How CP Compressors Help in Energy Recovery & Conservation
Compressors are used in various industries for a variety of applications and consume a lot of energy. In fact, over the lifetime of a compressor, energy consumption typically represents 80% of its total cost of ownership. Hence recovering the compressor’s energy means saving money.
It is often seen that many companies offer energy-efficient compressors. However, companies offering compressors that help in energy conservation are very few. Even the most efficient compressor transforms up to 94% of the electric energy into heat. Most of the heat generated while operating conventional compressors is wasted by getting released into the atmosphere via the compressor’s cooling system.
In this respect, the compressors manufactured by Chicago Pneumatic have a built-in device called the Energy Box which harnesses the compression heat and can recover up to 80% of this valuable thermal energy.
How is energy recovered in a CP compressor?
In a CP compressor, the Energy Box is added in the compressor’s oil circuit. This Energy Box captures the heat generated during compression and stores it. This heat is then used for other processes like steam and hot water generation, utility applications, and conversion to power (turbine generator).
By using a CP compressor, you can save 4,00,000 KWH / hour on a 100 W system, which amounts to INR 20 lakhs per year! The heat energy conserved can be used to generate 70 lakh litres of hot water at 70 degrees.
Some of the energy-saving applications of the Energy Box in different industries are as below:
- General: heating systems, showers, hot water feed
- Diaries: process boiler feed, pasteurization, drying & scalding process, sterilization
- Process: synthesis of gas, steam cracking, stripping, boiler feed
- Pharmaceuticals: temperature maintenance, drying process, sterilization, steam barriers
- Textile: dying, finishing
Advantages of using an energy box in your compressor
- Saves money – Simply put, the Energy Box reuses captured energy. This results in huge cost savings, as energy consumed by the compressor is recovered. Energy consumption is the biggest cost of a compressor
- Reduces Carbon dioxide emissions –By saving energy, carbon dioxide emissions are also reduced, which will be beneficial for future generations and help you achieve environmental targets and ensure compliance with legislation or certification.
- Lowers investment costs - The Energy Box delivers heat for hot water applications or industrial processes, reducing your overall investment costs
- Uses of thermal heat: Thermal heat is used for applications other than space heating and hot water for showers. Industrial processes require heat for drying, air curtains, pre-heating, sterilization, steam cracking, dyeing, purging and many other applications
- Removing compression heat reduces the compressor room temperature while improving ambient conditions and the equipment’s efficiency which ultimately results in an increase in its lifetime.
In a world of soaring energy prices, using Chicago Pneumatic compressors will give a major boost to your competitiveness, by making your operations more cost and energy efficient.
