A long silence, hesitant glances, and only a few hands going up in the “great hall.” Let’s face it, when it comes to sexy topics, compressed air probably ranks at the bottom of the list among other less interesting topics.
So why should we talk about compressed air at all?
I love situations where stereotypical thinking shines brightly and prejudices are there to be broken. Now, hand on heart and I ask you, dear reader, to return to the first thought you had when you started reading this article. Do any of the following quotes resonate with you:
• it is found in car tires and is generally available at car and personal service stations
• in the summer it should be added to the bike's tires
• in factory halls, compressed air is used, among other things, for blowing parts, usually for cleaning purposes
• generally it comes from the factory system piping when you open the tap
All of these are valid ideas, and that is how we usually encounter compressed air ourselves – in very everyday situations. This could inspire us to spread “truths” about how without compressed air the world would not function, cars would not be driven and we would not be on a swimming mattress enjoying our summer vacation in the summer. Driving a car is the sum of many factors, of which compressed air is just one utility among many others. In addition to functioning technology and a better-than-average driver, other utilities are also needed, such as: fuel, lubricants, coolants and cleaning agents.
Compressed air – a utility?
Yes, the chain of thought has moved forward and many people working in the “machine shop environment” are well aware of it. Compressed air is one of the most important commodities in a factory and manufacturing environment – if assessed carefully, it can even be said to be the second most important commodity right after electricity. Why is this? Very many production lines and cells are equipped with machine tools, where compressed air is of critical importance (with high-quality compressed air) for the operation of the machine tools, although the sound of the blow gun is the one that resonates the loudest in the factory hall. According to one estimate, almost 50% of all compressed air used is used in blowing applications, so the whining must be quite typical.
I would personally highlight the amount of electricity used for this at a national level. Based on very superficial and public source material, without scientific research, it can be estimated that almost every industrial facility uses compressed air in its operations. According to Statistics Finland, up to almost 50 % of all electricity consumption in our country is used in industry.
Compressed air up to 10 % for all industrial electrical use
Research conducted at the European level under the leadership of Professor Peter Radge (born in Frankfurt/Main in 1963) addressed, among other things, the amount of energy used to produce compressed air and potential ways to reduce the use of compressed air and the energy used for it. Radge and his team have come to a calculation that an estimated 10% of all electrical energy used by industry is used to produce compressed air.
I think the amount is staggering and definitely puts compressed air on the podium as a utility. In a country the size of Finland, which used 86,100 GWh of electricity in 2019 before the corona pandemic, this could mean almost 4,000 GWh of annual electricity use for the production and processing of compressed air. A short mathematical calculation gives the answer that 4.6 % of all electricity use in our country “drain” to run the massive electric motors of compressed air compressors. Thank God that frequency converters have been invented, which have eliminated a large number of control losses.
Compressed air leaks account for nearly 757 GWh per year, up to 1.1 trillion of our country's electricity consumption.
There are estimates and educated guesses about how much unnecessary noise, or waste, is heard in factory halls outside of production. According to the undersigned, there is currently no research data available on how much of our country's 4.6 % electricity consumption is wasted on compressed air leaks. The prevailing idea is that 10–20 % of the electrical energy used for compressed air would be wasted on compressed air leaks. However, this gives us a good idea that this is something huge and that something can be done about it.
Are we lowering room temperatures or fixing compressed air leaks?
The past winter has been much better in that the feared partial power outages due to electricity shortages were not encountered, at least not this year. However, as citizens, we may have noticed how we were educated to lower room temperatures and consider using an electric heater when things get tough. Have we heard the education that compressed air leaks in industry are being reviewed and that we are committed to repairing them regularly? The most enthusiastic are already shutting down power plants when the leaks have been repaired and glory is in store for Motiva. In his writings, the sports councilor and Pyrintöläinen secretary general Jarmo Hakanen, whom I greatly respect, has often given his readers a good general understanding of the topics he covers in addition to comedy. Since comedy is a skill, I strive for the latter and I will conclude my thoughts with a question. Hand on heart, has your understanding of compressed air expanded in the last fifteen minutes?
The author is
Sami Uusi-Erkkilä
SmartAir And Energy Oy,
who is committed through his company to Finland's 2035
to the climate goal of a carbon-neutral welfare society.