Case Study: Enhancing Energy Efficiency in Plastic Closure Manufacturing through Advanced Flow Measurement

Overview

A leading manufacturer of plastic closures (bottle caps) in India, facing intense market

competition, sought to enhance operational efficiency by monitoring and optimizing energy

consumption. The management team decided to implement the Leomi Insertion Thermal

Mass Flowmeter for compressed air monitoring, a crucial component in their production

process. This initiative was aligned with their objective to refine key performance indicators

(KPIs) and reduce the per-piece cost of closures.

Challenge

In the highly competitive plastic closures market, controlling production costs is critical. The

client aimed to gain a precise understanding of the energy and power consumption of their

compressors to directly influence the cost efficiency of their production line. Prior solutions

they have thought of such as the Orifice Or Vortex flowmeter found unviable due to higher

pressure drop incurs permanent energy loss year-on-year and lower turndown ratio unable to

detect leakages and high manpower cost & higher time of installation.

Solution

The installation of the Leomi Insertion Thermal Mass Flowmeter addressed these challenges

by providing high sensitivity monitoring (better than 100:1) of compressed air usage. Also

have NO pressure drop and easy installation and dis-assembly from pipeline. This flowmeter

was seamlessly integrated into the existing SCADA system, enabling real-time measurements

of the SCF/KWH and SCFM/KWH ratios. These metrics are crucial for assessing compressor

efficiency and guiding management in strategic decision-making regarding energy use and

operational adjustments.

Results

The implementation of the Leomi Flowmeter led to several significant improvements:

1. Enhanced Compressor Efficiency: By monitoring the SCF/KWH ratio, the company

could identify efficiency losses and optimize compressor use, focusing on running a

single compressor rather than alternating with a standby unit, thereby achieving

substantial cost savings.

2. Leakage Identification: The high sensitivity of the flowmeter enabled the detection

of air leakages, which had previously gone unnoticed with the Orifice or Vortex

flowmeter.

3. Reduced Energy Loss: Unlike the Orifice or Vortex flowmeter, the Leomi model

minimized pressure drop energy losses, saving an additional 1%-2% in costs.

4. Cost-Effective Installation: The adjustable installation feature of the Leomi

Flowmeter reduced inventory needs and installation costs compared to traditional

flowmeters.

Conclusion

The integration of the Leomi Insertion Thermal Mass Flowmeter into the client’s

manufacturing process for plastic closures significantly enhanced the efficiency of their

compressed air systems. This technology not only provided precise data that supported

strategic operational improvements but also contributed to direct cost savings by reducing

energy consumption and enhancing compressor performance. The successful deployment of

this solution exemplifies the potential of advanced flow measurement technologies in

optimizing industrial energy usage and achieving cost-effective production.