Compressing air generates a lot of heat; in fact, around 94% of the electrical energy that a compressor consumes is converted into heat. Without an energy recovery system, this heat is simply lost to the environment, which is why it's commonly referred to as 'waste heat.'
A properly designed heat recovery unit can recover anywhere from 50-94% if this available thermal energy (as low-grade heat) to heat air or water (up to 90°C or 140°F). Pre-heated water can be used in the application process to reduce the use of traditional energy sources reducing the amount of CO2 emissions.
Consider a 75kW compressor in operation. A staggering 94% of the total energy, which equates to 70kW, is not utilised and instead becomes wasted energy. Based on an average electricity cost of $0.17/kWh, and the compressor running for 6,000 hours a year, leads to $71,400 of energy wasted per year!
Sounds bad right? Why not explore the possibility of reclaiming some of that energy? We provide a variety of Energy Recovery Solutions designed to help you do just that.
What is Compressor Heat Recovery?
Over the lifetime of a compressor, energy makes up about 80% of its total cost of ownership. That is why using a highly efficient model is key. Next to choosing the right compressor, energy recovery is the technology that will have the biggest impact on your operational energy use.
The benefits of recovering heat of your compressed air system
Reduce energy costs for your applications that require heat
Return on Investment typically less than a year
Turnkey solution
Minimal installation costs and no additional space requirements
Limited piping
Central monitoring via Elektronikon controller
Tailored energy recovery solutions
We offer dedicated energy recovery solutions for new and existing systems including:
- New Oil Lubricated Compressors (GA type)
- New Oil Free Compressors (ZR type)
- Existing GA/ZR compressors
Beyond these products, our Optimisation team can offer the following services:
- Custom design & installation: Given your machine and hot water specifics, we design up to Process & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID) and oversee the installation of your Energy Recovery (ER) system.
- Application solution design: With a layout drawing of your plant, we can design a application solution and deliver up to the Bill of Material.
- Turnkey solutions: Our team collaborates with local installers to deliver a complete turnkey solution for your facility.
