Air compressor decision driven by energy savings

Started in 1986, Aquaknect Flexible is Australia’s oldest manufacturer of flexible connectors and is now the only manufacturer of flexible connectors in Australia, with around 35 employees.

“While we do have a joint venture operation in China, the other companies have shifted all their manufacturing operations offshore, particularly to China and India,” explained Tom Davies, general manager. “By having our manufacturing operation in Meadowbrook, Queensland, this allows us to tailor-make hoses for our customers’ specific requirements with very short turnaround times.”

Davies explained that the company uses the compressed air to drive its crimping and cutting machines as well as vital testing equipment and recently needed to upgrade its three ageing Hydrovane compressors.

“It’s critical we have a reliable supply of clean air to operate our machines, without them we have no hoses. Reduction of running costs, reliability and cleaner air delivery were the key features why we chose the Atlas Copco GA VSD+ air compressor for our Queensland manufacturing facility,” Davies said.

Like most manufacturers in Australia, the ever-increasing cost of electricity was a huge factor when deciding on a new compressor for the manufacturing plant.

“We looked at a number of other air compressor manufacturers - four other companies with similar styles of machinery in fact. All the companies came out and looked at our requirements and how we operated, but Atlas Copco was the only company that took the time to project savings and recommend things we could do to improve our compressed air supply,” he said.

“Now we just have the one latest-generation Atlas Copco compressor, instead of three,” he added.

Duncan Vaughan, sales engineer with Atlas Copco’s Queensland Industrial Air Division, said that while Aquaknect Flexible was the first company to invest in the GA VSD+ air compressor in Australia, he is expecting many more manufacturers to follow their lead as word spreads about these ultra-efficient compressors.

“These are brilliant machines. The power savings alone are significant enough to justify investing in a new machine. Plus the new compressor delivers far more air, better air quality and far more efficiently than what the company had in the past.”

Vaughan explained that the radical new GA VSD+ was officially launched in Australia in October 2013, but he was able to install this compressor a couple of weeks prior to the launch.

“It has only been installed for a couple months now, but it is clear the compressor will deliver the savings predicted. Early figures show considerable energy savings already,” he said.

Vaughan said the GA VSD+ compressor offers a major leap forward in FAD (free air delivery) with improvements of up to 12% and a breakthrough in energy efficiency requiring on average 50% less energy than a comparable idling compressor.

“Plus it’s much quieter than the old Hydrovanes, and other air compressors on the market; down to an unbelievable 62 db(A). In fact it is so quiet that when the compressor was first installed, the workers at the plant often forgot to turn the compressor off at the end of their shift, even though the compressor is in the work area, up on a mezzanine level. To overcome the problem, we simply programmed the machine to turn itself off at the end of every day,” said Vaughan.

Being very quiet when running is a great feature of the GA VSD+ compressor; it means the machine can be placed on the workshop floor, with no need for a separate room. It can also be placed against a wall or in a corner due to its vertical design with the ducting on top.

“Suitable for a wide range of industries, this rotary screw compressor is driven by a high efficiency interior permanent magnet motor, which exceeds IE 3 rating at 94.5%; corresponding to IE 4 (Super Premium Efficiency motor class),” said Vaughan.

The compact motor, which was designed by Atlas Copco, features optimal oil cooling and an oil-lubricated motor bearing all in a sealed unit, meaning no greasing of bearings or airflow required for cooling of the motor.

And unlike traditional compressors, the motor and drive train share one drive shaft and are vertically aligned to allow a smaller footprint of 55% compared to the previous range. There are also no gears, belts or shaft seal to maintain. The whole drive train is completely closed, offering IP66 protection, with one oil-circuit that cools the motor and lubricates the element and bearings.

Other energy-efficient components of the GA VSD+ compressor include a more efficient fan, robust air intake system and an innovative air inlet valve, which is maintenance-free. The mechanical polymer inlet valve uses air to open and close (no spring) and with no ‘blow-off’ in operation, resulting in no unloaded power consumption.

“With the cost of electricity continuing to rise, I expect more and more customers to take advantage of this new technology we are now offering rather than the old fixed speed technology. Our old machines offered an average of 35% power savings, but these machines offer a massive 50% in power savings,” he said