From Volume 2 Issue 4 of Connected.
Compressed air systems are utilized in a wide range of industries such as industrial, logistics, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical and manufacturing. These systems are driving one of the most vital pieces of equipment, a facility’s conveyor systems.
Traditional mechanical conveyor systems, such as belts, chains and buckets, rely on direct contact between the conveyor and the material being transported, according to Thomas.net. This method can handle a wide range of materials at high capacities and can allow materials to travel long distances. Due to the mechanical contact of the system, this quickly degrades equipment material, requires regular maintenance, needs frequent cleaning due to material buildup and dust and has higher energy consumption compared to compressed air systems. Compressed air systems for conveyor belts, also referred to as pneumatic conveying systems, suspend and transport materials through an air stream by using air pressure or vacuum. This system can transport lighter weight items longer distances through obstacles while minimizing material degradation and ensuring a more sanitary process without material buildup and dust.
When operating at peak efficiency, pneumatic conveying systems improve productivity and safety, are extremely versatile and have lower energy consumption compared to traditional conveyor systems. However, this type of system is prone to air leaks, which creates a sonic or ultrasonic sound that cannot be heard or detected by humans. Without the proper maintenance, leaks can go undetected and lead to increased energy consumption, operating costs and downtime, decreasing efficiency and equipment life. To identify leaks or potential issues early, also known as predictive maintenance, an acoustic imager is utilized to act as a visual aid to pinpoint the areas of concern.
Kirby Risk recently acquired the Fluke® ii910 acoustic imager to begin offering predictive maintenance services for compressed air loss to better meet our customers’ maintenance needs. The ii910 is equipped with over 60 high-powered microphones and a display screen with SoundMap™ that can locate leaks on screen. The device houses an array of microphones that can quickly scan areas to pick up both sonic and ultrasonic sound waves produced when a system issue occurs. When a leak is detected at a target frequency range, the affected area will appear on the screen and the device can capture a photo of the area. Our services team can then generate a detailed report for our customers with Fluke’s LeakQ™ reporting tool. Reports include images of the areas with leaks, estimated rate of leaks, estimated individual and annual cost of leaks, comments from our service technicians and a summary of the findings.
Predictive maintenance for compressed air loss is vital to the efficiency and effectiveness of a pneumatic conveying system. Compressed Air Best Practices writes, “(In a) Steel Plant with rolling mills and galvanizing process, 625 leaks were identified, tagged and repaired… recoverable energy reduction was $333,158 per year.” On average, the correct predictive maintenance can have an impact of $30,000 to $130,000 of cost savings depending on the industry, according to Fluke. Without proper maintenance or intervention, an air leak can lead to significant downtime, increased energy consumption and substantial financial loss.