One of the biggest investments you will be making in your business is on compressed air. You might think your biggest spend will be on purchasing the air compressor system itself but you’re wrong! In fact, approximately 75% of air compressor cost will come from actually operating your air compressor. This shows just how important it is to understand how much you are spending on running your air compressor and to see if there are any potential cost-saving opportunities you can implement to increase the cost-efficiency of your business.
- The Simple Air Compressor Energy Cost Calculation
- The More Accurate Compressed Air Cost Calculation
- Other Variables To Consider
- How To Make Your Air Compressor More Energy Efficient
The Simple Air Compressor Energy Cost Calculation
It’s not as complicated as you think. There’s no need for a compressed air energy calculator! There are a couple of ways to calculate the energy cost of your air compressor. The most simple calculation you can do will provide you with a good estimate of the cost of compressed air based only on electrical cost.
This calculation is:
Compressor KW Rating x Annual Hours of Operation x Unit Cost of Electricity = Annual Cost
- Compressor KW Rating: The Kilowatts rating of the motor. This can be found on the nameplate of the motor.
- Annual Hours of Operation: The number of hours the air compressor is running for during the whole year.
- Unit Cost of Electricity: The cost of electricity, usually per KWh.
It is important to note this particular calculation uses the KW rating of an air compressor. However, not all air compressors use KW as a rating. Some air compressors use horsepower (hp) instead. If this is the case for your air compressor, you can use this formula instead:
Compressor hp Rating x Annual Hours of Operation x Unit of Cost of Electricity = Annual Cost
This formula should provide you with an estimate of how much it costs annually for you to produce compressed air. However, this calculation does not take into account how long your air compressor is fully loaded or partially loaded, which means this is a less accurate method of calculating costs. Additionally, this method only estimates the cost of running an air compressor itself rather than the whole compressed air system. An alternative calculation could be used for a more accurate estimate.
The More Accurate Compressed Air Cost Calculation
If you would prefer a better estimate of the cost of your compressed air production, you could use this formula instead:
Compressor hp Rating x 0.746 x No.of Operating Hours x Energy Rate x % Time x % Full Load hp / Motor Efficiency = Annual Cost
- Compressor hp Rating: This is the horsepower rating of the motor of your air compressor, as displayed on the nameplate of the motor.
- 0.746: This number is used to convert hp to KW. If your compressor rating is already in KW, then there is no need to include this figure.
- No. of Operating Hours: This is the number of hours your air compressor runs annually.
- Energy Rate: The cost of electricity.
- % Time: Air compressors are not always loaded fully. This figure represents the amount of time the air compressor is running at a certain operating level.
- % Full Load hp: This element represents the operating level of the air compressor. For example, if the air compressor were running fully loaded, this figure would be 1. If it were partially running, this figure would be less than 1.
- Motor Efficiency: This is the operating efficiency of the motor at a given operating level.
This formula should be used to calculate the percentage of time the compressed air system is running fully loaded and the percentage of time the air compressor is running partially loaded. The % Time and % Full Load hp figures would change in this case to account for this. For example, if your air compressor was running fully loaded 75% of the time, the figures you would include in your formula would be 0.75 (% Time) and 1 (% Full Load hp). Once you have completed both calculations using the formula, you would then add these two figures together to produce the total estimated annual cost.
By using this formula to calculate the energy cost of an air compressor, you can get a more accurate estimate of the cost of producing compressed air for your business. Including the difference in the amount of time your air compressor is fully loaded and partially loaded can affect your final estimated cost which differs from the previous calculation as the more simple formula assumes the air compressor is always running at full capacity.
Other Variables To Consider
However, there are still limitations to the more accurate calculation. For example, if you have heat recovery processes in place, you may consider this in your annual cost calculations. A heat recovery system is where a process is put in place to use the wasted heat energy that is generated from compressing air. An example of a heat recovery system is to use the excess heat to heat up water for other processes. By calculating the money saved by using a heat recovery system, you can take this away from your estimated annual cost of producing compressed air.
Additionally, you may need to consider the cost of storing any compressed air. Some businesses opt to use energy in compressed air as a source of power. This is an additional cost to the production of compressed air, as the tank needed to contain this compressed air will need to be factored into the cost of your compressed air system. You could add your compressed air energy storage cost to your estimate to gain a more accurate representation of your annual air compressor energy costs.
How To Make Your Air Compressor More Energy Efficient
Now you understand how much you are spending on your compressed air system, it is time to identify any opportunities you may have to cut down on cost. Here, we have listed just a few ways you could make your air compressor more energy-efficient to help reduce your overall operational costs.
- Ensure there are no air leaks: Especially for older compressed air systems, air leaks are one of the biggest problems air compressors face. You can check your system has no leaks by opting for an ultrasonic leak detection service!
- Make sure you have the correct air compressor: Choosing the right air compressor for your business can be tricky. You can contact us today, and one of our experts will be able to guide you through the process.
- Implement a heat recovery system: Don’t waste the excess heat coming from your air compressor. Opt for implementing a heat recovery system to help reduce your costs. From heating up water to providing a source of heating, there are many different heat recovery options available to you.
- Conduct an air audit: An air audit or energy audit can help you identify the areas you need to improve your energy efficiency. This service can be expensive, but it will save you money in the long run, so it is worth conducting an energy audit.
These are just some examples of the ways you can increase the energy efficiency of your air compressor. If you need some more ideas on how to improve the productivity of your air compressor, take a look at our guide, 10 Ways to Make Your Air Compressor More Energy Efficient
Make Savings With Griffin
You don’t need a compressed air energy calculator to work out the energy costs of your air compressor! Depending on how accurate you need your estimated annual costs to be, we have provided you with two options to calculate the energy costs of your air compressor.
If you calculate your annual costs and find out the energy cost of your air compressor is too high for your liking, why not have an air audit conducted by experts? At Griffin, we offer a range of services that can help your air compressor system run as efficiently as the day you got it. From servicing and repairs to ultrasonic leak detection, we are on hand to help you. Additionally, if you think your air compressor has run its course and it’s time for a new one, we have a variety of air compressors waiting for you. Contact us today for more information on what we can do for your business.
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