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Industry

  1. Introduction
  2. Refrigeration
  3. Compressed Air
  4. Electrical Drives
  5. Pumps
  6. Process Heat
  7. Heat Recovery
  8. Decentralised Supply

Compressed Air

Trade and industry frequently require exceptionally large volumes of compressed air, which is one of the most widely used cross-application technologies.

Compressed air is used in the following areas:

  • Pneumatics
  • Active air (compressed air as a means of transport)
  • Process air (for example, drying processes)
  • Vacuum technology

Air, as a commodity, is an infinite resource and does not cost anything. However, compressed air/vacuums are usually supplied by electrical compressors. This generates costs of approximately 1.5 to 3 cent per cubic metre. The electricity required to generate compressed air can account for 20% to 80% of the overall energy costs in a company. Significant energy savings could be made here. If a company were to invest in efficient compressed air technology, it could yield energy savings of between 5% and 50% with a payback period of less than two years. Unfortunately, the overall efficiencies achieved with compressed air supply are extremely low. The electrical energy consumed by an air compressor does not compare favourably with the compressed air that is output at the end of the system chain. Even if air compressor efficiency is 50%, an efficiency of just 5% is achieved if we consider the overall system from its creation through to its use. However, the remaining 95% does not have to remain unused. Frequently, the waste heat accumulated when operating a compressor can be deployed.

Another option is to improve the efficiency of the entire process by optimising the system components. German companies manufacture the entire range of compressed air technologies; from small compressors for small and medium sized enterprises through to complex compressed air systems with several megawatts of power. In the case of vacuum technology, which has become a key compressed air technology in industry and research, German
suppliers are the market leaders with approximately 80% of the world?s annual turnover. The prominent role occupied by German suppliers of compressed air technology is also reflected in the ever-increasing number of patent applications. This is particularly the case in the important application area of pneumatics. German companies not only supply components and complete systems, they also provide compressed air contracting. In particular, customers who have easily calculable requirements really get their money's worth with this all-inclusive package.