LEARN BEST PRACTICES FOR COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEMS ►Facilities operating compressed air (CA) systems goals have changed. The days of pressing start and hoping everything runs smoothly are gone. Businesses requiring CA are frustrated with high electrical, maintenance, capital, downtime, rental, and environmental costs. If you are not controlling your 4th utility, your expenses will escalate, and your competitors that are applying best practices will have the advantage.► Here are a few Best Practices that you can use now:❶ CA Supply: Adjust each compressor’s set points to the lowest possible pressure acceptable for your production. This reduces power consumption and the workload of the motor. Know the minimum pressure and deliver just that. Anything higher spins the power meter faster; anything lower disrupts production.❷ CA Treatment: Check for differential pressure (ΔP) across your filtration and dryers. >5 psi of ΔP could cause the air compressor to use unnecessary power and require costly maintenance. If ΔP between the compressor's discharge and dryer's post-filter is high, consider changing the filter element(s) and increasing the interconnecting pipe size.❸ Infrastructure: Monitor the pressure gauge on your tank. See how it responds each time the compressor cycles. Does pressure drop rapidly when the compressor unloads? Record this for one month; if you notice changes, it's a clear sign that minor adjustments will lead to major results.❹ Condensate Management: Note the type of drains installed throughout the CA system. OEM timer-drains create an artificial demand on the system. In most cases, replacing these with zero-loss drains provides favorable results. With most compressors, the fluid discharging the drain valve is a mixture of water and used compressor oil; an oil-water separator allows for proper disposal of this fluid.A basic understanding of your CA system is important, but only if it helps achieve your goals. It is essential to reinforce the right activities at the right time to optimize the existing system and strategically implement components that add value.If you would like help optimizing your system, adding reliability, reduce maintenance, eliminate rentals, or ensuring environmental compliance, feel free to reach out. Whether or not we decide to do business together, I am confident our call will be full of insights and actionable steps that can help you grow your business.