Measure compressed air leaks in your facility and calculate costs using the method below
Important: perform the measurement when no production and no compressed air consumers are working.
The method consists of emptying (or partially emptying) the compressed air tank and measuring the time it takes. Since there are no compressed air consumers, the air is only used for leaks, and you can estimate the loss of compressed air due to leaks. Don’t have a compressed air tank? Read how to calculate compressed air leaks if you don’t have a tank.
Method:
Switch off all compressed air consumers
Record the following information:
- The maximum content of your compressed air tank (e.g., 1000 liters)
- The power of your compressor in kW (for example, 15 kW)
- The number of m³ of air your compressor delivers per minute (e.g., 2 m³/min)
- Close the valve located after the compressed air tank. This ensures that all compressed air remains in the tank.
Let the compressor run until the compressed air tank is filled and the compressor stops running. Read the pressure on the tank pressure gauge. In our example, we assume a tank filled with 1000 liters of air at 10 bar.
Open the valve after the compressed air tank again and note the time you do this.
Wait until the pressure in the compressed air tank has dropped to, for example, 4 bar. Write down the number of minutes that have passed since you opened the tap (for example, 10 minutes).
You lose the contents of the compressed air tank x the pressure loss over the measured time. In our example, we lose 6 m³ of compressed air (1 m³ x 6 bar) in 10 minutes. This corresponds to 600 liters per minute or 30% of the compressed air production.
If you know the annual energy cost of your compressor, you also know the loss due to compressed air leaks. For example, a 15 kW compressor operating 6,000 hours per year will cost 18,000 euros in energy. 30% of 18,000 euros is equivalent to 5,400 euros. Compressed air leaks, therefore, cost us 5,400 euros per year.
- Calculate compressed air leaks if you do not have a tank.
- Use this method if you have a compressor running at full load/no load:
- Switch off all compressed air consumers
- Record the following information:
- The power of your compressor in kW (for example, 15 kW)
- The number of m³ of air your compressor delivers per minute (e.g., 2 m³/min)
- Let the compressor run for a while (e.g., 3 hours)
Record the time when the compressor runs at full load each time. For example 10 minutes + 9 minutes + 9 minutes + 10 minutes + 11 minutes + 11 minutes.
Over the measured time, you lose compressor flow, expressed in m³/minute x the number of minutes the compressor has been running at full load. In our example, we lose 120 m³ of compressed air in 3 hours (2 m³ x 60 minutes). This corresponds to 666 liters per minute or 33% of the compressed air production.
Calculate the cost of the compressed air leak by applying point 8 or 9 of the previous method.
For compressors Online Pipe Velocity Calculator for Compressed Air with frequency inverter, you can use the compressed air tank method or have the compressed air leak detection and consumption measurement.
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