Represents part of a three-year field study focusing on reducing heating and cooling loads and on the energy used by boilers and compressors in industrial facilities (Smith 1996). Focuses on lowering the compressor exit pressure and using colder intake air. Energy auditors believe that these modifications will reduce power consumption. Using experimental data three equations used to estimate the energy savings from reduced compressor exit pressure were evaluated. Two of the models predict the experimental power consumption for the screw compressor, but all overestimate the experimental energy savings for the reciprocating compressor. Data collected show that power is not decreased by using colder intake air. An evaluation of positive displacement compressor theory shows this is expected. A theory showing that the time to compress the air will decrease for colder intake air was evaluated and validated using data collected on a small reciprocating compressor.

Keywords: year 1997, energy conservation, experiment, reciprocating compressors, industrial, monitoring, calculating, comparing, accuracy, enegy consumption, air temperature, screw compressors

Units: Dual