Festive Calendar Countdown
12 days of compressed air tips, tricks and advice
OK, we know, the traditional 12 days of Christmas doesn’t actually start until December 25. But, as many of us will no doubt be taking a break over the festive season - we’re bringing you our 12 days of Christmas in the run up to the festive break. Be sure to revisit this page on weekdays between 8 - 23 December for 12 seasonal compressed air tips, tricks and pieces of advice!
Day 12
On-going service support
Thanks for joining us over the past 12 days as we have shared some seasonal compressed air tips and advice. Our offices will be closed from this evening - reopening on Monday 4 January. For emergency service support throughout the holiday season just phone 1800 670 770. See you next year!
Day 11
Top 5 for 2020
Did you know that we provide regular compressed air advice via our blog - Kaeser Know How? Follow the link to read the 5 most popular blog posts of the year.
Day 10
Correct condensate drainage
Condensate is an unavoidable by-product of compressed air production. If you take the example of a 30 kW compressor with a free air delivery of 5 m3/min, this would produce around 20 litres of condensate per shift! It is essential that this liquid is removed from the air system via reliable condensate drainage in order to prevent system failures, costly production downtime and corrosion. Condensate drainage is therefore an important component of a compressed air system that will impact on the overall efficiency and reliability of the system as well as the quality of the air produced. Is your condensate drainage up to scratch? Learn more in our blog post - How to correctly drain condensate and achieve substantial energy savings!
Day 9
Protect your compressed air quality
Did you know that when you shutdown your compressors - overnight, over the weekend, or for an extended shutdown period such as the festive season - there is a risk of overloading the air treatment equipment and contaminating the compressed air system when the compressors are restarted. These unwanted outcomes can be easily and cost-effectively avoided by simply integrating an air-main charging system. Installed in the compressor station just downstream from the last air treatment component, the air-main charging system ensures that the compressed air system remains pressurised even after the compressors have been shutdown. Are you safeguarding your compressed air quality? Learn more in our blog post
Day 8
Restarting after an extended shutdown
Extended periods of compressor shutdown can cause a number of issues if left unchecked. So, if you’re about to shutdown your facility for the festive period then read our blog post, which explains 4 key checks to perform before restarting your compressor after an extended period of shutdown to ensure a smooth restart and maximum compressed air uptime.
Day 7
Oil levels and oil quality
Oil ageing in an oil-injected rotary screw compressor can lead to a number of issues including; overheating, lubrication problems and premature mechanical wear - right through to compressor breakdown. To keep your cooling fluid operating at its optimum; regularly check and maintain your oil levels and oil quality and, follow the OEM's recommendations of lubricant and oil change service schedule. It is beneficial to service your compressor including changing the oil at the start of summer in order to prepare your compressed air system for the hotter months ahead.
Day 6
Line filters
Compressed air filtration is an essential component of a compressed air system in order to remove contaminants from the compressed air and meet the specific air quality level that an application or process requires. Aside from selecting the appropriate filter technology to meet the ISO air quality standard required, it is important to follow the OEM’s recommendations when it comes to service and maintenance – such as replacing filter elements at the prescribed intervals.
Unmaintained filters can cause a number of problems – not least impact the air quality class. For a quick indication of how a filter is operating you can check its differential pressure gauge. High differential pressures across line filtration can greatly impact the functionality - and increase the cost - of running your compressed air system. Contact Kaeser and we can organise for a Service Technician to assess your site.
Day 5
Is your dryer fit for summer?
Your compressed air dryer is essential to the smooth running of your compressed air system - especially as the temperature starts to rise in the warmer summer months. System failure, production downtime and costly service and repair work are all unavoidable without sufficient air drying. Why do we need to dry compressed air? What could be the impact to your business if your compressed air dryer is not sized correctly or working properly? Is your compressed air dryer fit for summer? Find out in our recent blog post.
Day 4
Key summer maintenance tasks
Hot weather can put a lot of stress on your compressed air system, and as the temperature starts to rise so can a number of maintenance issues. Maintenance tasks such as; changing the oil and the inlet filter to checking the fluid system, belts and couplings are just a few that are beneficial to undertake at the start of summer in order to prepare your compressed air system for the hotter months ahead.
Day 3
Bypass line
A bypass line allows you to be able to continue to transport compressed air through your system while e.g. line filtration is maintained. However, a bypass line can often be overlooked when a compressed air system is installed. Installing a bypass line would therefore mean that any future work required on line filtration will not have to wait until longer shutdown periods. The festive shutdown is the perfect opportunity to install a bypass line if you don’t already have one.
Day 2
Leak detection
Unfortunately all compressed air systems will have compressed air leaks. Statistics suggest that the average leak rate is 25% with some plants losing as much as 80% of their compressed air through leaks! But, what is the cost of leaks? As an example, a compressor which operates at 6 bar will consume an additional 0.39 kW/h for one 1mm hole. This equates to an annual cost of $512, assuming the system has a power cost of 15 cents/kW/hr. Now think of the accumulative cost for a number of undetected and unmanaged compressed air leaks! The good news - detecting and fixing compressed air leaks has an overall energy savings potential of 6-10%
Day 1
Cooler cleaning
Keeping your coolers clean is probably one of the most important things you can do during the summer months. Dirty coolers can cause a number of problems such as contributing to your compressor running hot. And, elevated running temperatures increase oil carry over from your compressor which will eventually lead to a low oil level and ultimately a compressor shutdown. Depending on the state of your coolers, high pressure cleaning and/or ultrasonic cleaning may be advised. The festive shutdown period is an ideal time to have your coolers cleaned.