A fully efficient compressed air system provides a minimum amount of compressed air at a minimum pressure and satisfies all demand levels at all times. The ConservAIR controller achieves this perfect balance by creating a storage supply of compressed air in a receiver tank, which ensures there will always be an immediate supply of air to meet all production demands, all the time.
Why does this matter? Because compressed air is produced and stored at a slightly higher pressure than what is needed on the production floor. That stored air behaves like a reservoir — always ready to replenish the system at any given moment with as much flow as is needed. Atlas Copco’s ConservAIR monitors the pressure at its outlet and releases air stored in an upstream receiver to hold the system pressure stable.
If more air is moving away from the Intermediate Control outlet than is flowing in, the air expands and the pressure decreases. The Intermediate.Control responds by opening its valves sufficiently to release more air from the receiver to bring the system pressure up to a pre-set level.
If more air is flowing out of the Intermediate Control than the system is consuming, the pressure increases and the Intermediate Control lowers the flow until the pressure falls off to the preset level. This ensures that a stable and reliable supply of air is delivered to production at the lowest acceptable pressure.
Storage created by an Intermediate Control isolates the compressors from rapid changes in production demand. Instead of reacting to system dynamics (either catching up or forcing the system to absorb the added energy), the compressor network matches the applied motor horsepower to the real time production requirements through the replenishment of storage in the receiver. Partially loaded trim compressors and idle compressors will be in a position to time out and shut down, saving 25-40% of the energy otherwise consumed.
Combined with proper air storage, ConservAIR dramatically reduces the operating costs associated with your compressed air system. The system leaks less air, the effects of artificial demand are minimized and the entire system consumes less air at a lower pressure. Because the system operates at a relatively low pressure, your compressors don’t have to work as hard to produce enough compressed air, saving you money.