors with star-delta start or frequency converter control are used.

The target customers are all manufacturing companies for which it is essential to reduce the amount of electricity consumed per unit of output or the cost of production.

The product is new for the operator - FONONS Ltd. has not offered its customers a compressor with permanent magnet motor and FONONS frequency control manufactured in the FONONS factory until now. It will be a new product with new components: a permanent magnet motor and a FONONS programmed control unit for compressor control, sensor reading and overall control of the compressor. The development of the compressor control will benefit from the long-standing experience and expertise of the staff. The frequency-controlled permanent magnet motor is currently only tested in the laboratory (TRL4).

The project is expected to reach TRL5 after implementation. With rising electricity costs, there is an increasing demand for more energy-efficient compressed air generation equipment - replacing old equipment that has lasted 10 years. For a medium-sized Latvian manufacturer with a compressor capacity of 15kW, offering an energy efficient compressor that can achieve 30% more efficient air production can save an average company up to 8600 kWh per year.

The advantage with the products on the market is the aim of automatic air production with minimum energy consumption. The project will develop an algorithm that reacts to the pressure drop according to the air consumption and operates the compressor accordingly with low energy consumption. The algorithm will be designed to meet the needs of all manufacturers.

FONONS' new technology will have a positive impact on the environment. A prototype will be produced which will provide a 30% reduction in energy consumption of 1000 MWh/year.

The new technology will use an oil-cooled permanent magnet motor controlled by an intelligent control system using a frequency converter, ensuring that the compressor operates efficiently, according to the air consumed and adapting to the needs of each user. The cooling system airflow will be controlled by a separate frequency control, following the compressor operation, the ambient temperature and ensuring an economical and homogeneous oil temperature throughout the load. Operating at a consistent operating temperature results in the lowest possible power consumption.

The compressors on the market do not provide full air tracking, which results in additional electricity consumption. Oil cooling systems are not designed to operate between 0oC and +40oC - compressors are designed to operate up to +30oC and have a cooling range of 10oC, creating temperature fluctuations during compressor operation which contribute to additional electricity consumption as additional electricity is consumed to bring the compressor to operating temperature and this occurs in each phase of the duty cycle.

Screw speed variation - efficient air supply - manufacturer's specified cutting speeds and optimum pressures.

12 December 2022

Kick-off meeting on project objectives and deliverables

15 December 2022

Procurement of project components launched

Energy efficient compressor housing being designed

9 January 2023

Work on design and programming of the control system underway

24 January 2023

Online information event for staff and potential customers on the project objectives

6 February 2023

Remote management system is tested using a prototype

3 May 2023

Prototype plant first commissioned, performance of all units evaluated, measurements of individual unit parameters started

6 June 2023

Energy efficiency data collection launched