HIRE AIR from Airchannel provides an unbeatable Industrial Compressor Rental service at competitive rates.
HIRE AIR PROVIDES:
competitive rates
unrivalled service & satisfaction
reliable, energy efficient equipment
national support
rapid service response
guaranteed delivery
An energy efficient and environmentally safe system includes management control system, dryers, filters, receivers, condensate drains and oil/water separators all installed, commissioned and maintained in accordance with industry regulations.
CALL FREE 0800 043 4473
For more info click here.
Monday, 21 December 2009
Friday, 18 December 2009
51% savings on energy bills
Airchannel supplied DH Heath with a compressor funded through Carbon Trust interest free loan.
The survey indicated DH Heath could save 51% a year on energy bills, which represented £3,613.00, and the payback on a new compressor would take just 33 months. This met the Carbon Trust criteria.
Read the full story.
The survey indicated DH Heath could save 51% a year on energy bills, which represented £3,613.00, and the payback on a new compressor would take just 33 months. This met the Carbon Trust criteria.
Read the full story.
Thursday, 17 December 2009
CATCH 22 - are you ready for the ban of R22 refrigerant?
On 31st December 2009 the ban of use of virgin HCFC refrigerants, including but not limited to R22, in servicing and maintenance of refrigeration dryers and air conditioning equipment will come into effect.
Airchannel offer a re-gas service on all R22 dryers that are in a good serviceable condition.
This service is very reliable and a cost effective substitute to having to replace capital plant equipment. In most cases only the gas needs replacing and most oils can still be used.
Call 0800 526581 to switch over today!
Airchannel offer a re-gas service on all R22 dryers that are in a good serviceable condition.
This service is very reliable and a cost effective substitute to having to replace capital plant equipment. In most cases only the gas needs replacing and most oils can still be used.
Call 0800 526581 to switch over today!
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Breathing air quality testing
See the video on http://tinyurl.com/yfhgzoy and also read more on http://tinyurl.com/y9n9vor
Monday, 30 November 2009
Borrow £3,000 - £400,000 at 0% interest!
One of the most effective ways how to save your company money is to reduce the amount of carbon you emit. It will also help you to combat climate change by reducing your carbon footprint!
The Carbon Trust has recently doubled the maximum loan limit to £400,000. The loans are isinterest free and unsecured with no arrangement fee!
Airchannel has been working with Carbon Trust on many projects. We have supported customers from the initial site survey to a successful Carbon Trust Loan application.
Get in touch to enquire about the Carbon Trust loans on 0800 526581 or email.
Read more.
The Carbon Trust has recently doubled the maximum loan limit to £400,000. The loans are isinterest free and unsecured with no arrangement fee!
Airchannel has been working with Carbon Trust on many projects. We have supported customers from the initial site survey to a successful Carbon Trust Loan application.
Get in touch to enquire about the Carbon Trust loans on 0800 526581 or email.
Read more.
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Are Written Schemes confusing you?
In one of the older posts I was talking about the importance of having the Written Scheme of
Examination in place. (read more here)
Examination in place. (read more here)
Many people got in touch to find out more and to ensure that their system is legally operated in
line with the Regulation 8 of the Pressure System Safety Regulation SI 2000 No. 128.
If you are still unsure whether your system complies with this regulation please see the table
below which should help you to clarify.
below which should help you to clarify.
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Air compressor maintenance
Regular air compressor maintenance will prevent breakdowns and increase efficiency...simple as that!
Read more here.
Read more here.
Saturday, 10 October 2009
Airchannel provides a fit solution for healthcare specialist
Introduction
As the UK’s leading healthcare waste services company, SRCL works with local and national companies to improve employee and customer safety, ensure legislative compliance and minimise the environmental impact of waste disposal.
It provides a range of services including clinical waste collection and disposal to NHS trusts, GPs, dentists, pharmaceutical manufacturers and private sector businesses with a comprehensive infrastructure of over 20 Waste-to-Energy facilities, alternative treatment plants and waste transfer stations throughout the UK and Ireland.
The challenge
Using advanced technologies, including the latest heat disinfection units and high temperature incinerators, SRCL provides compliant disposal for all types of healthcare and many hazardous waste streams.
At its incinerator facility on the Royal Bournemouth Hospital site, the company was using two compressors located in its main work area fed by two refrigerant dryers on a lower level, which was not always a reliable process.
As both sets of equipment had been in place for some time, and the dryers were frequently breaking down resulting in moisture appearing in the compressed air system, SRCL, whose waste disposal operation is heavily dependent on a reliable supply of compressed air, decided it was time they were replaced.
Results
Airchannel installed two CompAir L37F-07A air compressors with integrated refrigerant dryers, an energair control system (metacentre S2) and CompAir Owamat 12 oil and water separator to enable SRCL to start using clean and dry air with the additional benefit of reduced noise output.
Condensate is cleaned of contamination, allowing safe and legal discharge of water to foul drain in compliance with ISO14001.
The compressors’ control system uses automatic rotation on standby and therefore does not need to be manned. As well as improved operating efficiency, they are also more reliable than the company’s previous arrangement, saving SRCL a significant amount of time due to the reduction in maintenance requirements.
Conclusion
General manager at SRCL, Scott Davidson, comments on the installation: “We required a solution almost immediately to ensure our operation continued with minimum disruption. Airchannel was able to exceed our high expectations and install a fully comprehensive solution within a matter of days.
“The quality of compressed air has dramatically improved and increased the efficiency of our processes. The improvements also ensure we fully comply with the ISO14001 environmental standard.”
As the UK’s leading healthcare waste services company, SRCL works with local and national companies to improve employee and customer safety, ensure legislative compliance and minimise the environmental impact of waste disposal.
It provides a range of services including clinical waste collection and disposal to NHS trusts, GPs, dentists, pharmaceutical manufacturers and private sector businesses with a comprehensive infrastructure of over 20 Waste-to-Energy facilities, alternative treatment plants and waste transfer stations throughout the UK and Ireland.
The challenge
Using advanced technologies, including the latest heat disinfection units and high temperature incinerators, SRCL provides compliant disposal for all types of healthcare and many hazardous waste streams.
At its incinerator facility on the Royal Bournemouth Hospital site, the company was using two compressors located in its main work area fed by two refrigerant dryers on a lower level, which was not always a reliable process.
As both sets of equipment had been in place for some time, and the dryers were frequently breaking down resulting in moisture appearing in the compressed air system, SRCL, whose waste disposal operation is heavily dependent on a reliable supply of compressed air, decided it was time they were replaced.
Results
Airchannel installed two CompAir L37F-07A air compressors with integrated refrigerant dryers, an energair control system (metacentre S2) and CompAir Owamat 12 oil and water separator to enable SRCL to start using clean and dry air with the additional benefit of reduced noise output.
Condensate is cleaned of contamination, allowing safe and legal discharge of water to foul drain in compliance with ISO14001.
The compressors’ control system uses automatic rotation on standby and therefore does not need to be manned. As well as improved operating efficiency, they are also more reliable than the company’s previous arrangement, saving SRCL a significant amount of time due to the reduction in maintenance requirements.
Conclusion
General manager at SRCL, Scott Davidson, comments on the installation: “We required a solution almost immediately to ensure our operation continued with minimum disruption. Airchannel was able to exceed our high expectations and install a fully comprehensive solution within a matter of days.
“The quality of compressed air has dramatically improved and increased the efficiency of our processes. The improvements also ensure we fully comply with the ISO14001 environmental standard.”
Friday, 9 October 2009
Thursday, 8 October 2009
80-93% of energy used in a compressor is wasted as heat!
As much as 80-93% of the electrical energy used by an industrial compressor is converted into heat. In many cases, a properly designed heat recovery unit can recover anywhere from 50-90% of this available thermal energy and put it to useful work heating air or water.
The air entering the compressor at atmospheric pressure has a base level of energy content. After the compression process increases the air pressure and raises its temperature, energy is available for transfer. Heat must be removed to maintain the compressor tolerances and clearances, and the compressed air cooled to make it suitable for the intended use.
The heat energy is usually released to the atmosphere or the cooling water. One of the better methods for improving the overall efficiency of any compressed air system is to recover the released heat.
Typical uses for recovered heat include supplemental space heating, industrial process heating, water heating, makeup air heating and boiler makeup water preheating. Recoverable heat from a compressed air system is not, however, normally hot enough to be used to produce steam directly.
Using Imagination
In one case, a manufacturer used natural gas to heat wax used in its end product. In other case, in a food processing plant, the jacket water from an engine driven compressor liquefied chocolate and sugar. The opportunities are excellent. Use your imagination to recover air compressor heat and reap the benefits of reduced energy consumption and lower operating costs.
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
October Newsletter
Airchannel is pleased to announce that the October edition of our newsletter has just been sent out. You can download a pdf version here.
If you would like to receive our newsletter direct to your inbox, register here or email us at info@airchannel.co.uk
Your Airchannel Team
If you would like to receive our newsletter direct to your inbox, register here or email us at info@airchannel.co.uk
Your Airchannel Team
Monday, 5 October 2009
Monday, 28 September 2009
The Aircar - zero pollution and very low running costs!
Many respected engineers have been trying for years to bring a compressed air car to market, believing strongly that compressed air can power a viable "zero pollution" car. Now the first commercial compressed air car is on the verge of production and beginning to attract a lot of attention, and with a recently signed partnership with Tata, India’s largest automotive manufacturer, the prospects of very cost-effective mass production are now a distinct possibility. The MiniC.A.T is a simple, light urban car, with a tubular chassis that is glued not welded and a body of fibreglass. The heart of the electronic and communication system on the car is a computer offering an array of information reports that extends well beyond the speed of the vehicle, and is built to integrate with external systems and almost anything you could dream of, starting with voice recognition, internet connectivity, GSM telephone connectivity, a GPS guidance system, fleet management systems, emergency systems, and of course every form of digital entertainment. The engine is fascinating, as is and the revolutionary electrical system that uses just one cable and so is the vehicle’s wireless control system. Microcontrollers are used in every device in the car, so one tiny radio transmitter sends instructions to the lights, indicators etc Most importantly, the 68 mph Aircar is incredibly cost-efficient to run – according to the designers, it costs less than one Euro per 100Km (about a tenth that of a petrol car). Its mileage is about double that of the most advanced electric car (200 to 300 km or 10 hours of driving), a factor which makes a perfect choice in cities where the 80% of motorists drive at less than 60Km.
Monday, 14 September 2009
STOP PRESS! - Does your compressed air meet DIN ISO 8573 - 1 classification?
Compressed air which is contaminated by oil vapours is a concern for every compressed air user. Depending on the use, there are risks for production plants, the environment or even our health.
The compressed air classes defined in ISO 8753-1 provide a guide for assessment of air quality, however it has not been possible to constantly monitor oil vapour levels against these guidelines at lower contamination levels – UNTIL NOW!
METPOINT OCV constantly monitors the amount of residual oil vapour in the compressed air flow down to the range of 0.01 mg/m3.
Fields of application
Chemical Industry
Food & Beverage
Coating & Applications
Pharmaceuticals
What classification is your compressed air?
The compressed air classes defined in ISO 8753-1 provide a guide for assessment of air quality, however it has not been possible to constantly monitor oil vapour levels against these guidelines at lower contamination levels – UNTIL NOW!
METPOINT OCV constantly monitors the amount of residual oil vapour in the compressed air flow down to the range of 0.01 mg/m3.
Fields of application
Chemical Industry
Food & Beverage
Coating & Applications
Pharmaceuticals
What classification is your compressed air?
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Can't you hear your money leaking out of the system?
You are probably familiar with the hissing sound a large leak makes. But what about smaller leaks? These also produce sound, but the frequency is too high for our ears to detect it. That's when the Ultrasonic leak detection device comes into place.
The ultrasonic device can detect pinhole leakages with pressure as low as 0.5 bar, the more pressure behind the leak the more turbulence there will be and the easier it becomes to locate.
Why look for leaks?
Compressed air is one of the most costly utilities in a facility today. A simple program of leak inspection and repair can go a long way towards reducing excessive energy costs.
The annual cost of leakage is significant. Even what would be considered a good system, will have an average leakage between 20-30%. The leak reduction program will reduce air consumption and provide savings almost immediately!
A successful leak detection program is also dependant on an effective reporting system. Correctly implemented and supported it will provide vital data on where the leaks are reoccurring, which components and equipment are causing repeated problems.
Leaks cost money every minute, every hour, every week of the year...
So, put a stop to leaks by getting in touch to arrange site visit.
To read more please click here.
The ultrasonic device can detect pinhole leakages with pressure as low as 0.5 bar, the more pressure behind the leak the more turbulence there will be and the easier it becomes to locate.
Why look for leaks?
Compressed air is one of the most costly utilities in a facility today. A simple program of leak inspection and repair can go a long way towards reducing excessive energy costs.
The annual cost of leakage is significant. Even what would be considered a good system, will have an average leakage between 20-30%. The leak reduction program will reduce air consumption and provide savings almost immediately!
A successful leak detection program is also dependant on an effective reporting system. Correctly implemented and supported it will provide vital data on where the leaks are reoccurring, which components and equipment are causing repeated problems.
Leaks cost money every minute, every hour, every week of the year...
So, put a stop to leaks by getting in touch to arrange site visit.
To read more please click here.
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
Compressor Scrappage Scheme
SCRAPPAGE SCHEME - COMPRESS YOUR COMPRESSOR FOR CASH!!!
There's never been a better time to exchange your old compressor for a new energy-efficient one!
We will give you up to £250.00* per kW off a new Hydrovane unit list price for your old one!!! And what’s more, we'll ensure your old unit is disposed of in a safe and environmentally sound manner.
Sounds good? Contact us on 0845 263 6826 or email.
And hurry, the offer is only valid till 30th September 2009!
* Scrappage allowance is calculated from kW rating of old machine. Trade-in value is graded according to model/size of unit. Full details available on request.
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Airchannel launches new compressed air payment solution
To help businesses cope with the current tough economic conditions, Airchannel Limited is launching PaySmart, a new way of financing a company’s compressed air needs.
As well as new equipment, PaySmart covers the fitting of new pipework and ancillaries along with full installation.
Subject to the package selected, it is backed by a regular programme of maintenance and free on site breakdown cover with a four-hour response time.
It allows customers to obtain the latest technology at a fixed cost that is spread equally over between three and five years, avoiding a high capital outlay, and benefits from full tax relief.
For example, an installation costing £6,000 could attract tax relief in excess of £2,000, based on the highest tax rate of 28%, over a three-year period with manageable monthly payments of £208.74. Figures exclude VAT.
At the end of the lease period, a customer has the option to buy the equipment outright, return it or exchange it for the latest technology under a new lease. There are no hidden costs.
Despite the pressure to cut expenditure, Alastair Shanks, managing director of Airchannel, warns that out of date equipment and a poor servicing regime results in higher overall running costs over a sustained period.
He says: “We recognise that many companies are facing increased pressure to reduce costs and find ways of improving efficiency within their operations.
As well as new equipment, PaySmart covers the fitting of new pipework and ancillaries along with full installation.
Subject to the package selected, it is backed by a regular programme of maintenance and free on site breakdown cover with a four-hour response time.
It allows customers to obtain the latest technology at a fixed cost that is spread equally over between three and five years, avoiding a high capital outlay, and benefits from full tax relief.
For example, an installation costing £6,000 could attract tax relief in excess of £2,000, based on the highest tax rate of 28%, over a three-year period with manageable monthly payments of £208.74. Figures exclude VAT.
At the end of the lease period, a customer has the option to buy the equipment outright, return it or exchange it for the latest technology under a new lease. There are no hidden costs.
Despite the pressure to cut expenditure, Alastair Shanks, managing director of Airchannel, warns that out of date equipment and a poor servicing regime results in higher overall running costs over a sustained period.
He says: “We recognise that many companies are facing increased pressure to reduce costs and find ways of improving efficiency within their operations.
“With PaySmart a business can have the best of both worlds. The latest compressed air solution and continuous long-term energy savings that will help a company manage costs now. It will also ensure that they are ready to take advantage of opportunities when the upturn occurs.”
The new service is the latest in a series of initiatives by the award winning company, which began with the introduction of a compressed air and pneumatics catalogue to provide one-stop solution for a wide range of related industrial products.
To read more please click here.
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Bekomat prooves to help...
Compressed air is one of the safest power sources available, and also one of the cleanest! However, one area which is often overlooked is condensate management.
Compressed air always contains moisture when it is first generated, this can cause many problems downstream if it isn’t promptly dealt with. Condensate can be collected via the compressor aftercooler, with the rest being dealt with by water separators, filters, a refrigeration or adsorption dryer later on in the system.
The important point to bear in mind is that efficient removal of condensate is vital- the proven safest method is via an electronic condensate drain with intelligent function. The BEKOMAT from BEKO is the trend setter here, with more than 1.5 million installations worldwide. BEKOMAT is used by every major compressor and air treatment manufacturer and is rightly trusted for it’s amazing reliability and durability.
Once condensate is successfully removed from the compressed air system it must be properly treated before discharge to the foul sewer- bear in mind that condensate is not just water: it’s an aggressive cocktail of water, oil, dirt and other nasties which you certainly don’t need in your drinking water! BEKO provide two systems for treating condensate...
OWAMAT is suitable for the vast majority of condensates and is simple to install and very effective: Setting the trend for over twenty five years.
For larger or more difficult condensates (High pressure or some synthetic oils for example) we recommend BEKOSPLIT- an active system which exceeds all current water industry standards regardless of oil types and emulsification.
Related articles: Can you afford £20.000 fine?
Monday, 3 August 2009
Price Draw Flat Screen TV winner donates £260.00 to Airdrie Hospice!
Mr.Frank McKenna, from National Grid company, the winner of the 26'' flat screen TV for catalogue purchases, organised a company raffle for the TV and raised £260.00 which was donated to Airdrie hospice.
Friday, 31 July 2009
Norgren introduce new Excelon-Pro FRL!!!
Norgren introduce new Excelon Pro FRL with an innovative new design
1. NO TOOLS REQUIRED
2. Easy to assemble & maintain
3. Connect components to each other using Quikconnects – a simple twisting motion
4. Modular to allow any combination of units
Order an Excelon Pro by the end of August and get a Mystery Gift!
Call 0800 526581 or email info@airchannel.co.uk
Thursday, 30 July 2009
Air on demand...
CompAir extends its Variable Speed Compressors range
The CompAir range of variable speed compressors has been expanded, and the new, L11VS, L11VS Airstation, L15VS and the L18VS with integrated dryer options are now available and ready for you to order.
The L VS compressors are an addition to CompAir existing variable speed range of compressors, expanding the range from 11 to 250 kW in all.
Visit our website to view the full range.
Visit our website to view the full range.
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
The writing is on the wall!!!
On installation of a new compressed air system, when new equipment being added to an existing installation, users are required to have a WSE in accordance with Regulation 8 of the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations, SI 2000 No. 128, before the system can be legally operated.
As health and safety in the workplace is increasingly important, having the WSE is an essential legal requirement, which will secure the safety of employees from the uncontrolled release of stored pressure energy.
Additionally, users or owners of any system that contains a relevant fluid and at least one pressure vessel exceeding 250 bar liters should have had the WSE in place since 1994.
Businesses that require a WSE but who are operating without one need to address the issue urgently. A WSE helps to reduce the risk of accidents and also ensures the company is working within the law if there were an accident. The writing is on the wall for those who fail to comply!
Typical equipment that is likely to require a WSE includes:
- compressed air receivers and associated pipe work, where the capacity of the system is greater than 250 bar litres
- steam boilers and associated pipe work and protective devices
- autoclaves and associated pipe work and protective devices
- gas loaded hydraulic accumulators
- vapour compression refrigeration systems, where the installed power exceeds 25 kW
- narrow gauge steam locomotives
- the components of self-contained breathing apparatus sets, excluding the gas container
- fixed LPG storage systems workplace
Airchannel Team can help
As part of our services, Airchannel can provide experienced engineers to survey your system and put together a WSE for you, establishing safe working limits as well as set examination intervals to ensure continued compliance is maintained.
Speak to your Area Sales Manager or call us on 0800 526581 to enquire about WSE.
More information can be found here.
As health and safety in the workplace is increasingly important, having the WSE is an essential legal requirement, which will secure the safety of employees from the uncontrolled release of stored pressure energy.
Additionally, users or owners of any system that contains a relevant fluid and at least one pressure vessel exceeding 250 bar liters should have had the WSE in place since 1994.
Businesses that require a WSE but who are operating without one need to address the issue urgently. A WSE helps to reduce the risk of accidents and also ensures the company is working within the law if there were an accident. The writing is on the wall for those who fail to comply!
Typical equipment that is likely to require a WSE includes:
- compressed air receivers and associated pipe work, where the capacity of the system is greater than 250 bar litres
- steam boilers and associated pipe work and protective devices
- autoclaves and associated pipe work and protective devices
- gas loaded hydraulic accumulators
- vapour compression refrigeration systems, where the installed power exceeds 25 kW
- narrow gauge steam locomotives
- the components of self-contained breathing apparatus sets, excluding the gas container
- fixed LPG storage systems workplace
Airchannel Team can help
As part of our services, Airchannel can provide experienced engineers to survey your system and put together a WSE for you, establishing safe working limits as well as set examination intervals to ensure continued compliance is maintained.
Speak to your Area Sales Manager or call us on 0800 526581 to enquire about WSE.
More information can be found here.
Monday, 20 July 2009
KEEPING THE PRESSES ROLLING AT THE WORLD’S BIGGEST PLANT ???
The world's biggest printing plant is operated by News International, publishers of The Times, Sunday Times, News of the World and the Sun newspapers and owned by media magnate Rupert Murdoch.
The £650 million investment features 12 state-of-the-art colour printing presses, which cover an area the size of around 13 football pitches. As part of the project a complete compressed air solution, which included a dedicated moisture free air system for the sophisticated Agfa computer-to-plate (CTP) presses, was designed, supplied and installed by Airchannel.
The Agfa CTP system cuts cost and time by eliminating the film step while improving production speed and print quality. To establish the moisture free system Airchannel supplied three desiccant dryers fitted with dewpoint dependent switching; each of which has a dedicated air receiver and features smooth-bore aluminium pipework.
Using dryers significantly decreases the potential for breakdowns, which avoids the impact on production of downtime as well as reducing maintenance and repair costs.
All 645 pneumatic and isolation valves were tagged and identified onto both the compressor plant room and pipework schematic drawings.
The new plant brought the end to an era with the purpose built facility at Broxbourne in Hertfordshire taking over from the company’s Wapping site in east London, which itself revolutionised the industry in the 1980s.
As well as being the biggest, it is one of the most efficient printing sites with the ability to print some 70,000 full colour newspapers every hour, which is more than twice as many when compared to Wapping, where it was around 30,000 per hour.
Airchannel completed the installation in two phases, beginning with the supply of 10 compressors, 10 refrigeration dryers, 20 receivers and a complete condensation management system along with 150 metres of exhaust ducting.
To ensure a clear development process was followed, a series of 120 working drawings were produced to support the installation.
The second phase involved the supply and installation of over seven kilometres (around 4.5 miles) of pipework to take the compressed air around the building. Working closely with Skanska SRW, the site mechanical and electrical (M&E) contractor, this was designed by Airchannel engineers to ensure a smooth flow of air and avoid any drop in pressure.
The system is linked to a HPC SIGMA Air Manager that accurately monitors, records and controls the entire installation ensuring that energy costs and power consumption are minimised.
And with the increased concerns over environmental impact from energy consumption, this also assists the new plant to significantly reduce its carbon emissions footprint.
Mark Rhodes, Skanska’s project manager, commented: “We appointed Airchannel to handle the entire compressed air installation on this prestigious contract as the company has the resources and expertise to design and fit an energy efficient solution on time and within budget.
“It is a demanding operation but Airchannel has ensured the new system is reliable and fully meets the needs of the huge site. As well as delivering running cost benefits it also significantly reduces the carbon emissions and environmental impact of the plant, which were important aspects to incorporate.”
With two compressor plant rooms, each featuring one variable and four-fixed speed rotary screw compressors, along with five dryers and 10 receivers, a total air capacity of 256 cubic metres is delivered at 10.5 Barg
The DSD compressors installed feature a number of technical benefits, such as both the drive motor and air end operate at the same low speed, for direct coupling of the drive and compression units, which provides significant energy savings.
Airchannel has also been appointed to provide a full on-going support service and a complete maintenance solution to ensure that the high-tech presses keep the international news flowing at full speed.
The £650 million investment features 12 state-of-the-art colour printing presses, which cover an area the size of around 13 football pitches. As part of the project a complete compressed air solution, which included a dedicated moisture free air system for the sophisticated Agfa computer-to-plate (CTP) presses, was designed, supplied and installed by Airchannel.
The Agfa CTP system cuts cost and time by eliminating the film step while improving production speed and print quality. To establish the moisture free system Airchannel supplied three desiccant dryers fitted with dewpoint dependent switching; each of which has a dedicated air receiver and features smooth-bore aluminium pipework.
Using dryers significantly decreases the potential for breakdowns, which avoids the impact on production of downtime as well as reducing maintenance and repair costs.
All 645 pneumatic and isolation valves were tagged and identified onto both the compressor plant room and pipework schematic drawings.
The new plant brought the end to an era with the purpose built facility at Broxbourne in Hertfordshire taking over from the company’s Wapping site in east London, which itself revolutionised the industry in the 1980s.
As well as being the biggest, it is one of the most efficient printing sites with the ability to print some 70,000 full colour newspapers every hour, which is more than twice as many when compared to Wapping, where it was around 30,000 per hour.
Airchannel completed the installation in two phases, beginning with the supply of 10 compressors, 10 refrigeration dryers, 20 receivers and a complete condensation management system along with 150 metres of exhaust ducting.
To ensure a clear development process was followed, a series of 120 working drawings were produced to support the installation.
The second phase involved the supply and installation of over seven kilometres (around 4.5 miles) of pipework to take the compressed air around the building. Working closely with Skanska SRW, the site mechanical and electrical (M&E) contractor, this was designed by Airchannel engineers to ensure a smooth flow of air and avoid any drop in pressure.
The system is linked to a HPC SIGMA Air Manager that accurately monitors, records and controls the entire installation ensuring that energy costs and power consumption are minimised.
And with the increased concerns over environmental impact from energy consumption, this also assists the new plant to significantly reduce its carbon emissions footprint.
Mark Rhodes, Skanska’s project manager, commented: “We appointed Airchannel to handle the entire compressed air installation on this prestigious contract as the company has the resources and expertise to design and fit an energy efficient solution on time and within budget.
“It is a demanding operation but Airchannel has ensured the new system is reliable and fully meets the needs of the huge site. As well as delivering running cost benefits it also significantly reduces the carbon emissions and environmental impact of the plant, which were important aspects to incorporate.”
With two compressor plant rooms, each featuring one variable and four-fixed speed rotary screw compressors, along with five dryers and 10 receivers, a total air capacity of 256 cubic metres is delivered at 10.5 Barg
The DSD compressors installed feature a number of technical benefits, such as both the drive motor and air end operate at the same low speed, for direct coupling of the drive and compression units, which provides significant energy savings.
Airchannel has also been appointed to provide a full on-going support service and a complete maintenance solution to ensure that the high-tech presses keep the international news flowing at full speed.
Thursday, 9 July 2009
BEKO AND AIRCHANNEL SOLVE PROBLEM FOR IMPERIAL TOBACCO
BEKO Technologies have recently solved a major headache for Imperial Tobacco in Nottingham, England. The problem was caused when insurance inspectors condemned two old 10” flanged filters in the main plant room, the filters were in excess of 15 years old and suffered from significant corrosion. However, simply replacing the filters with new standard items would have meant some fairly major and time consuming pipework alteration, and associated shut-down of the compressed air system. What was required were custom-made filters to fit precisely into the gap left by the old ones, which could therefore be exchanged in one shift, minimising downtime.
Main on-site compressed air contractor Airchannel were asked to come up with a solution, which was quickly developed in conjunction with BEKO Technologies via their special product division, BEKO Systems. New filters were offered which accurately replicated the existing items- the overall width being especially crucial if they were to slot straight in without hassle.
The order was placed and filters manufactured within the requested timescale, and were installed as planned in one shift by the Imperial Tobacco Maintenance team headed by John Arris. John says of the project “We were very pleased with both the service offered by Airchannel and the finished BEKO product. The new filters are superbly constructed- they even came with adjustable legs to ensure an easy installation! This project has been remarkably trouble free thanks to our close cooperation with our service partners. We use Airchannel as our major service partner because they give us a dependable service, and we have an excellent working relationship with our contact there Martin Ridgard.”
Martin Ridgard adds “BEKO support us with a wide range of products and services, they are a partner we can trust to deliver a reliable product on time. This is especially important with major customers such as Imperial Tobacco, where building trust is the basis of a long term, mutually beneficial relationship. This is a classic example of delivering a tailor-made solution to a customer based on their requirements- a real team effort!”
Special filtration solutions are just part of the range of products offered by BEKO Technologies, who have much experience in delivering compressed air solutions to compressed air users around the world.
Main on-site compressed air contractor Airchannel were asked to come up with a solution, which was quickly developed in conjunction with BEKO Technologies via their special product division, BEKO Systems. New filters were offered which accurately replicated the existing items- the overall width being especially crucial if they were to slot straight in without hassle.
The order was placed and filters manufactured within the requested timescale, and were installed as planned in one shift by the Imperial Tobacco Maintenance team headed by John Arris. John says of the project “We were very pleased with both the service offered by Airchannel and the finished BEKO product. The new filters are superbly constructed- they even came with adjustable legs to ensure an easy installation! This project has been remarkably trouble free thanks to our close cooperation with our service partners. We use Airchannel as our major service partner because they give us a dependable service, and we have an excellent working relationship with our contact there Martin Ridgard.”
Martin Ridgard adds “BEKO support us with a wide range of products and services, they are a partner we can trust to deliver a reliable product on time. This is especially important with major customers such as Imperial Tobacco, where building trust is the basis of a long term, mutually beneficial relationship. This is a classic example of delivering a tailor-made solution to a customer based on their requirements- a real team effort!”
Special filtration solutions are just part of the range of products offered by BEKO Technologies, who have much experience in delivering compressed air solutions to compressed air users around the world.
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Airchannel provides clear benefits for Potters Ballotini
To meet new requirements, Airchannel has installed a new CompAir L132 SR Rotary screw compressor at leading technical glassware producer, Potters Ballotini, part of the global Potters Industries group.
As the world leader in glass bead impact technology, Potters is continually developing and refining its manufacturing procedures to ensure consistently high quality glass spheres, which are tested to conform to every market specification.
The company recently installed a new bagging line at its Barnsley production facility to handle increased volumes and as a result the air consumption increased from 400 cubic feet per minute (CFM) to 800 CFM. To meet this need, and to maximise efficiency, a new compressed air solution was required.
As the appointed service provider to Potters Ballotini, a key challenge for Airchannel was to align the fitting of the new compressor in conjunction with the arrival of the bagging equipment from Italy to ensure there was no loss of production. From initial consultation to final installation the project took less than three months.
The CompAir L132 SR recommended by Airchannel uses a variable speed motor, which allows air supply to match the varying production demands. Additional benefits include more air on demand, reduced noise and a smaller footprint. A Domnick Hunter dryer was included in the package.
Commenting on the new installation, Potters Ballotini engineering manager, Adrian Anstess, said: “We’ve worked with Airchannel for over five years and were confident they would find a cost effective solution to meet our additional needs."
“The new bagging line is an important improvement that allows us to increase production efficiently and the new compressed air solution reduces our overall energy costs.”
As the world leader in glass bead impact technology, Potters is continually developing and refining its manufacturing procedures to ensure consistently high quality glass spheres, which are tested to conform to every market specification.
The company recently installed a new bagging line at its Barnsley production facility to handle increased volumes and as a result the air consumption increased from 400 cubic feet per minute (CFM) to 800 CFM. To meet this need, and to maximise efficiency, a new compressed air solution was required.
As the appointed service provider to Potters Ballotini, a key challenge for Airchannel was to align the fitting of the new compressor in conjunction with the arrival of the bagging equipment from Italy to ensure there was no loss of production. From initial consultation to final installation the project took less than three months.
The CompAir L132 SR recommended by Airchannel uses a variable speed motor, which allows air supply to match the varying production demands. Additional benefits include more air on demand, reduced noise and a smaller footprint. A Domnick Hunter dryer was included in the package.
Commenting on the new installation, Potters Ballotini engineering manager, Adrian Anstess, said: “We’ve worked with Airchannel for over five years and were confident they would find a cost effective solution to meet our additional needs."
“The new bagging line is an important improvement that allows us to increase production efficiently and the new compressed air solution reduces our overall energy costs.”
Thursday, 28 May 2009
Reduce cost and improve your CO2 footprint
Alastair Shanks, managing director of Airchannel, the UK’s leading independent compressed air and pneumatics specialist, believes that facilities managers can find not only cost savings but ways of reducing their CO2 footprint by carrying out a compressed air energy efficiency and leak audit.
The first stage of an energy audit is a complete review of the compressed air system in order to identify inefficiencies and potential energy saving measures that could be taken. This involves using calibrated non-disruptive equipment that logs a system’s data via an industrial PC with sophisticated analysis software. The raw data is then configured against the measured power and output performance for each compressor and the site energy cost over a 24-hour cycle.
Using the audit, the existing system performance can be established, identifying opportunities where efficiency can be significantly improved and cost reduced.
The next stage is to check for leaks, which cost money every minute of every day that a compressed air system is running. With ultrasonic leak detection equipment, leaks can be detected and identified as small, medium or large.
When the two audits are combined, not only are there potentially cost savings but also environmental benefits in relation to reduced CO2 emissions as less energy is used.
It’s a win-win situation.
The first stage of an energy audit is a complete review of the compressed air system in order to identify inefficiencies and potential energy saving measures that could be taken. This involves using calibrated non-disruptive equipment that logs a system’s data via an industrial PC with sophisticated analysis software. The raw data is then configured against the measured power and output performance for each compressor and the site energy cost over a 24-hour cycle.
Using the audit, the existing system performance can be established, identifying opportunities where efficiency can be significantly improved and cost reduced.
The next stage is to check for leaks, which cost money every minute of every day that a compressed air system is running. With ultrasonic leak detection equipment, leaks can be detected and identified as small, medium or large.
When the two audits are combined, not only are there potentially cost savings but also environmental benefits in relation to reduced CO2 emissions as less energy is used.
It’s a win-win situation.
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Introducing Newsletter
Airchannel is pleased introduce our new newsletter which will regularly provide you with updates on what’s new in the world of compressed air…
Over the next months we will provide you with the latest industry news, energy saving tips, product technical information and will also try to save you some money!
The newsletter is here for you so get in touch and let us know what YOU would like to read about, what information would benefit you the most.
Did you not receive the initial one? Register here to be included in the next issue.
Your Airchannel Team
Over the next months we will provide you with the latest industry news, energy saving tips, product technical information and will also try to save you some money!
The newsletter is here for you so get in touch and let us know what YOU would like to read about, what information would benefit you the most.
Did you not receive the initial one? Register here to be included in the next issue.
Your Airchannel Team
Can you afford 20,000 fine?!
Change in attitude to the environment makes it important that all involved in the disposal of compressed air condensate are aware of the legislative changes.
Industry generates many bi-products of its processes, of which effluent in liquid form is a large percentage. Oil and greases may form part of effluent and may be mineral or synthetic based.
Air can contain large amounts of water vapour, which will be condensed when the air is compressed and cooled. The condensate can itself be contaminated with lubricating oil and dirt from the compressed air system.
The discharge of oil contaminated condensate directly to public surface water sewers, or foul sewers, can reduce sewage plant efficiency and increase water treatment costs. In addition, it may also create a potential hazard to both public health and the environment.
As a result, Government strictly limits the discharge of trade effluent of which oil contaminated condensate may form a part.
The Water Resources Act (1991) refers to an offence of knowingly polluting controlled waters, by the disposal of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter.
Compressed Air Condensate falls into this category, and can render the polluter liable to fines of up to £20,000 or imprisonment for up to 3 months. The legislation is aimed at the responsible person, and sanctions may be taken against the individual, not the company.
Do you need help with ensuring you comply with the Environmental Regulations? Call us today on 0800 526 581 and we will be happy to help!
Industry generates many bi-products of its processes, of which effluent in liquid form is a large percentage. Oil and greases may form part of effluent and may be mineral or synthetic based.
Air can contain large amounts of water vapour, which will be condensed when the air is compressed and cooled. The condensate can itself be contaminated with lubricating oil and dirt from the compressed air system.
The discharge of oil contaminated condensate directly to public surface water sewers, or foul sewers, can reduce sewage plant efficiency and increase water treatment costs. In addition, it may also create a potential hazard to both public health and the environment.
As a result, Government strictly limits the discharge of trade effluent of which oil contaminated condensate may form a part.
The Water Resources Act (1991) refers to an offence of knowingly polluting controlled waters, by the disposal of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter.
Compressed Air Condensate falls into this category, and can render the polluter liable to fines of up to £20,000 or imprisonment for up to 3 months. The legislation is aimed at the responsible person, and sanctions may be taken against the individual, not the company.
Do you need help with ensuring you comply with the Environmental Regulations? Call us today on 0800 526 581 and we will be happy to help!
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Airchannel appoints National Sales Manager
Airchannel Limited, the British Compressed Air Society’s Trusted Trader of the Year award winner, has appointed Andrew Barraclough to the new role of National Sales Manager.
The appointment is to support the strategic business development plan of the company and ensure customers benefit from sustained improvements to services.
With a BEng (Hons) in engineering, Andrew has a wealth of industry experience, joining Airchannel from Atlas Copco Compressors Limited, where he was Multibrand divisional manager. In his 12 years at Atlas his responsibilities included the continued development of the Worthington and Mark compressor brands in the UK.
“I’m looking forward to this new challenge and my aim is to ensure we deliver a service which exceeds all expectations of the business and our customers,” said Andrew. “By maximising our capabilities we can consistently achieve a high-performance in line with our Trusted Trader status.”
Reporting to Alastair Shanks, managing director of Airchannel, Andrew will take overall responsibility for the sales function with regional managers reporting in to him.
“Andrew has an excellent understanding of the industry with a wealth of experience in the compressor manufacturing and distribution sector,” commented Alastair. “I am confident he will play a key role as Airchannel drives forward into a new era.”
The appointment is to support the strategic business development plan of the company and ensure customers benefit from sustained improvements to services.
With a BEng (Hons) in engineering, Andrew has a wealth of industry experience, joining Airchannel from Atlas Copco Compressors Limited, where he was Multibrand divisional manager. In his 12 years at Atlas his responsibilities included the continued development of the Worthington and Mark compressor brands in the UK.
“I’m looking forward to this new challenge and my aim is to ensure we deliver a service which exceeds all expectations of the business and our customers,” said Andrew. “By maximising our capabilities we can consistently achieve a high-performance in line with our Trusted Trader status.”
Reporting to Alastair Shanks, managing director of Airchannel, Andrew will take overall responsibility for the sales function with regional managers reporting in to him.
“Andrew has an excellent understanding of the industry with a wealth of experience in the compressor manufacturing and distribution sector,” commented Alastair. “I am confident he will play a key role as Airchannel drives forward into a new era.”
Monday, 2 March 2009
AIRCHANNEL LANDS MAIDEN TRUSTED TRADER AWARD
In an independent survey, Airchannel Limited, the UK’s leading compressed air and pneumatics specialist, has been voted the first British Compressed Air Society’s Trusted Trader of the Year.
The prestigious award recognises the company’s achievements covering five key categories, which include reliability, expertise, helpfulness, environmental diligence and value. The Trusted Trader scheme offers unbiased feedback through research of customers and Airchannel scored highly across all sectors.
Customer comments demonstrating this included: ‘Very efficient and helpful’, ‘Airchannel has exceeded my expectations. Unparalleled service levels’ and ‘Very professional operation with experienced personnel.’
Chris Dee, executive director of the British Compressed Air Society (BCAS), said: “We introduced the Trusted Trader scheme as part of our drive to raise awareness of the high standards that exist across our industry.
“Airchannel has clearly demonstrated its commitment to customer service and is consistently highly regarded. As a result of the survey, I’m very pleased to say the company is a particularly worthy winner.”
The Trusted Trader scheme is the latest step in BCAS’s commitment to promoting high standards across the industry. It builds on the Code of Practice introduced in 2006 that sets out the standards members engaged in sales and service must meet.
Airchannel managing director, Alastair Shanks, said: “I’m delighted that Airchannel has won the first BCAS Trusted Trader of the Year Award. The feedback we’ve had has been very positive but we won’t be resting on our laurels.
“This success is a testament to the hard work of everyone. I appreciate the effort and commitment that staff have put into ensuring we deliver customer satisfaction.”
Airchannel is expanding its range of services and launches a new catalogue in March to provide a one-stop solution for a wide range of hydraulic, pneumatic and compressor products. To obtain a copy call 0845 263 6826 or visit the website http://www.airchannel.co.uk/services/catalogue.php
The prestigious award recognises the company’s achievements covering five key categories, which include reliability, expertise, helpfulness, environmental diligence and value. The Trusted Trader scheme offers unbiased feedback through research of customers and Airchannel scored highly across all sectors.
Customer comments demonstrating this included: ‘Very efficient and helpful’, ‘Airchannel has exceeded my expectations. Unparalleled service levels’ and ‘Very professional operation with experienced personnel.’
Chris Dee, executive director of the British Compressed Air Society (BCAS), said: “We introduced the Trusted Trader scheme as part of our drive to raise awareness of the high standards that exist across our industry.
“Airchannel has clearly demonstrated its commitment to customer service and is consistently highly regarded. As a result of the survey, I’m very pleased to say the company is a particularly worthy winner.”
The Trusted Trader scheme is the latest step in BCAS’s commitment to promoting high standards across the industry. It builds on the Code of Practice introduced in 2006 that sets out the standards members engaged in sales and service must meet.
Airchannel managing director, Alastair Shanks, said: “I’m delighted that Airchannel has won the first BCAS Trusted Trader of the Year Award. The feedback we’ve had has been very positive but we won’t be resting on our laurels.
“This success is a testament to the hard work of everyone. I appreciate the effort and commitment that staff have put into ensuring we deliver customer satisfaction.”
Airchannel is expanding its range of services and launches a new catalogue in March to provide a one-stop solution for a wide range of hydraulic, pneumatic and compressor products. To obtain a copy call 0845 263 6826 or visit the website http://www.airchannel.co.uk/services/catalogue.php
NEW AIRCHANNEL CATALOGUE IS THE KEY TO 18,000 PRODUCTS
Airchannel Limited, the UK’s leading compressed air and pneumatics specialist, will launch a new catalogue in February 2009 to provide a one-stop solution for a wide range of related industrial products.
With 21 sections covering hydraulic, pneumatic and compressor products the pages have been designed to provide clear visibility of product information and allow customer's to easily order the right product from over 18,000 items.
Following research, Airchannel established that customers could reduce costs and simplify administration by sourcing parts and ancillaries, such as fittings, adhesives, hand tools, adaptors and accessories from a single provider. The catalogue also includes extensive technical data and energy saving information along with details of service and maintenance plans to improve energy efficiency.
Airchannel managing director, Alastair Shanks, said: “We identified that British industry could benefit from a one-stop solution for integrated compressed air services supported by a wide range of related industrial products.“Airchannel is committed to providing the highest quality service and our new catalogue offers customers over 18,000 products at their fingertips. This is backed by technical advice and a next day delivery service for stock items.”
To obtain a copy of the new catalogue call 0845 263 6826 or visit the website at http://www.airchannel.co.uk/services/catalogue.php. There is also the opportunity to register to receive regular updates throughout 2009.
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
Carbon Trust has doubled the maximum size of its interest free loans!
The Carbon Trust has doubled the maximum size of its interest free Energy Efficient loans from £100.000 to £200.000 and increased the overall annual amount available for loans by a massive 45% to 31 million.
In the past the loans were usually offered towards part of the cost of the new equipment, however projects which can deliver the necessary carbon savings will now be eligible for loans for a greater proportion or even the total project cost.
So, if you are an SME* NOW is the time to take a look at your equipment and machinery and see if they are operating as efficiently as they could be!
Airchannel has a long relationship and has worked on many energy efficient projects with Carbon Trust using this scheme. So get in touch to see if your project is eligible!
* A company is SME when it has:
1. Fewer then 250 full time employees
2. Less then €50 million turnover (approx. £35m)
3. Less then €43 million assets (approx. £30m)
In the past the loans were usually offered towards part of the cost of the new equipment, however projects which can deliver the necessary carbon savings will now be eligible for loans for a greater proportion or even the total project cost.
So, if you are an SME* NOW is the time to take a look at your equipment and machinery and see if they are operating as efficiently as they could be!
Airchannel has a long relationship and has worked on many energy efficient projects with Carbon Trust using this scheme. So get in touch to see if your project is eligible!
* A company is SME when it has:
1. Fewer then 250 full time employees
2. Less then €50 million turnover (approx. £35m)
3. Less then €43 million assets (approx. £30m)
Monday, 2 February 2009
Airchannel takes off at Cosworth
The Challenge
Cosworth is already a valued customer of Airchannel, so when the engineering Company secured a contract to supply forged pistons to aero-engine manufacturer Lycoming, it turned to the compressed air specialists to provide the most energy efficient air package for their new piston line.
Cosworth is already a valued customer of Airchannel, so when the engineering Company secured a contract to supply forged pistons to aero-engine manufacturer Lycoming, it turned to the compressed air specialists to provide the most energy efficient air package for their new piston line.
Airchannel’s solution
Airchannel has historically supplied the Northants facility with 2 fixed speed Compair Cyclon 330 rotary compressors. However, because the new line required additional periodic capacity of up to 500 cfm, something the older compressors were not capable of, a new solution had to be found.
As well as considering the requirements of ISO14001, Airchannel was looking to achieve energy savings to help counter the effects on Cosworth of escalating utility costs. The solution has been a CompAir L45SR variable speed compressor, which has been linked to the two Cyclon compressors and a massive 2800 litre air receiver which is used to store compressed air.
Results
The engineering contract has required Cosworth to invest in a new state-of-the-art manufacturing cell, which has enabled Cosworth to produce forged pistons at competitive rates for a much broader range of niche applications.
The machining process is fully automated, once blank pistons have been loaded. Forgings are bead blasted, loaded into the machining line and manufactured to a 9 gram weight tolerance.
CompAir's LSR series of speed regulated compressors incorporates a variable speed switched reluctance drive system which matches power consumption to air demand.
The LSR series compressors are able to accurately maintain a set pressure while responding instantly to changes in air demand.
Maintaining air system pressure at an exact pre-set level eliminates the need to operate within pressure bands, further enhancing energy performance by reducing electrical and mechanical loads.
As part of the contract Airchannel has also installed a Domnick Hunter air dryer and new Transair pipework system for the new production cell to ensure a smooth flow of uninterrupted clean air.
Conclusion
Airchannel has historically supplied the Northants facility with 2 fixed speed Compair Cyclon 330 rotary compressors. However, because the new line required additional periodic capacity of up to 500 cfm, something the older compressors were not capable of, a new solution had to be found.
As well as considering the requirements of ISO14001, Airchannel was looking to achieve energy savings to help counter the effects on Cosworth of escalating utility costs. The solution has been a CompAir L45SR variable speed compressor, which has been linked to the two Cyclon compressors and a massive 2800 litre air receiver which is used to store compressed air.
Results
The engineering contract has required Cosworth to invest in a new state-of-the-art manufacturing cell, which has enabled Cosworth to produce forged pistons at competitive rates for a much broader range of niche applications.
The machining process is fully automated, once blank pistons have been loaded. Forgings are bead blasted, loaded into the machining line and manufactured to a 9 gram weight tolerance.
CompAir's LSR series of speed regulated compressors incorporates a variable speed switched reluctance drive system which matches power consumption to air demand.
The LSR series compressors are able to accurately maintain a set pressure while responding instantly to changes in air demand.
Maintaining air system pressure at an exact pre-set level eliminates the need to operate within pressure bands, further enhancing energy performance by reducing electrical and mechanical loads.
As part of the contract Airchannel has also installed a Domnick Hunter air dryer and new Transair pipework system for the new production cell to ensure a smooth flow of uninterrupted clean air.
Conclusion
Maintenance Manager Ian Goodridge comments “The new production line represents a massive investment for Cosworth and the supply of economical, clean compressed air is a critical aspect of our work”
“When we needed a solution to the extra capacity, we turned without hesitation to Airchannel, for advice and trusting in their expertise, we went with their suggested package.”
Already paying its way the new variable speed compressor is expected to pay for itself in energy savings over the course of the next two years.
Combining nationwide coverage with a vast knowledge of the industry, gained from over 40 years of experience, Airchannel, is the largest independent compressed air distributor in the UK, with an unrivalled reputation for reliability.
Friday, 23 January 2009
What our customers say!
Airchannel, the charted member of British Compressed Air Society (BCAS), is taking part in a Customer Satisfaction Survey, independently run by BCAS, and so far the company have received a very positive response!
"Our customer's satisfaction is our priority, and its the customers feedback (both good or bad) that helps us to improve our standards."
"Our customer's satisfaction is our priority, and its the customers feedback (both good or bad) that helps us to improve our standards."
Read what our customers say about us either on our web site or on Reference line web sites.
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Data logging proves the need for Variable Speed Compressor
The Challenge
It’s fair to say that the cost of energy is the dominant thought prevailing engineering managers, and this has driven the demand for energy recovery devices in all major plants. Airchannel has been looking at ways of working with customers to achieve levels of energy cost savings that will make a real difference to their bottom line, despite the rising charges.
Studies prove that better control, housekeeping and maintenance could save operators up to one third of the energy used across their compressed air systems (source The Carbon Trust). But Airchannel believes that there are many ways for those in the manufacturing sector to reduce the impact of these rises by reviewing their compressed air systems.
One example of this is Henry Bell & Co (Grantham) Limited, a major supplier of flaked cereals, pulses and seeds to the animal and pet food industry. Following conversations with the Company, Airchannel was asked to conduct an air audit to identify weaknesses in its ageing air system. Their compressors were at least 20 years old and Airchannel believed they were inefficient and uneconomic, with no automatic control functionality.
Airchannel’s solution
The audit of the compressed air system was carried out using data logging equipment. An intelligent data logging device was attached to the system to monitor the quantity as well as the pattern of usage of compressed air over a working period. The data was analysed to produce a pattern of actual site demand.
The results of the audit were so conclusive that Henry Bell was determined to restructure its compressed air supply completely. Airchannel was awarded the turnkey contract to provide the best equipment in terms of low energy consumption and air availability, and at the same time offering significant advantages in its flexibility and economic performance.
For a system to operate energy efficiently, the supply of air from the compressor has to match demand, which will rise and fall over different shift patterns, and so Airchannel promoted the advantages of introducing a variable speed compressor, as the major single cause of energy wastage in compressed air systems comes down to air being generated but not used. A conventional fixed speed compressor producing zero compressed air can still be using 20 to 70% of full load power.
Airchannel proposed a Worthington Rollair® compressor from their V range of variable speed compressors. These can reduce compressed air production. Whatever the pressure requirement the Rollair ® V will precisely match load to demand by constantly varying the motor speed to ensure the most efficient use of energy – no offload running.
The system balances air supply to meet fluctuations in plant demand, and provides the appropriate volume of air across the entire plant. The Worthington compressor is much simpler with fewer moving parts for easier maintenance and electronic controls reduce stress on the components, for even longer life.
One of the advantages of the Rollair® compressor is that the motor is placed directly under the cooling air turbine. This means the motor has a constant flow of cooling air across it, resulting in low motor temperature even at low speed. It contributes to a longer motor life. Moreover, air cooling turbine gives low rotational speed, superior air flow, 30% lower energy to a conventional motor driven fan, and a very low noise level.
Being small, the inverter is vertically integrated into the cubicle of a standard Rollair® canopy. Thus it has one of the smallest prints in the market today. Innovations in the field of electronics has lead to frequent improvement of components.
In addition to supplying the compressed air function, Airchannel also installed a Maxigas nitrogen generator, manufactured by Domnick Hunter, allowing Henry Bell to make their own gas on site, cost effectively satisfying their nitrogen gas requirements. All associated pipework was also provided under the contract.
ResultsThere are financial incentives available and Airchannel maintains that the resulting energy cost savings means the new equipment is self-funding over a very short period. For Henry Bell & Co there was also the possibility of obtaining an interest-free loan under the Carbon Trust's energy efficiency programme. Airchannel researched this funding option, and obtained a four year interest free loan from the Trust.
Henry Bell is already benefiting from reduced down-time associated with changing Nitrogen gas cylinders through an on-demand high purity food grade supply. It is also safer than high-pressure containers as man-handling is eliminated, offering exceptional food grade nitrogen at a controlled flow, pressure and purity.
Client Testimonial
Established since 1825, Henry Bell has always kept pace with innovation and technology, their state-of-the-art computerised mixing plant has enabled the Company to meet the increased production and specialist blend demands of their customers. So when Airchannel explained the huge potential savings that were possible with the new system, the Company was keen to embrace the new equipment.
Commenting on the success of the contract Mr. Thomas Lee, Managing Director, said: “The methodical way Airchannel went about demonstrating the potential savings we could make, through data logging, impressed us, and when they showed us the savings that could be achieved by changing our compressor, we change our air supply straight away and the results have been truly convincing.”
It’s fair to say that the cost of energy is the dominant thought prevailing engineering managers, and this has driven the demand for energy recovery devices in all major plants. Airchannel has been looking at ways of working with customers to achieve levels of energy cost savings that will make a real difference to their bottom line, despite the rising charges.
Studies prove that better control, housekeeping and maintenance could save operators up to one third of the energy used across their compressed air systems (source The Carbon Trust). But Airchannel believes that there are many ways for those in the manufacturing sector to reduce the impact of these rises by reviewing their compressed air systems.
One example of this is Henry Bell & Co (Grantham) Limited, a major supplier of flaked cereals, pulses and seeds to the animal and pet food industry. Following conversations with the Company, Airchannel was asked to conduct an air audit to identify weaknesses in its ageing air system. Their compressors were at least 20 years old and Airchannel believed they were inefficient and uneconomic, with no automatic control functionality.
Airchannel’s solution
The audit of the compressed air system was carried out using data logging equipment. An intelligent data logging device was attached to the system to monitor the quantity as well as the pattern of usage of compressed air over a working period. The data was analysed to produce a pattern of actual site demand.
The results of the audit were so conclusive that Henry Bell was determined to restructure its compressed air supply completely. Airchannel was awarded the turnkey contract to provide the best equipment in terms of low energy consumption and air availability, and at the same time offering significant advantages in its flexibility and economic performance.
For a system to operate energy efficiently, the supply of air from the compressor has to match demand, which will rise and fall over different shift patterns, and so Airchannel promoted the advantages of introducing a variable speed compressor, as the major single cause of energy wastage in compressed air systems comes down to air being generated but not used. A conventional fixed speed compressor producing zero compressed air can still be using 20 to 70% of full load power.
Airchannel proposed a Worthington Rollair® compressor from their V range of variable speed compressors. These can reduce compressed air production. Whatever the pressure requirement the Rollair ® V will precisely match load to demand by constantly varying the motor speed to ensure the most efficient use of energy – no offload running.
The system balances air supply to meet fluctuations in plant demand, and provides the appropriate volume of air across the entire plant. The Worthington compressor is much simpler with fewer moving parts for easier maintenance and electronic controls reduce stress on the components, for even longer life.
One of the advantages of the Rollair® compressor is that the motor is placed directly under the cooling air turbine. This means the motor has a constant flow of cooling air across it, resulting in low motor temperature even at low speed. It contributes to a longer motor life. Moreover, air cooling turbine gives low rotational speed, superior air flow, 30% lower energy to a conventional motor driven fan, and a very low noise level.
Being small, the inverter is vertically integrated into the cubicle of a standard Rollair® canopy. Thus it has one of the smallest prints in the market today. Innovations in the field of electronics has lead to frequent improvement of components.
In addition to supplying the compressed air function, Airchannel also installed a Maxigas nitrogen generator, manufactured by Domnick Hunter, allowing Henry Bell to make their own gas on site, cost effectively satisfying their nitrogen gas requirements. All associated pipework was also provided under the contract.
ResultsThere are financial incentives available and Airchannel maintains that the resulting energy cost savings means the new equipment is self-funding over a very short period. For Henry Bell & Co there was also the possibility of obtaining an interest-free loan under the Carbon Trust's energy efficiency programme. Airchannel researched this funding option, and obtained a four year interest free loan from the Trust.
Henry Bell is already benefiting from reduced down-time associated with changing Nitrogen gas cylinders through an on-demand high purity food grade supply. It is also safer than high-pressure containers as man-handling is eliminated, offering exceptional food grade nitrogen at a controlled flow, pressure and purity.
Client Testimonial
Established since 1825, Henry Bell has always kept pace with innovation and technology, their state-of-the-art computerised mixing plant has enabled the Company to meet the increased production and specialist blend demands of their customers. So when Airchannel explained the huge potential savings that were possible with the new system, the Company was keen to embrace the new equipment.
Commenting on the success of the contract Mr. Thomas Lee, Managing Director, said: “The methodical way Airchannel went about demonstrating the potential savings we could make, through data logging, impressed us, and when they showed us the savings that could be achieved by changing our compressor, we change our air supply straight away and the results have been truly convincing.”
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Recycle the excess heat from your air compressor!
Approximately 10% of all electricity used in industry is accounted for by a compressed air system. It is a thermodynamic fact that around 95% of this energy is converted to HEAT dissipated by the motor and cooling system, with the majority lost via the oil cooler.
By re-directing the hot oil to a high efficiency oil to water heat exchanger, the heat can be transferred to water, raising the temperature to a required level for a multitude of applications, including WASHING, PRODUCTION PROCESS, or HEATING!
Compair heat exchangers give you the opportunity to SAVE MONEY, ENERGY and REDUCE your CARBON FOOTPRINT. They can be factory fitted, or are available in a kit form comprising all the necessary pipe work and fittings to be retrofitted in the field.
Contact us on 08452 636826 or info@airchannel.co.uk to arrange a visit from one of our qualified engineers who will advice you on the best option to suit your application and will also calculate posible energy savings!
By re-directing the hot oil to a high efficiency oil to water heat exchanger, the heat can be transferred to water, raising the temperature to a required level for a multitude of applications, including WASHING, PRODUCTION PROCESS, or HEATING!
Compair heat exchangers give you the opportunity to SAVE MONEY, ENERGY and REDUCE your CARBON FOOTPRINT. They can be factory fitted, or are available in a kit form comprising all the necessary pipe work and fittings to be retrofitted in the field.
Contact us on 08452 636826 or info@airchannel.co.uk to arrange a visit from one of our qualified engineers who will advice you on the best option to suit your application and will also calculate posible energy savings!
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Airchannel Purchases Janson Air
Airchannel has strengthened its presence as the largest compressed air distributor in the UK with the recent acquisition of Janson Air Power of Nottingham.
Janson Air Power’s location fits nicely into Airchannel’s strategic nationwide coverage, with 13 branches spread across the UK. As well the customer base, Airchannel will benefit from the appointment of Andy Bullimore, owner of Janson Air Power who will be joining the Company.
Commenting, Andy says “Airchannel’s dedication to service was a major factor in my decision to do the deal. With their vast knowledge of the industry gained from 40 years of experience, Airchannel’s provides a truly comprehensive and reliable service entirely based around compressed air, including design, installation, supply and a comprehensive aftersales service.”
Andy will be based out of Airchannel’s Nottingham branch. Continuing Andy says “This is a very exciting move for both companies and will allow me to focus more of my time on looking after the future needs of my customers. I am 100% committed to ensuring that my customers receive an excellent service and I am confident Airchannel can deliver this.”
Janson Air’s compressor supplier, Worthington Air Compressors is very pleased with this move, which they feel will bolster their presence in the region, Andrew Barraclough Worthington Brand Manager commented. “This is a very exciting move for Worthington and the existing customer base can be assured that we are fully behind Airchannel in this venture and will support them as required in the field.”
Janson Air Power’s location fits nicely into Airchannel’s strategic nationwide coverage, with 13 branches spread across the UK. As well the customer base, Airchannel will benefit from the appointment of Andy Bullimore, owner of Janson Air Power who will be joining the Company.
Commenting, Andy says “Airchannel’s dedication to service was a major factor in my decision to do the deal. With their vast knowledge of the industry gained from 40 years of experience, Airchannel’s provides a truly comprehensive and reliable service entirely based around compressed air, including design, installation, supply and a comprehensive aftersales service.”
Andy will be based out of Airchannel’s Nottingham branch. Continuing Andy says “This is a very exciting move for both companies and will allow me to focus more of my time on looking after the future needs of my customers. I am 100% committed to ensuring that my customers receive an excellent service and I am confident Airchannel can deliver this.”
Janson Air’s compressor supplier, Worthington Air Compressors is very pleased with this move, which they feel will bolster their presence in the region, Andrew Barraclough Worthington Brand Manager commented. “This is a very exciting move for Worthington and the existing customer base can be assured that we are fully behind Airchannel in this venture and will support them as required in the field.”
Preventive Maintenance
In order to run efficiently compressed air equipment needs regular maintenance. All equipment will have a service plan recommended by the manufacturer which is strictly followed by our service engineers. Following this plan will minimise the chance of a breakdown.
Airchannel can provide whatever level of service you require; ranging from our basic service package to an all-inclusive service agreement, giving you complete peace of mind cover, including 24hr monitoring of your compressed air system.
By using high quality compressed air equipment selected from our range of key manufacturers we can assure the integrity and reliability of our installations which is why we offer full equipment warranties and all-in service contracts following on from any installation.
Contact email: martina@airchannel.co.uk
Airchannel can provide whatever level of service you require; ranging from our basic service package to an all-inclusive service agreement, giving you complete peace of mind cover, including 24hr monitoring of your compressed air system.
By using high quality compressed air equipment selected from our range of key manufacturers we can assure the integrity and reliability of our installations which is why we offer full equipment warranties and all-in service contracts following on from any installation.
Contact email: martina@airchannel.co.uk
Monday, 12 January 2009
2009 Airchannel Calendar
After the success we had with the 2008 version of Airchannel calendar, we are pleased to introduce the 2009 version which includes some great improvements, like space for daily notes and monthly energy saving tips!
To get your copy of Airchannel 2009 calendar please send an email to enquiries@airchannel.co.uk
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