Energy efficient Air Blowers up to 12 times cheaper to run than compressed air
Compressed air systems for blowing applications are cheap and quick to set up in the short term, however the ongoing energy costs of using compressed air means it is an extremely inefficient and expensive long term solution. In comparison, Air Knife Blower systems are 12 times cheaper to run than compressed air over a 12 month period (approximately £16,575 a year*).
How we have calculated these savings:
Note 1: 0.12p cost of kw/h * 1.4 kw/h= £0.17/hr * 24 hr/shift = £4.03 (£1,470.95 annual electricity costs)
Note 2: 0.12p cost of kw/h * 17.2 kw/h= £2.06/hr * 24 hr/shift = £49.44/day (£18,045.60 annual electricity costs)
Note 3: Energy efficient blowers deliver annual savings of over £16,575 compared to equivalent Compressed Air Systems. (£18,045 vs £1,470 = £16,575 total savings per year)
What makes Blowers more energy-efficient than compressed air?
The issue that both compressed air and blower systems need to address is how to generate a high flow of air at a good impact velocity.
Compressed air systems release air to atmospheric pressure and so need to generate pressures up to 6 Bar. As well as this, compressed air is often the most expensive energy source for manufacturers. Compressed air systems often have high system inefficiencies, with as little as 10% of the energy used by compressed air systems being converted into usable energy.
In contrast, blower systems only need to generate pressures up to 0.25 Bar (although most applications only need a pressure of around 0.15 Bar (150mBar)) to achieve the same velocity as the 6 Bar compressed air system.
And this is the significant difference between the industry-standard solutions of compressed air versus specifically designed blower systems.
Save over £16,000 a year with a SolvAir Air Blower System
Compressed air energy efficiency
The cost of producing each cubic metre of compressed air is similar whether your compressor is small or large. You can calculate how much it costs to produce one m³ of compressed air if you know the maximum capacity of your compressor in m³/hr and the power consumption in kW. Below are examples using data taken from the data sheets of a Leading Compressor Manufacturer:
Specification
Small
Medium
Large
A:Inlet Capacity m³/min
6.31
11.6
42.3
B: Converted to m³/hour (A x 60)
378.6
696
2538
C: Compressor Power kW
42.6
79.3
271.9
Power (C) ÷ Air Capacity (B) = kW per m³/hour
0.1125
0.1139
0.1071
Conclusion = Each Cubic Metre (m³) of Air used from a compressed air system consumes 0.11 kWh (kilowatt hours) electrical energy.
Compressed air vs blower systems
Understanding how high-pressure ratio compressed air and low-pressure ratio blower systems perform very differently across applications, energy usage, and therefore overall running costs, is crucial to optimising your production.
Industrial Application
Compressed Air
Blower System
Intermittent Air Flow
Compressed air can be the best solution if airflow is required intermittently, and your process only needs a 5-second blow-off every minute.
Whilst blowers opperate continually intermittent air flow is possible with the use of a solenoid air valves.
Continuous Air Flow
Not suitable for applications which require an airflow of more than 5 seconds every minute.
Concentrated air flow, able to run continuously 24/7 at low cost and with energy efficiency.
Blow-off
Ineffective at blow-off for most industries. Compressed air is only effective at targeted close range blow-off.
Low pressure, high-velocity air flow suitable for a wide range of blow-off applications.
Contamination
The cooling process needed to maintain compressed air means some fluid (oil and/or water) is ejected in the airstream, affecting drying applications.
Generates clean air - no air or oil needed in the system, meaning expelled air is dry. Able to create “air curtain” protective barriers.
Moisture Regulation
High cost to run continuously, difficult to ensure precision needed for moisture regulation.
Air flow able to be easily directed, to create an “air curtain” laminar air flow that adheres to surfaces, meaning it can remove or regulate moisture on a surface as needed.
Large Products
Small air outlet slots mean the size and energy requirements needed to deliver air over longer lengths are disproportionately large.
Air Knives available in 10mm increments up to 3.5metres. Capacity for large scale Air Knives easily supports large product drying/blow-off/moisture and contamination control.
Compressed Air
Compressed air is most commonly used in applications that either require intermittent bursts of air or air that has been compacted.
This includes pneumatic drills, power tools, air cylinders for automation, air brakes and sandblasting.
Air Blowers
Air Blowers are used in applications where air is required to be continuous, or when a high-velocity air stream is needed.
This includes water management, removal or regulation on objects, creating sterile environments for research, pre- and post- production applications, including painting or processing in ovens/furnaces.
"Of the total energy supplied to a compressor, as little as 8-10% may be converted into useful energy that can do work at the point of use. This makes it a very expensive for of energy"
Air Knife System Products
We specialise in innovative design and installation of Air Knife Systems, customised to meet the specific needs of our clients. SolvAir supply, design, install and maintain a wide range of Air Knives, Air Manifolds and Nozzles to fit a wide range of applications and products.
Air Knives
Flexible and bespoke configurations of Air Knives and Nozzle Manifolds for high performance drying, blow-off and cleaning. We also offer unique customisations to meet your targets as needed.
Enhanced performance and energy efficiency. Includes variable output, auto-tension belt drives, super precision bearings, excellent life span - plus our industry-leading three year warranty.
We specialise in innovative design, installation and maintenance of Air Knife Systems that provide highly effective cleaning, drying, blow-off and liquid control for a wide range of industrial applications.
Full range of accessories that work with our blowers and Air Knives to ensure a quality solution for your factory. Better performance, fewer production line fails, increased energy savings.
Compressed air energy costs are often 30% on your site's total electricity bill - with only 8-10% of that electricity converted into useful energy that can do work at the point of use.
Air Blowers vs Compressed Air Systems FAQ
Below is a summary of our most frequently asked questions on compressed air and blower systems.
Why is compressed air used in many factories for drying and cleaning applications if it is not energy efficient?
Often compressed air is used by factories for cleaning/drying/blow-off applications because the compressed air supply already exists, and so it can quickly be repurposed for this purpose at a minimal additional cost.
Often compressed air is used by factories for cleaning/drying/blow-off applications because the compressed air supply already exists, and so it can quickly be repurposed for this purpose at a minimal additional cost.
Compressed air systems can easily be repurposed for cleaning/drying/blow-off applications, with the easy addition of nozzles, pipework and/or DIY devices such as open ended pipes, flattened pipes, and pipes with a series of holes drilled into them. These additions are often cheap and quick to install.
However, using this solution means that air leaks from the compressed air system. This problem is intensified when the cleaning/drying/blow-off applications require air to be administered continuously, or semi-continuously. This means that compressed air used for cleaning/drying/blow-off applications is often both inefficient and expensive to run.
Therefore, although using compressed air systems for blowing applications is cheap and quick to set up in the short term, the ongoing energy costs of using compressed air means it is an extremely inefficient and expensive long term solution. In comparison, Air Knife Blower systems are 12 times cheaper to run than compressed air over a 12 month period (approximately £16,575 a year*).
Can Blowers & Air Knives really perform as well as compressed air nozzles?
Yes – blower systems generally outperform compressed air systems as they work at much higher flow rates.
Blower driven systems can generate air knife outlet velocities up to Mach 0.6 = 454 mph = 731 kph = 40,000 fpm = 203 m/sec. This speed, combined with a high volume flow rate, breaks the mechanical bond between the liquid and the surface, lifting the droplets off the product.
How does an air blower system's useable output compare to compressed air?
Our blower range includes models starting at 2.2KW through to 15kW. Across this range we average a typical output of 180mm width per kW power consumed.
Lets Compare…
A typical FAN NOZZLE (40-50mm wide) regularly seen in operation across manufacturing sites consumes:
50.7 m³/hr at an operating pressure of 7.0 bar
0.1 kW compressor power = 1.0m³ compressed air
50.7 m³/hr x 0.1 kW = 5.07 kWh (Kilowatt hours)
Our blower range includes models starting at 2.2KW through to 15kW. Across this range we average a typical output of 180mm width per kW power consumed. Using the equivalent power consumed by a SINGLE FAN NOZZLE 5.07 kW, which provides an airstream across 40-50mm, our blower systems could support and airstream in excess of 900mm width.
Opposite are examples using data taken from the data sheets of a Leading Compressor Manufacturer:
Slot Coverage
Round Nozzles
Per KW
COMPRESSOR
(based on fan nozzles
@ 7 bar) mm Width
How do you assess your compressed air consumption?
An easy method for checking your compressed air consumption is to assess the volume of air used in cubic metres. You can then use the calculation 1m³ = 0.11 kW.
If you are using a dedicated type of air nozzle/device, you should be able to locate the technical information for the product online. Here you will learn the amount of flow/volume the device consumes at varying pressures. If you are using a more basic open pipe solution, look online again. You will find many sites that publish data on “compressed air through open pipes”.
If you need any assistance assessing your compressed air consumption, we would be happy to help. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to discuss your specific use case.
How do integrated Air Knife Systems and Heated Air Systems work?
Factories often use heated air systems to dry products. Heated air systems rely on evaporation to dry products and are often used on relatively slow speed production lines.
Air Knife Systems can significantly assist the heated air system process by removing a high percentage of water droplets before the object enters the heated air system. This makes the process of drying faster, more efficient and more effective.
Compressed air can be the best solution for factories. For example, if airflow is required intermittently, and your process only needs a 5-second blow-off every minute, compressed air can be used with a solenoid valve to start/stop the supply.
This simple modification to an existing system means that the compressed air consumption is kept to a minimum. In this situation, a blower system is not likely to demonstrate a reasonable return on investment. For more information on compressed air systems, you can visit www.vortextube.co.uk
Our team of specialists have decades of experience in providing innovative air solutions and will contact you within 24 hours to discuss your requirements and talk about your specific use case.
Improved production line performance, low maintenance, energy and cost-saving Air Knife Systems that can be easily added onto production lines and adapted to meet your needs. All SolvAir Air Knife systems uniquely provide the following key benefits:
3 Year Warranty
Industry-leading 3 year warranty is included as standard on all our energy-efficient, enhanced performance, cost-saving Air Knife Blowers.
100% Performance Guarantee
We offer a 100% Performance Guarantee for all SolvAir Air Knife Systems. This means that you can be sure your System is running to the highest performance.
33% Energy Reductions
Our Air Knife Systems use 80% less energy than compressed air systems and will give you around 33% cost savings compared to competing systems.
