Pharmaceutical customer downsizes for efficiency after an air audit

Our client is a US based pharmaceutical customer, who’d been having some trouble with their compressed air system. To get to the bottom of it, we conducted an air audit. For one week, we monitored the company’s system to see what was going on and diagnosed what was happening.

This pharmaceutical customer’s compressed air system consisted of a Sullair 55kW variable speed rotary screw compressor and one desiccant dryer. The compressor produced 341 cfm, and the desiccant dryer produces 60 cfm purge. Considering the dryer’s purge, the customer’s average consumption was only 62 cfm.

While the customer did have some peaks, the air audit showed the compressed air system was way oversized, and the compressor was on the verge of cratering. The longevity of their equipment was at risk, and they were wasting energy – and money.

After analysing the air audit, we determined the customer should downsize to a smaller compressor, while retaining their current storage. Using the same storage they’ve had; they would gain efficiency through excess storage to compensate for excess demand.

Our sales and service team made two compressed air system recommendations to the customer to determine which approach they’d like to take. One recommendation was for a small Sullair oil flooded compressor, as the air does not encounter the product – it’s only used mechanically. The second recommendation is for a Sullair 37kW oil free air compressor, giving the customer more flexibility for down the road and totally removing the risk of product contamination. Either way, the customer can replace their entire system with a payback in only 2.5 years! Quite the payoff for a simple air audit.

This is only one example of a customer who has realised the value of an air audit. Air audits credibly establish what is happening in a user’s system so we can make proper recommendations for the compressed air system. By understanding what your processes are, and how your compressed air system is being used, together we can find ways to better manage what you have, what you might need – and how you can do it more profitably.