A smart compressor powers your green production
A smart air compressor will make a major contribution to your sustainability goals. It consumes a lot less energy, produces fewer emissions and is much more environmentally friendly. That is why you will increasingly find a highly energy-efficient air compressor air compressor at the heart of a smart production.
There is a practical reason why smart air compressors are key to turning a conventional production into a sustainable one. Because they are an important cost-saving measure.
This sets a green air compressor apart from other products. In other areas, consumers have to pay a premium for environment-friendly goods. Whether that’s organic food, clothes or electric cars, going green can get expensive.
At first glance, this is also true for smart air compressors. On the day you purchase them, they are more expensive than conventional machines.
However, that balance quickly tilts in your favor.
That's because compressing air takes a lot of energy. Consider this:
- 10% of the world’s energy is used for compressing air
- Over the lifetime of a compressor, energy expenses are responsible for up to 80% of their total cost of ownership.
That means there is enormous potential to help your bottom line and to reduce your CO2 footprint with a smart air compressor. And, if everybody were to switch to an environment-friendly production, we would all benefit.
What makes equipment smart?
But what makes a compressor – and an entire production – smart? There are two main factors: Technology and information. These two have to go hand-in-hand to reach optimal efficiency.
First, there is technology. Take the GA VSDS from Atlas Copco – the world’s smartest compressor. It is designed to make your life easier, save energy and deliver top-quality compressed air.
That starts with the ultra-efficient variable speed drive (VSD) technology. It only produces as much air as you need at any given time, in large part thanks to its sophisticated Neos Next inverter. This can reduce your energy consumption by up to 60% compared to a conventional fixed-speed air compressor. At the same time, the GA VSDS will reduce your CO2 emissions. It does so with a range of intelligent components, from an advanced controller to smart drains, all designed to optimize compressor performance and efficiency.
A smart air compressor thrives on data
Even the most efficient compressor needs information to function optimally. For example, to get the most out of your VSD compressor, you need to know the ebbs and flows of your air demand.
In addition, you need to be aware of what is happening in your compressed air system.
This is why your green production has to be data-driven.
For example, thanks to its Smart Temperature Control System, a GA VSDS can adjust its performance to changing ambient conditions. That’s smart … and saves energy and money.
Or what if a higher demand is caused by leaks? Most people don’t realize that an average of 20% of compressed air disappears through tiny holes in the piping. A smart system can detect them so that you can prevent them from being a drain on your operation.
Having all information at your fingertips at any time
The data your smart compressed air network is collecting is only beneficial if you can put it to good use.
On the one hand, that means investing in smart compressors, controllers and services that can make decisions on their own. If your compressed air system is self-regulating based on our algorithms and the information it collects, you have nothing to worry about.
On the other hand, it means giving you access to the data anywhere at any time. You can do that with a remote monitoring service. For example, Atlas Copco SMARTLINK gives you dashboards with your compressor’s performance data. It also provides insights on how to improve the efficiency and performance of your system.
More than a green air compressor
For a truly efficient – and green – production, you want to move toward a connected operation.
A high degree of automation and connected equipment will allow you to boost the efficiency of your entire production. For example, let’s say your company’s lunch break is coming up and the operators of some machines shut them down for an hour. This results in the air consumption to decrease temporarily. Immediately, your compressed air system will change its output to accommodate this decrease and then increase it again when people return to work.
The GA VSDS can make that happen. It is the first-ever compressor equipped with the OPC UA universal machine “language” that allows it to communicate with your other equipment.
To find out more about how a smart air compressor can contribute to your green production, contact us!
