Measuring Electricity Usage By Machine Compressed Air Supply

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aaron d Participant Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1	Measuring Electricity Usage By Machine Compressed Air Supply 09/27/2010 5:40 AM
	Hello, I want to measure the electricity usage by compressed air supply on a per machine basis. The compressors feed multiple machines in a plant. What I am trying to do is calculate the electrical power used in compressed air supply per machine, over a minute for example. I was going to install air flow meters (measuring m3/hr) on the lines to the individual machines - How exactly do I relate that back to kWh used by the compressors? ( I was hoping i could obtain the compressor efficiency from the manufacturer....) - Where does the pressure come into the matter? Many, many thanks, Aaron
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Hendrik Guru Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Centurion, South Africa Posts: 3921 Good Answers: 97	#1 Re: Measuring Electricity usage by machine compressed air supply 09/27/2010 7:28 AM
	Why don't you take the kWh required to be proportional to the volume of air used? power used[machine] = Total power used / Total volume x volume used [machine] __________________ Never do today what you can put of until tomorrow - Student motto
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kramarat Guru Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC USA Posts: 13529 Good Answers: 468	#2 Re: Measuring Electricity usage by machine compressed air supply 09/27/2010 7:31 AM
	I don't know if this is feasible, but could you put an electrical usage meter on your compressor and just run one machine at a time, for a given amount of time? That seems like it would give you an accurate measure of each machine's usage. __________________ Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Ben Franklin
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Tornado Guru Join Date: May 2009 Location: Richland, WA, USA Posts: 21017 Good Answers: 795	#3 Re: Measuring Electricity Usage By Machine Compressed Air Supply 09/27/2010 2:32 PM
	There would be some correlation between air flow (at given pressure conditions) and electrical usage, but it is not likely to be precise. For instance, if a compressor is worn or has lube problems, it will consume more electricity per volume pumped. You need to mearure the electricity usage directly, as in kramarat's suggestion. __________________ In vino veritas; in cervisia carmen; in aqua E. coli.
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ducon Guru Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Hop around Toronto, New York & Karachi Posts: 1876 Good Answers: 19	#4 Re: Measuring Electricity Usage By Machine Compressed Air Supply 09/27/2010 8:22 PM
	Install an electrical meter on Compressor and each machine to take reading kwh. Install an air flow meter on compressor to give m3/hr Vs kwh. So now you have all readings for Energy Audit. __________________ I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow. Woodrow Wilson
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ducon (1); Hendrik (1); kramarat (1); Tornado (1)

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