Pilot Training Awareness Programme on Compressed Air
Pilot Training Programme on Compressed Air

How to use training programme

Objective of training

Before you start

Background information for the energy manager / training provider

Delivering the training

Reinforcing the message

Follow-up – feedback on improvements made
Pilot Training Awareness Programme on Compressed Air
1.1 HOW TO USE TRAINING PROGRAMME
This programme is designed to help you the Energy Manager to create some
Key Point
Aim at staff
who
have
responsibility
w.r.t.
compressed
air
awareness around the subject of compressed air. It is aimed at those
members of staff who clearly have a responsibility with regard to compressed
air. It should be used as part of an overall energy awareness programme so
that it is delivered in context and following the training session the key
learning points should be reinforced through other awareness raising tools so
as to ensure a lasting message.
1.2 BEFORE YOU START
Key Point
What
is
the
baseline - see
how much staff
know already
Before you start implementing this programme, it is a good idea to see how
much relevant staff know about compressed air already. This will give you
some direction in adapting this training programme to best reflect your
company’s needs. You can do this on an informal way by asking questions
from a few key people or you could do a more formal survey. This should not
be an onerous task but should provide you with enough information to give
you a baseline of knowledge about compressed air. The following are some
questions that you might ask:

What is compressed air?

What can it be used for?

How much does compressed air operation cost the XXXX? (Give
options)

How do you know if there is a leak?

What do you currently do if you identify a leak?
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF TRAINING
By the end of this training course, the learners should

Understand what compressed air is;

Why it is important in terms of energy;

Know how to detect and report leaks;

Use compressed air in the appropriate way;

Know who to contact should they have a query or an incident to
report;
Pilot Training Awareness Programme on Compressed Air
You’re specific objectives may vary according to the baseline you have
identified.
1.4 BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE ENERGY MANAGER /
TRAINING PROVIDER
Appendix 1 (below) contains background information for the energy manager /
training provider which may be useful in terms of preparing for the training
session. Much of this information may already be known by the energy
manager / training provider, however it has been endeavoured to provide
streamlined information for the purpose of providing this training.
1.5 DELIVERING THE TRAINING
Key Point
Deliver through
workshop
enhanced
by
demonstration
As already stated this training on compressed air should be delivered as part
of a wider energy awareness campaign. It should not be delivered until some
context has been set company-wide for energy awareness.
The training should be delivered through a talk / workshop / seminar. It can be
delivered as part of a wider seminar / workshop on other aspects of energy
awareness or perhaps another issue that affects the staff relevant to
compressed air. The talk would be enhanced by a demonstration e.g. how to
identify a leak. The talk plus demonstration should take no longer than 45
minutes.
The attached PowerPoint presentation can be used to deliver training on
compressed air. It may need some adaptation to reflect needs / situation of
your organisation this will give you the basis for delivering training to your staff
on compressed air.
Compressed Air PowerPoint Presentation
Pilot Training Awareness Programme on Compressed Air
1.6 REINFORCING THE MESSAGE
Key Point
Use variety of
tools to keep
momentum
going.
Following the training session it is important to maintain some momentum so
that the learning points of the session are carried through and you begin to
see some improvement. You can do this by reminding learners of key points
through a variety of communication media.
Use the statistics in the background information on compressed air to draw up
your communication materials.
Use the below templates as your communication tools:
Poster Template
PowerPoint Template
Newsletter Template
1.7 FOLLOW-UP – FEEDBACK ON IMPROVEMENTS MADE
Key Point
Let staff know
how they have
improved.
It is important that you provide some form of feedback to your staff after a
period of time to let them know how they improved. You can do this in a
number of ways e.g. through another talk / seminar 6 months later outlining
the statistics around improved management of compressed air. You could
also use some of the above templates to get the message out there.
Pilot Training Awareness Programme on Compressed Air
Appendix 1 – Background Information
Introduction
Compressed air is an essential resource in the manufacturing industry and is often referred to
as the fourth utility after electricity, oil and gas. The common misconception is that
compressed air is free, while this may be true for the air we breather, when it is compressed
by high pressures to produce this fourth utility, it can be up to ten times more expensive than
electricity!
Compressed air is used in a variety of operations and is a significant requirement in many
industrial manufacturing plants to operate pneumatic tools and pneumatic controls. In many
applications it is also used for product cleansing and blow-off applications.
Placement of Compressors
If compressed air is a definite requirement at your place of business, then the location of your
compressor will play an important role in energy costs. This is due to the fact that in order to
operate efficiently, a compressors air-intake needs to be kept cool to compress air effectively.
When switched on, and even in stand-by mode compressors use up to 30% power. Where
possible, it would be ideally suited to place your compressor so that it takes in external, colder
air, most appropriately on the north wall of your building where the air temperature would be
cooler. Using the coldest possible air source will maximise your compressor efficiency as
reducing your air inlet temperature by 6 0C will increase your output by 2%. Cold air is more
dense than warm air and hence takes less energy to compress it. If the compressor is taking
in internal air it will have to work harder to compress the same amount of air hence ultimately
increasing maintenance requirements and running costs.
Another factor to consider in the placement of compressors is to remember that when in
operation, compressors produce heat. In many installations this heat is vented to the
atmosphere and wasted. If there is space and ducting available, this waste heat can be vented
to the interior of the building to provide space heating and may provide support to the primary
heating system.
Capital and Running Costs
Compressed air is an expensive utility! Most people think that the largest cost is the initial
purchase price of the unit and the running costs are mostly maintenance – this is not true.
Typically, lifetime costs (over a ten year period) for a compressed air unit can be divided as
follows:
Compressed Air - Lifetime Costs
Operational
(electricity)
75%
Capital
15%
Maintenance
10%
Pilot Training Awareness Programme on Compressed Air
As can be seen from the chart, the operational costs of the unit are those that need to be most
carefully considered when purchasing. It is estimated that for every 100 units of electricity that
go into a compressor only 10 units of compressed air are produced. If maintenance is
neglected, this figure is likely to decrease and running costs will increase further.
With this in mind, users should determine life-cycle costs when financing a compressed air
unit. To get an estimation of running costs of your compressor per year, you can use the
following formula, which should give you an indication of predicted costs:
Size of Motor (kW) * Unit cost of Electricity (€) * Running Hours (hrs/year)
It is also important to remember that compressors should be switched off overnight or at
weekends. As a general rule, if there is no production, then the compressor should be
powered off. If not, the compressor is left running to power air leaks and idling which can still
consume up to 40% of full load capabilities.
Efficient Use of Compressors
As discussed above, overall system efficiency is the key to maximum costs savings.
Compressors are most efficient when operating at full or near full load and air compressor
efficiency generally increases with size. Poor part-load efficiency of compressors also means
it is more efficient to run a smaller compressor at near full load than a larger compressor at
low load. As a result, the correct sizing of a compressor to the service it is providing is vital to
efficient operation.
A regular maintenance program is also key to ensuring that your operational costs are
minimised. For example, replacing an air intake filter could save significant amounts of energy,
as blocked filters can restrict the airflow into a compressor, thus increasing the power usage
and reducing efficiency. Another factor is to keep all coolers, radiators and ventilation grilles
clean and clear to minimise compressor power use.
The operating pressures of the unit and point(s) of work also need to be considered when
ensuring maximum efficiency is gained from your compressor, as there will be a pressure drop
from the unit to the point of use. A pressure drop occurs as the compressed air travels through
the distribution pipework and these distribution losses can account for up to 10% losses, poor
system performance and excessive energy consumption. One way to combat these losses is
to make use of regulators and controls as the pressure demand varies across the system.
To ensure greater efficiency and smaller distribution losses, another aspect that should be
considered is to minimise all redundant pipework in the system. This will also contribute to a
lesser likelihood of air leaks.
Air Leaks
Air leaks contribute to your high energy bills, with a typical leak rate on a site of up to 20%.
One common way to detect air leaks is to walk around the plant and listen for leaks (preferably
completed outside of production hours). This will identify major air leaks, however the majority
of air leaks are those that cannot be heard! For this reason, it is suggested that each site
should have a leak repair and reporting programme which involves a leakage survey being
carried out on a regular basis to identify all leaks and following this a leak repair programme
be initiated on a regular basis.
Using ultrasonic leak detection equipment is the best way to locate all leaks. This can be hired
or purchased from your compressed air system supplier or from a specialist company.
Operators on the floor using compressed air usually are the first to realise there is a potential
Pilot Training Awareness Programme on Compressed Air
leak, however they do not realise the significant cost of this loss and might never report a leak
to the facility manager. Operators should be made aware of this and should routinely check
the system for leaks and regularly listen for major leaks when the background noise is quiet
enough. If an operator hears a leak, they should report the location to the facility manager
immediately.
Inappropriate use of compressed air - Many users of compressed air have no idea how
expensive it is and therefore can often waste or misuse it. Inappropriate uses of compressed
air include ventilation and cleaning down workbenches, floors, machinery and
personnel! Instead of using compressed air, look for alternative measures to complete the
same task i.e. use fans for ventilation and brushes or vacuum cleaners for cleaning down at
the end of the shift. If employees are made aware of the high cost of producing this
utility and have alternative measures to utilise, then its inappropriate use could well be
minimised.
The above options are where the operator can be most effective in reducing compressed air
use and cost at a site. If they are made aware of its cost and high energy demand to produce
it through an awareness campaign, they could be very effective in reducing costs though
minimising leaks and only using this utility where required. Other savings possible with
compressed air are typically more detailed and technical and beyond the scope of the
operator, but which the facility manger could undertake.
There is also a Health & Safety factor to consider here as the misuse of high pressure at the
point of use can be dangerous.
Training
The best way to achieve higher operating efficiencies is to increase and raise awareness
among employees. Make sure that everyone knows the high cost of producing compressed air
and continue to remind people to use it efficiently and only when needed and also that leaks
cost money!
SUMMARY ‘TOP TIPS’
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Ensure correct compressor location
Ensure correct sizing of compressor
Estimate lifetime running costs as well as capital costs
Implement a regular maintenance program
Implement a leak monitoring and repair system
Perform regular usage checks:
 Is there a redundant branch that could be switched off?
 Is the air needed at such a high pressure?
 Is the air being put to efficient use?
7. Increase awareness among employees