A Case Study on Sustainable Production and Use of Compressed Air in European Industrial Sites of Medium-sized

Abstract

Due to the urgency in climate change, the industry is mobilized to reduce its greenhouse gases. Compressed air represents nearly 10% of electricity used in industry. The research was carried out in an industrial food site in Europe. This research includes a case study and gives a specific approach and methodology to optimize environmental and economic impact of compressed air production and uses in an industrial site. The installation of this case study contains different type of compressed air, dryers, and filters. Each equipment has been subject to specific monitoring and analysis. Several actions have been identified for reducing carbon emissions by 69 tons such as: reduction of the compressed air pressure of the system, isolation of packaging lines when they are not running, implementation of pumps for vacuum generation on packaging lines, installation of smart management device and a heat recovery system. Financial savings are around 44 000 euros, and the average payback is below 3 years.