Hot off the press! New heat recovery system saves £thousands for the Vinyl Factory
26/09/2022 CompAir UK Ltd
The Vinyl Factory Limited, based at the historic EMI pressing plant in Hayes, is set to save £thousands in heating costs during the winter months, thanks to an innovative compressed air heat ducting system from CompAir distributor Air Equipment.
The Vinyl Factory is the only pressing plant in the world running the legendary EMI 1400 presses and is on target to manufacture 1,800,000 vinyl records in this current financial year, as global demand continues to grow. Operating from 5 am to 5.30 pm, five days a week, the plant has relied on its CompAir variable-speed L37 RS compressor for the past four years, supplying high-quality, dry air for the various pneumatic devices and controls across the production facility.
As with all manufacturers, the business is experiencing significant energy price rises, as the wholesale price of electricity continues to escalate at an unprecedented rate. Managing energy performance across the facility is a key concern, so Adam Teskey, Managing Director for the Vinyl Factory called on Air Equipment to advise if the compressed air system could be optimised to deliver any efficiency savings.
Julian Higgs from Air Equipment explains:
"The existing CompAir L37 RS compressor features a variable-speed motor, which matches air supply to precise plant demand, meaning there is no energy wasted while the compressor is idling, potentially saving up to 30 per cent of the energy used by a similar sized fixed speed machine
"However, while the compressor itself is optimised for energy performance, our audit highlighted that there could be significant cost savings to be made by considering heat recovery options.
"As a general rule, only 10-20 per cent of the electrical energy input to an air compressor is converted into useable energy. The remaining 90 per cent is generated as heat and lost to the atmosphere as heat dissipated by the motor and cooling system. Recovering this excess heat and reusing it to warm areas of the production facility during the winter presented a real opportunity to save on gas usage and on heating bills.
"We therefore proposed an innovative air ducting system, working with our partner Maskot Projects Ltd, which would enable The Vinyl Factory to vent the hot air either outside during the warmer, summer months, or inside during colder weather. Operated manually, via two dampers, the system enables the company to simply divert the heat as and when required.
"Not only will this solution reduce heating energy bills. It also enables hot air to be diverted away from the compressor room and thereby reduce the ambient temperature. A compressor running at lower temperatures will be more efficient and more reliable, as there is less strain placed upon the working components. For example, the lubricating oil will have a longer life, the dryer will be able to operate more efficiently, and it can also reduce the amount of input energy to the compressor."
Current predictions are that the customer will be able to reduce its heating costs by circa £2,200 per year (at current prices) and this is likely to at least double as prices rise. Additionally, this is based on a requirement for heat 30 per cent of the time. Clearly during colder spells, where the production areas require heat for longer periods, then the cost savings will increase significantly.
Adam Teskey, Managing Director at the Vinyl Factory added:
"The new hot air ducting system is very easy to use. We can simply divert the heat into the factory when it's required, or outside, literally by moving the dampers. Taking heat away from the compressor environment in the summer was just as important as reclaiming heat in the winter and we’re finding the new solution simple and effective to use. Plus, by lowering the ambient temperature, we'll be helping to prolong the life of the compressor too.
"Our CompAir L37 RS has been faultless since it was installed in 2018, with the team at Air Equipment providing scheduled and regular servicing to ensure optimum performance. This is very important to us, as without a reliable air supply, our facility simply cannot function as every department uses compressed air in its daily processes.
"The company has been a key supplier to us for many years now and with the addition of this new heat recovery system, we have strengthened this relationship further still.
To find out more, please visit www.compair.com/en-gb/products
Print this articleFor more information, please contact:
Holly Richards
CompAir UK Ltd
Claybrook Drive
Washford Industrial Estate
Redditch
Worcestershire
B98 0DS
Tel: +44 (0)1527 838200
Email: enquiries.red@irco.com
Web: https://www.compair.com
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