Compressed Air System Survey at Army Industrial Facilities

摘要

Compressed air (CA) is an indispensable commodity used in manufacturing and maintenance facilities. As in the private sector, Department of Defense (DOD) facilities make widespread use of air compressors. Although CA is a convenient power source, CA systems are not cheap to operate. An analysis of the cost breakdown of a CA system shows that as little as 10 percent of the input power supplied to the compressor is delivered as CA to the system. The electricity used by these air compressors is a major contributor to annual energy operating costs. The use of natural gas engine driven air compressors (NGEDACs) in place of conventional electric motor driven air compressors offers an opportunity to reduce these costs. The savings offered by this alternative technology can more than offset the capital and maintenance costs of its installation. This survey was undertaken to evaluate CA systems at Army industrial facilities to identify opportunities for energy savings by improving system efficiencies and by identifying suitable candidates for installation of NGEDACs.