Improving Rutgers' Air Compressor Systems

Efficiency and Performance

David Kim
kimmaster@gmai!com
"ack #amiye
papape$@ao!co
Kye %urns
siver&uet'(@optonine!net
)orie Rose
torgerrose@msn!com
"osep* +avodny
,p-avodny@comcast!net
1. Abstract
)*e purpose of t*is pro,ect $as
to detai and anay-e Rutgers'
compressed air system. utimatey
finding $ays for Rutgers to save money
&y using ess energy! /ur motivation
for t*is task $as to gain e0perience and a
&etter understanding of t*e type of
pro&ems engineers face today! )o do
t*is. $e first researc*ed $*at factors
affect a compressed air systems
performance and efficiency! 1it* t*is
kno$edge. $e set out to find pro&ems
$it* t*e compressed air system &y
visiting t*e Cogeneration 2Cogen3 Pant
and severa of t*e &uidings it suppies
compressed air to!
1e discovered a num&er of
pro&ems $it* t*e system! Due to t*e
ack of time. *o$ever. $e coud not
accompis* everyt*ing $e set out to do!
)*erefore. $e made recommendations
on *o$ t*e system coud consume ess
energy and $*at t*e &est possi&e
soution $oud &e for Rutgers to foo$
using $*at data $e $ere a&e to gat*er!
/ur soution entais t*at Rutgers
*ave t*e eaks in t*eir system repaired!
After t*is. $e recommend t*e purc*ase
of a ne$er. more efficient compressor to
repace t*e current centra compressor!
4inay. $e recommend t*at Rutgers cut
off its ongest distri&ution ines and t*at
distant &uidings esta&is* t*eir o$n
compressed air systems!
2. Introduction
Compressed air is commony
referred to as t*e fourt* utiity! A utiity
is somet*ing $*ic* is a &asic necessity!
4or e0ampe. t*ree common utiities are
$ater. eectricity. and natura gas!
5tiities pay a ma,or roe in t*e modern
$ord 6 $it*out t*em. todays
tec*noogicay advanced society coud
not function!
Compressed air is simpy air t*at
is pressuri-ed &y an air compressor! It is
kno$n as a utiity &ecause it is a type of
energy source $*ic* is a &asic necessity
in many industria environments! It can
&e seen in over seventy percent of t*e
$ords industria faciities!
At*oug* compressed air systems
are $idespread. t*ey are e0tremey
inefficient! Compressed air systems
typicay consume more energy and cost
more to operate t*an anyt*ing ese in
industria environments!
1orking $it* our mentors at t*e
universitys Center for Advanced Energy
Systems 2CAES3. $e traveed to
Rutgers Cogen Pant and severa
&uidings on campus $*ic* use
compressed air! During t*is time. $e
coected data t*at $oud *ep us to
evauate t*e system currenty in pace
and to determine *o$ muc* money
mig*t &e saved &y making various
c*anges to t*e system!
3. Background
An air compressor is a mac*ine
driven &y an eectric motor t*at
compresses air t*roug* a variety of
different tec*ni7ues and tec*noogies!
As a system. an air compressor *as a
variety of appications suc* as operating
pneumatic toos and sand&asting. &ut
constructing t*e system itsef is
compicated and must &e engineered
propery to matc* t*e demand and
ac*ieve optima efficiency!
4irst. t*e system intakes air.
usuay t*roug* a fiter. and sends it to a
primary compressor to pressuri-e t*e air!
)*en t*is air is sent to an appropriatey8
si-ed storage tank! 1*en compressed air
is actuay needed. t*e storage tank
reeases its air t*roug* eit*er refrigerant
or desiccant dryers to remove any of its
moisture! )*ese components. *o$ever.
can &e set up as a series according to t*e
need and situation of t*e demand for
compressed air!
)*e t*ree most common types of
compressors are t*e rotary scre$. t*e
centrifuga. and t*e reciprocating
compressor9 :(;
Rotary screw compressors
typicay use t$o to t*ree scre$s
t*at mes* toget*er to compress air
and force it out t*roug* a sma
opening!
Centrifugal compressors often use
severa stages of rapidy spinning
impeers to provide a continuous
fo$ of air! )*is type. *o$ever.
re7uires an inter8stage cooing at
*ig*er pressures in order to return it
to its initia temperature &efore t*e
ne0t stage!
Reciprocating compressors 2t*e
most common type. especiay in
smaer appications3 use an eectric
motor to turn a crank s*aft t*at
operates a series of pistons and
vaves to intake. compress. and
reease air into a storage tank!
Air compressors. *o$ever. are
very inefficient. usuay *aving a
determined energy efficiency of ony ten
to t$enty percent! :<; )*e primary
reason for t*is inefficiency in air
compressor systems is directy osing
*eat to its surrounding environment due
to t*e fact t*at t*e air is &eing
pressuri-ed and t*erefore increasing in
temperature 2according to t*e com&ined
gas a$3 and &ecause t*ere is no
effective nor practica $ay of containing
t*is deveoping *eat! Anot*er
inefficiency is t*at muc* *eat energy is
ost due to t*e friction in=against t*e
motor and against t*e system's many
moving parts!
Air compressors are aso very
inefficient due to many poor tec*ni7ues
used &y numerous industria faciities!
/ne *uge factor t*at many faciities
ignore is t*e >7uaity? of t*e air intake!
Essentiay. t*e temperature.
composition. and *umidity of t*e intake
air are t*ree ma,or components t*at
affect t*e energy consumption and
performance of air compressors! :@;
)*e temperature of t*e intake air is
important &ecause it directy
dictates $*at t*e density of t*e
intake air $i &e! )*is can &e
e0pained &y *o$ t*e temperature
of air partices is directy reated to
t*eir average kinetic energy! If t*e
partices kinetic energies are *ig*.
t*ey $i trave >more activey?
t*roug* space and t*erefore &e ess
dense 2ess partices in any given
space3! )*us. t*e idea temperature
of air is cod &ecause cod air
2denser air3 $i re7uire ess energy
to compress 6 or in ot*er $ords. to
make denser! 4urt*ermore. t*e
temperature of t*e intake air is
directy proportiona to t*e energy
consumption of an air compressor 6
t*erefore. t*e amount of energy
re7uired to compress air decreases
&y *o$ muc* cooer t*e intake air
is!
)*e composition of t*e intake air is
important &ecause it indicates $*at
e0acty is going into an air
compressing system! Cean intake
air is idea &ecause t*e air &eing
compressed moves smoot*y
t*roug* t*e entire process $it*out
damaging t*e system! >Dirty? intake
air. *o$ever. is detrimenta to t*e
system &ecause its contaminants.
suc* as dust partices. can
accumuate in it over time and
eventuay cause premature $ear
and=or reduced storage capacity!

)*e humidity of t*e intake air is
important &ecause it indicates *o$
muc* moisture it *as! #oisture.
t*oug*. can aso &e detrimenta to
an air compressing system as it too
can accumuate inside t*e system
and rust its components. eading to
premature $ear or eaks and
reducing t*e systems storage
capacity! )*erefore. dry air is idea
simpy &ecause it is acks moisture!
:A;
1*ie t*e compressor itsef is
inefficient. t*e system itsef can detract
from t*e overa efficiency of a
compressed air system! 4or e0ampe. a
ot of friction is created in ong
compressed air distri&ution ines and
&ends in t*e ines! Beaks in t*ese ines
gro$ as time passes and are t*e main
cause for inefficiency and poor
performance! Energy is aso $asted
$*en compressed air is used
inappropriatey! 4or e0ampe. one coud
inappropriatey use compressed air to
dry to$es!
4urt*ermore. poory8maintained
systems can resut in inevita&e pro&ems
in t*e future! It is important t*at a t*e
parts to an air compressor system is
c*ecked for eaks. premature $ear of
any parts. accumuation of contaminants
in t*e air compressor. etc! to ensure t*at
ma0imum efficiency and
storage=operating capacity is reac*ed!
/ne pro&em past industries *ave faced
is t*e accumuation of $ater in storage
tanks t*at continue to gro$ and reduce
storage capacity! )*erefore. simpe
negigence to constanty c*eck on t*e
entire air compressor system can ead to
$asting energy and money!
)*ese a are t*e ma,or pro&ems
facing air compressor systems! 1*ie
compressed air can &e a great resource
for industry. t*e compicated nature of
its production and distri&ution *as ed to
studies concerning t*e possi&e
improvements of an air compressor
system to o&tain *ig*er efficiency and
&etter performance!:C;
. !"perimental #esign
/n t*e Rutgers campus.
&uidings t*at receive compressed air
from t*e campus Cogeneration Po$er
Pant currenty receive air at a o$er
pressure t*an anticipated! )*e
compressors are designed to produce
(DD PSIE 2pounds per s7uare inc*. t*e
unit t*at compressed air is measured in
gauged &ased on t*e atmosp*eric
pressure3! Fo$ever. t*ere *ave &een
significant PSI osses &et$een t*e Cogen
pant and t*e &uidings it distri&utes
compressed air to! )*ese osses are
caused &y &ot* eaks and t*e engt* of
t*e ines! /ur researc* aims to identify a
soution for t*e pressure oss due to
eaks. as osses due to friction are a fact
of nature!:(;
In order to find $ays for Rutgers
to o$er t*e cost of operating t*e
compressed air system. $e took mutipe
trips to Rutgers' Cogen Pant and t*e
severa of t*e &uidings it suppies
compressed air to! At t*e pant. $e
coected data pertaining to t*e
compressed air system! 1e measured
t*e capacities of t*e compressors and
tanks! )*en. $e measured t*e pressure
t*at t*e compressor $as supposed to
produce in contrast to *o$ muc* it
actuay $as producing! 1e aso
determined t*e operating *ours as $e
as t*e oad factor 2t*e percentage of
ma0imum capacity at $*ic* t*e
compressor $as operating3 of t*e
compressors! After coecting t*e seria
num&ers of t*e compressors. $e caed
t*e manufacturers to get t*eir
efficiencies! )*e manufacturers $ere
una&e to provide us $it* efficiency data
for some compressors. so $e *ad to
make educated guesses!
In t*e end. $e used our imited
kno$edge to discover a soution for
t*ree simpe scenarios t*at represent t*e
main pro&ems at t*e Cogen pant! It $as
necessary for us to simpify t*ese
scenarios!
.1 #etermining Cost of
$eaks
4irst. $e determined *o$ muc* it costs
to operate t*e current compressor
system! )*is $as done using t*e
foo$ing e7uations9
G 0 FP 0 B4 0 54 0 F
E44
$*ere.
G H num&er of compressors
FP H *orse po$er of compressors.
converted to kio$atts at a rate of
D!AI< k1 per FP
B4 H oad factor. ratio of actua oad to
ma0imum oad
54 H utii-ation factor. ma0imum
demand of system over its capacity
F H operating *ours of compressors
E44 H efficiency of compressor motor
Ge0t. $e determined t*e cost of t*e
consumed energy using t*e e7uation
EC H E5 0 ER
$*ere.
EC H energy cost
E5 H energy usage
ER H rate of efficiency 2k1=*r3
1e simuated Rutgers' current
system using compressed air from one
centrai-ed compressor. outputting air at
(DD PSIE! 4or t*e sake of simpicity.
$e ony incude t*ree of t*e &uidings on
campus! )*e system pressure at eac*
&uiding is ess t*an (DDPSIE as a resut
of eaks and t*e engt* of ines! System
pressure varies from &uiding to &uiding
&ecause eaks are not eveny distri&uted
t*roug*out t*e system. and &ecause
some &uidings are furt*er from t*e
Cogen Pant t*an ot*ers!
Figure 1: This diagram shows different
pressure loss situations for three
different buildings each being supplied
compressed air at 100 psig.
.2 Centrali%ed &ersus
#ecentrali%ed
)*e second scenario $as motivated &y
our findings at t*e separate &uidings!
1e visited Smit*ers Fa. t*e Bi&rary of
Science and #edicine 2BS#3. and
5niversity of #edicine and Dentistry of
Ge$ "ersey 25#DG"3! A of t*ese
&uidings $e visited *ad t*eir o$n
compressors! Some &uidings used t*ese
compressors as a &ack up to t*e
centrai-ed Cogen system. $*ie ot*ers
used t*em as primary compressors. $it*
t*e Cogen ine as a &ack up! )*e
&uidings decentrai-ed compressors
&roug*t up a good point! )*e centrai-ed
system at t*e Cogen pant may not
actuay &e necessary!
Figure 2: This diagram shows a
centralized system with one compressor
operating at 200 horse power supplying
100 HP and 0 HP worth of compressed
air to three different buildings.
1e decided to determine $*et*er it $as
more efficient to keep t*e centrai-ed
system t*at $as in pace. *aving t*e one
compressor operating at 'DD FP at t*e
pant suppy compressed air to a of t*e
&uidings. or to cut off t*e po$er pant
a toget*er and put a compressed air
system t*at met eac* individua demand
in eac* &uiding as s*o$n in 4igure J!
Figure !: This diagram shows each
building with its own compressor that
operates at the e"act horsepower to
produce the amount of compressed air
that it re#uires.
)o determine $*ic* scenario
$oud &e more efficient $e caed
manufacturing companies to find out t*e
motor efficiencies of t*e centrai-ed 'DD
FP compressor versus t*e individua (DD
FP and CD FP compressors!
'. Results
In order for us to &e a&e to
anay-e Rutgers compressor air system.
it $as necessary to gat*er data and earn
a&out t*e current system in pace! 1e
&egan our data coection at t*e Cogen.
$*ic* is t*e center of Rutgers'
compressed air system! /ur first task
$as to find a compressor8reated
e7uipment and to sketc* t*e ayout of
t*e system! Fad t*e main compressor
&een functioning. $e $oud *ave
instaed data oggers to monitor t*e
system! At*oug* it $as not possi&e for
us to do t*is. Rutgers' CAES provided us
$it* t*eir og data! Additionay. $e
ac7uired a ist of compaints $it* t*e
current system and came across some
key pro&ems! 4inay. $e discussed and
anay-ed our data. proposing a num&er
of scenarios for t*e compressed air
system!
'.1 C()!* +lant
Rutgers *as five air compressors
in t*e Cogen Pant! )*e main
compressor is a rotary scre$ compressor
made &y Atas8Copco! )*ere is aso a
reciprocating compressor made &y
Ingerso8Rand. $*ic* $as t*e main
compressor unti Rutgers purc*ased t*e
Atas! )*is Ingerso8Rand no$
functions as a &ackup compressor!
Rutgers aso o$ns t*ree sma
reciprocating compressors made &y
Kuincy! )*ese are used $*en starting
up t*e Cogen Pant! )*ere are t$o
storage tanks. one for t*e Atas and one
for t*e Ingerso8Rand! Rutgers o$ns
t$o air dryers. one of $*ic* is a
mec*anica refrigerant dryerL t*e ot*er is
a desiccant dryer! /nce air is
compressed. it enters one of t$o storage
tanks! Air t*en fo$s t*roug* t*e
mec*anica dryer. t*en t*roug* t*e
desiccant dryer! After eaving t*e
desiccant dryer. compressed air eaves
t*e Cogen Pant! Fere is a roug*
diagram of t*e compressed air
e7uipment at Rutgers Cogen Pant
Control Air Control Air
Atlas Copco Air
Compressor
,torage
-ank
,torage
-ank
.uincy
Compressors
.uincy
Compressors
Ingersall /
Rand
Compressor
Ingersall /
Rand
Compressor
,torage
-ank
,torage
-ank
#ec*anica
Dryer
#ec*anica
Dryer
,chematic of Cogen +lant0s Air Compressor ,ystem
'.2 #ata $ogging
Compressor data $as measured
and ogged using a type of data ogger
kno$n as a >F/%/?! System pressure
and in one case eectrica current dra$
&y t*e compressor $as ogged! )*is
data $as provided &y t*e mem&ers of
CAES. $*o *ad recenty recorded t*e
data &efore $e ,oined t*e pro,ect! 1e
grap*ed t*e data so t*at it $oud &e
easier to anay-e! Gotice in t*e first t*ree
grap*s t*at pressure tends to vary
t*roug* t*e nig*t!
'.3 +roblems and
Complaints at Rutgers
In order to anay-e and improve t*e
efficiency of Rutgers compressed air
system. it $as vita to tak to managers
and ask 7uestions! Fo$ever. t*is turned
out to &e a ma,or o&stace aong t*e
course of our pro,ectL most peope $ere
una&e to ans$er our 7uestions! Fere
are some of t*e fe$ pieces of
information $e earned9
)*e Atas compressor fais often.
especiay in summer
)*e Cogen Pant is *aving trou&e
meeting pressure re7uirements
BS# *as trou&e $it* o$ pressure
caused &y eaks in t*e system
1aksman. t*e fart*est &uiding from
t*e Cogen Pant. *as t*e most
compaints
)*ey are *aving trou&e $it*
$ater in t*e ines
Rutgers is $iing and ooking to &uy
a ne$ compressor
It is possi&e to move t*e intake and
e0*aust ines from t*e compressors
at t*e C/EEG Pant
Some of t*e ma,or 7uestions $*ic*
coud not &e ans$ered9
Fo$ often t*e compressor
e7uipment is serviced
1*en t*e system $as ast c*ecked
for eaks
'. ,cenario #ata
4irst $e needed to cacuate *o$
muc* it costs Rutgers to run t*eir
compressed air system! Since t*e cost of
eectricity is &ased on t*e amount of
energy consumed 2MD!(D per kio$att8
*our3. $e must cacuate t*e energy
consumed &y a compressor! As $ork
2energy3 is e7ua to t*e product of po$er
and time. $e first need to find po$er!
1e can find t*e po$er output of a singe
compressor &y first converting
*orsepo$er to $atts 2using a conversion
factor3. t*en &y mutipying t*e resut &y
t*e oad factor of t*e compressor! 4or
our 'CDFP Atas compressor. t*is gives9
P H 'CDFP 0 D!AI< kio$atts=FP 0 @DN
H (CD kio$atts
)o cacuate t*e time a compressor is
running. $e mutipy t*e num&er of
*ours in a year &y t*e utii-ation factor.
or t*e percentage of time t*e compressor
is running!
) H @A<< *ours per year 0 O(N H @DDD
*ours=year
#utipying t*ese num&ers gives t*e
foo$ing for $ork output9
1 H (CD kio$atts 0 @DDD *ours=year H
(.'DD.DDD kio$att8*ours
4inay. as motors used to drive
compressors are not (DDN efficient. t*ey
dra$ more po$er t*an t*e $ork t*ey do!
)o find po$er consumed &y t*e motor
2and t*us t*e compressor3. $e divide
energy output &y t*e efficiency of t*e
motor! Since our Atas is (D years od.
$e estimate t*e motor efficiency to &e
@CN!
E5 H (.'DD.DDD kio$att8*ours = @CN H
(.I('.DDD kio$att8*ours
At t*e current cost of eectricity. MD!(D
per kio$att8*our. it costs Rutgers
appro0imatey M(I(.'DD a year to run
t*eir Atas compressor!
A arge portion of t*e energy consumed
&y t*e air compressor is &eing ost due to
eaks in t*e system! )*e amount of
money Rutgers is osing is directy
reated to t*e amount of energy ost due
to eaks! A scenarios and data from
t*is point on $i assume t*at a eaks
*ave &een fi0ed! 4or t*e sake of
e0ampe. $e $i estimate t*at Rutgers is
osing roug*y 'DN of t*eir energy as a
resut of eaks! If t*ere are fe$er eaks
t*an $e &eieve. t*e cost savings $i &e
ess! Fo$ever. it is ikey t*at t*e eak
situation is $orse t*an $e *ave
estimated and t*at cost savings $i &e
greater! If Rutgers fi0ed t*e eaks and
continued to use t*eir Atas compressor.
t*e oad factor of t*e compressor $oud
decrease and t*e compressor $oud
consume 'DN ess po$er resuting in a
'DN cost savings! %y doing not*ing
ot*er t*an fi0ing eaks. t*is $oud resut
in over M'@.DDD saved per year!
Fo$ever. t*e current Atas compressor
uses an oder. more inefficient motor
t*an found in modern compressors!
Rutgers is aready ooking to &uy a ne$
compressor as t*e Atas is unreia&e. so
$e *ave decided to compare t*e cost of
operating t*e Atas to t*e costs of
running ne$er. more efficient
compressors!
4or scenario 'A. $e *ave repaced t*e
Atas compressor $it* a 'DDFP
compressor! 1it* t*e eaks fi0ed. a
o$er FP compressor can &e used
2resuting in a *ig*er oad factor3! Aso.
t*e repacement compressor $i use a
ne$er. more efficient motor rated for
OCN efficiency! Previousy $e
cacuated t*at t*e Atas is currenty
putting out (CD kio$atts! 1it* eaks
fi0ed. t*e po$er re7uirement of t*e
compressed air system s*oud drop 'DN
to ('D kio$atts! #utipying t*is &y t*e
operating *ours and dividing &y motor
efficiency gives t*e energy usage of t*e
compressor motor9
E5 H ('D kio$atts 0 @DDD *ours=year =
OCN H (.D(D.DDD Kio$att8*ours = year
Eiving.
(.D(D.DD k$* 0 MD!(D = k$* H M(D(.DDD
)*is is an additiona savings of M(C.DDD
for a tota savings of MID.DDD per year!
4or scenario '%. $e ook at t*e
option of decentrai-ing t*e compressed
air system &y pacing a num&er of
smaer compressors across campus! )o
simpify t*is type of scenario. $e ook at
a system $it* one medium and t$o
sma compressors! In t*is system. $e
use a (DDFP compressor $it* an
efficiency of OJN and a CDFP
compressor $it* an efficiency of O(!CN!
Cost of operating (DD FP compressor9
<D kio$atts 0 @DDD *ours=year = OJN 0
MD!(D per kio$att8*our H MC(.<DD
And for t*e t$o CDFP compressors9
<D kio$atts 0 @DDD *ours=year = O(!CN 0
MD!(D per kio$att8*our H MC'.CDD
Com&ined costH M(DI.(DD
Fo$ever. it s*oud &e noted t*at $e
*ave not taken t*e efficiencies of t*e
actua compressors into account! Barger
compressors are usuay more efficient
t*an smaer onesL it is possi&e t*at a
ne$ 'DDFP motor may &e as muc* as
(DN more efficient t*an a ne$ CDFP
compressor! 4or t*is reason. $e &eieve
t*at $e *ave underestimated t*e cost for
scenario '%!
Scenario Annua Cost Annua Savings
Current M(I(.'DD MD
Current $it* Beaks 4i0ed M(('.O<D M'@.'ID
'A M(D(.DDD MID.'DD
'% M(DI.(DD MJA.(DD
1. #iscussion2Conclusions
)*e compressed air system at
Rutgers *as muc* room for
improvement! 4irst. it is necessary for
Rutgers to *ave t*e ma,ority of eaks
repaired as soon as possi&e! Beaks are
responsi&e for t*e ma,ority of $asted
energyL fi0ing t*em $i resut in t*e
greatest cost savings!
1e propose t*at a t*e &uidings
$*ic* are far from t*e Cogen pant &e
cut off from t*e centrai-ed compressed
air system. $*ie a t*e near&y &uidings
remain connected to t*e current
centrai-ed air system! )*is is so t*at t*e
ma,ority of &uidings on campus can
&enefit from a more efficient. centrai-ed
compressor! It is a good idea to
disconnected distant &uidings &ecause
t*e onger ines are t*e second argest
$aste of energy $it* eaks &eing t*e
first!
1e *ave concuded t*at t*e &est
course of action is to eiminate t*e ong
compressed air ines to 5#DG" and
BS# in favor of a decentrai-ed system.
providing &ot* faciities $it* t*eir o$n
in8*ouse compressors! )*e &uidings
coser to t*e Cogen pant. t*at are
e0periencing &etter compressed air
service. $i keep t*e centrai-ed suppy
&ecause our cacuations for t*e
centrai-ed system *ave proved more
cost effective! )*e centra compressor
$oud t*en &e repaced in favor of a
smaer. more efficient compressor t*at
$oud do t*e same ,o& of t*e current
Atas compressor. assuming most eaks
*ad &een repaired! A ne$ centra
compressor s*oud &e purc*ased &ecause
more efficient motor $i save additiona
M(C.DDD a year. and &ecause t*e Atas is
not $orking propery!
4inay. Rutgers can ac*ieve
additiona savings &y moving air intakes!
According to our temperature
measurements. t*e Cogen Pants air
temperature is roug*y OD degrees
4a*ren*eit! )*e air temperature outside
is muc* ess. especiay during t*e
$inter season! )*e potentia for energy
savings. ,ust &y moving t*e intake
outside t*e pant. is tremendous! 4or
e0ampe. in t*e $inter t*e air
compressor system may take in air t*at
is ID degrees 4a*ren*eit instead of OD
degrees 4a*ren*eit! )*e air compressor
$oud consume O!(N ess energy during
t*e $inter t*an it does currenty in t*e
summer!
OD 4a*ren*eit 243 H J'!' Cesius 2C3
ID 4 H I!I C
J'!J C H JDC!J Kevin 2K3
I!I C H 'AA!I K
'AA!I K = JDC!J K H OD!ON
O!(N difference
3. Related 4ork
)*is pro,ect is centered around
determining t*e most efficient mode of
a compressed air system. especiay
focusing on t*e most cost8effective!
1*ie t*is is a common goa in industry
$*ere compressed air is invoved. one
suc* case at a &otting pant &ears a cose
resem&ance to our issue at t*e Rutgers
Cogen faciity! )*e Sout*eastern
Container Company. a &o$n pastic
&otte production faciity. $as ooking to
drasticay increase t*e efficiency of its
compressor system and su&se7uenty cut
operating costs! Enisting t*e *ep of
GCS5s Industria E0tension Service.
t*ey $ere a&e to manipuate t*e system
and make severa improvements t*at
ended up saving t*e company over
M(@D.DDD a year in operating costs in
regard only to t*e operation of t*e
compressor system! :C; )*roug*
GCS5s coa&orative study $it*
Sout*eastern Container Company. t*ey
$ere a&e to determine t*at ma,or eaks
and a ack of efficient moisture remova
from t*e compressed air ed to poor
operations and issues ater on do$n t*e
&otting ine! )*e addition of a dryer
and a compre*ensive compressed air
eak study and repair *eped t*e &otting
pant to recover costs! Aso. distri&uting
t*e oad of t*e t$o compressors onto a
t*ird. ne$ compressor *eped to actuay
o$er costs to save t*e company a
su&stantia amount of money. t*e pro,ect
ony producing a &uy8&ack of ess t*an
*af a year! :C;
As $as our goa at t*e onset of
t*e pro,ect. $e $ere ooking to
determine t*e causes of mafunction and
a ma,or cause of inefficiency $it*in t*e
Rutgers compressed air system. as $e
as determine $*ic* system configuration
is superior! /ur pro,ect differed from
t*e &otte production pant in t*at $e
$ere focused on air distri&uted to
mutipe &uidings $*ie t*e production
pant contained e0posed ines providing
easy and via&e fi0es! 1*ie t*e systems
differ. recommendations t*at $e *oped
to make are simiar in t*at t*eir effect is
aimed at reducing over8e0penditure
energy8$ise in t*e pant and *opefuy.
significanty reducing costs!
5. 6uture 4ork
1e $oud *ave iked to
determine t*e e0act engt* of
compressed air ine at $*ic* deivering
t*e compressed air from a centrai-ed
compressor &ecomes more inefficient
t*an a ocai-ed compressor! 4rom t*is
$e coud determine t*e proper
compressed air distri&ution sc*eme for
t*e %usc* campus as $e as 5#DG"!
1e aso $oud *ave iked to ac7uire a
ine diagram for t*e campus as $e as
determine t*e e0act amount of eakage
and frictiona osses t*at occur $it*in t*e
ine! Aso. $e $oud *ave iked to s*ut
off t*e entire system to estimate t*e
severity of t*e eaks present! Fo$ever.
&ecause Rutgers is a researc* university.
compressed air is re7uired &y many
researc* faciities at $*ic* suc* $ork
*as &een ongoing for decades!
)*erefore. suc* a disruption in service
$oud ruin decades $ort* of researc*!
Since s*utting do$n t*e entire system is
not possi&e. $e $oud *ave iked to
s*ut off at east one of t*e &uidings on
t*e %usc* campus to compressed air to
o&tain an estimate as to t*e eakage
inside t*e &uiding $*ic* is s*o$n &y
oss in pressure!
1e aso $oud *ave iked to
determine t*e cost savings of drying air
&efore t*e compressed air tank &y
pacing an air dryer &efore t*e
compressed air tank as $e as *o$ t*is
configuration $oud ma0imi-e t*e use of
t*e air tank! If t*e factor is considera&e.
t*en dryers s*oud &e paced &efore t*e
tank $*enever possi&e! Fo$ever. some
compressed air appications re7uire
competey dry air! In t*is case. t*e dryer
must &e paced &efore t*e tank so t*at
t*e stored air is dry and ready to &e used
in t*e case of a spike in oad! 1e $oud
*ave iked to determine t*e amount of
moisture t*at &uids up inside t*e tank in
eac* case of dryer pacement and *o$
often drainage of t*e $ater $oud &e
re7uired!
1e aso $oud *ave iked to
e0periment $it* *o$ t*e use of a
varia&e fre7uency drive 2P4D3. $*ic*
modifies t*e fre7uency of t*e aternating
current po$er source. $oud optimi-e
efficiency and save money $*ie
operating a partiay oaded compressor!
A P4D increases efficiency of t*e
compressor &y o$ering t*e motor RP#
as oad decreases. causing t*e motor to
use ess energy!
7. Conclusion
/ur groups task $as simpy
anay-ing Rutgers air compressor
system and making recommendations on
$*at t*e university coud do to save
money! )o do t*is. $e set out to coect
and anay-e data from Rutgers air
compressor system and severa of t*e
&uidings it suppied compressed air to!
Despite t*e o&staces $e faced. $e used
$*at data $e coud ac7uire to compare
t*e appro0imate costs for different
systems Rutgers coud impement! After
figuring out t*e pros and cons of eac*
one. $e decided t*at using a
com&ination of a centrai-ed air
compressor and a num&er of individua
2decentrai-ed3 air compressors $oud &e
Rutgers &est soution to its current
system!
In retrospect. $e discovered t*at
an appropriate anaysis of any topic 2in
our case. an air compressor system3
re7uired t*e consideration of a possi&e
factors t*at affected it! /ur researc* may
*ave pointed out t*e o&vious
improvements t*at coud &e made $it*
Rutgers air compressor system. yet t*e
soution $e suggested for Rutgers $as
ony deveoped &y considering rea8ife
pro&ems t*at t*eoretica information
coud not cover!
Despite our findings and
recommendations. *o$ever. $e fee as if
$e coud *ave improved our
performance if $e *ad more time and
information avaia&e to us! If $e $ere
to visit t*is pro&em again. per*aps $e
coud investigate t*e intensity of eaks in
t*e air compressor system at Rutgers or
deveop a muc*8needed pan to eiminate
t*e need for ong deivery ines! /ne
t*ing for certain is t*at t*is pro,ect
opened our eyes to t*e magnitude of
societys many pro&ems! Qet $e are
engineers 6 its our ,o& to go out and
address t*em!
18. Acknowledgments
)*ank you to a $*o made t*is researc*
possi&e9
)*e Eovernor's Sc*oo of Engineering
and )ec*noogy 2ESE)39
Dean %ro$n. %ase 5r. )*e Eovernors
Sc*oo %oard of /verseers
Cae& 1iiams
1*o coordinated t*e effort for t*is
researc* pro,ect!
)*e Center for Advanced Energy
Systems 2CAES3 Pro,ect Advisors9
8#ike Cesarano
8"os*ua Kace
8#aik Ka*n
8Don Kasten
8Dr! #ic*ae #uer. "i #esonas
4or suppying us $it* a of t*e re7uired
kno$edge. resources. and site8visits to
pursue our researc*!
Sponsors9
Rutgers 5niversity. Rutgers 5niversity
Center for Advanced Energy Systems
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