Refrigeration Compressors.
Most industrial refrigeration compressors are large, mechanical units that form the heart of industrial cooling and heating. They draw refrigerant from the evaporator at a relatively low pressure, compress it and then discharge it to a condenser where it is cooled.
The refrigerant then moves to the expansion valve and the evaporator – where it absorbs heat as it changes physical state - before being compressed again.
There are different types of compression mechanisms that are typically used in factory environments: reciprocating (piston), rotary (vane) and screw compressors (three different types).
The refrigeration compressors typically cool a glycol-water mixture or brine contained within a closed thermal exchange system, which is then used as a secondary coolant and pumped as required to chill or freeze environments or equipment, enabling producers to
lower the temperature of a product dramatically over a
short period of time.
What We Monitor.
ROI
70%
Energy
-14%
Operations
Higher Quality
Lower Waste
7 months
Payback Period
Maintenance
Avoid breakdowns
Sustainability
Reduce emissions
Monitoring.
Energy
Consumption data continuously collected from:
- Inverter/VSD Drives
- Electricity Meters at asset or line level
Operations
Capture key operating data directly from process control systems:
- Chiller/Freezer Temperatures
- Starts/Stops
- Door openings
Maintenance
Monitor leading indicators of failure:
- Current & Torque: Drive & compressor loadings
- Vibration: Drives & Compressor element lubrication status, bearing wear and asset movement & stability
- Operating modes
Indicative Savings.
Energy
A 45kw Screw Air Compressor running for 12hrs per day @ 50p/kWh, will cost £98,550 per annum to run (@ June 2022 prices). A 10% reduction in consumption due to optimisation will save nearly £10,000 every year.
Operations
Continuous monitoring of the whole refrigeration system enables more efficient operation & optimisation of the whole cooling cycle.
Maintenance
- Reduce the risk of unplanned failure, avoiding secondary damage and reducing MRO spend
- Vibration data can highlight over or under lubrication of key components
- Protect mechanical assets such as compressors using multiple vibration bands, combined with ‘smart’ early-warning alerts.
Indicative Costs & Payback
115% ROI Payback within six months.
Year 1 cost - £4,600
Annual Monitoring Cost - £1,600*
Hardware costs - £1,000
Commissioning - £2,000
* This represents the compressor's share of the monthly ongoing service cost of £995, which includes 100 parameters
Hardware
Required hardware will depend on source of consumption data and variables monitored:- Energy meter—if no process control data available
- Vibration sensors
Commissioning
Our specialists configure the system and run end-to-end testing prior to go-live.
Monitoring Cost
Share of Annual service fee, based on monitoring 13 parameters for this asset type.
Actual implementation may use more or fewer parameters than this example, depending on requirements.