How to Select a Blower System
Blower systems, also known as low-pressure compressed air systems, are a critical component for many operations. Next to electricity, gas, and water, compressed air is often considered the industry’s fourth utility due to its profound usage and reliance across multiple sectors.
Selecting a blower system should be done in a considerate way. Blower technology has significantly developed in recent years meaning replacing blowers ‘like for like’ is not the best selection method.
This guide walks through the essential steps of blower system selection for long-term success. Your blower system isn’t just a piece of equipment, it’s a strategic investment in the efficiency and sustainability of your operational processes.
Get advice on selecting your next blower system
Whilst this article provides an overview of how to select an efficient and sustainable blower system, every system is different. Ensure to work with system specialists to determine specifications. Please refer to ASME PTC 13 Test Code for up-to-date guidance on testing blower system efficiency, and contact an expert at Lontra for further guidance.
Practical questions to start
Before diving into technical details, have a clear understanding of your process requirements by asking the following questions:
1. What does the process really need?
Firstly, estimate or know the basic needs of the process onsite e.g. rate of air flow, and the pressure to drive that flow rate. More data about the site usage is always useful.
2. Am I guessing, or do I know for sure?
Also, understand the limitations of data. If you have six months’ worth of data, can you predict 12 months from it? This should be carefully considered.
3. What is the impact if a blower goes down?
Redundancy can have equal importance. Understand what happens to the process if you lose a blower. Consider how much protection you need in those circumstances. If something goes wrong, the site must still be adequately functional.
Look for trends in data
Looking at existing site data can help determine the best blower system. For example, below, the graph to the left shows total site air flow over a period of years. The graph shows an upward trend in air flow – this data can be used to predict future needs on the site.
Consider how you can break data down. For example, in the graph to the right, the frequency bins help to show where the site normally runs. This type of data will help to determine the size and selection of blower system.
Controls and due diligence
Control is very important, particularly as operation efficiency can be gained through automatic blower control. However, it is also important to ensure that what you need from the blower system can actually be achieved. For example, can you run a group of blowers at different speeds so the minimum power is used? What happens when a blower is switched on and off??Does there have to be a step change in flow?
Lifecycle cost/total cost of ownership and the variables to compare blower systems
It is increasingly common to work on a total cost of ownership, also known as the lifecycle cost. Lifecycle cost is important. Some of the factors that make up the cost are discussed in ASME PTC 13 – the non-mandatory Appendix F goes through some lifecycle cost evaluations and includes duty cycles to help with calculations.
Typical duty cycles and swings in load demands should be considered rather than worst-case loads 20 years in the future. Designing operations based upon worse-case scenario means the system will be vastly oversized. This would lead to poor operation efficiency, and a purchasing surplus in capital equipment.
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Blower system cost considerations
There are several variables and measures to consider when forecasting the cost of the blower:
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Potential blower cost factors
Capital cost
Total cost of ownership
Cost of downtime
Assign a cost to each factor
Once the measures have been decided, place a cost next to each element to predict the project cost. It’s important to note the projected costs will differ from one project to another. Most importantly, you will have to decide what measures are most imperative, and this will relate to the project’s specific aims/application. So, for example, what are the noise requirements? Then, place a cost on it. Try to be practical and put a value on everything – don’t be swayed by ‘savings’ in the wrong area.
Consider the most important factors
There may be certain requirements that take president over cost, for example, blower unit size is of primary importance on off-shore oil rigs.
Be objective
Strive for maximum objectivity in your decision-making process, aiming to arrive at a singular, easily comparable figure.
Minimum blower system requirements
As an absolute minimum, the blower system must:
? produce the required air;
? function in its environment (max. and min. temperature, altitude, humidity, air contamination, accessibility of service); and
? have a backup plan in the event of redundancy.
Continue reading
To continue reading this article, head to Lontra's website: https://www.lontra.co.uk/blog/how-to-select-a-blower-system/
Blower selection help
To learn more about the LP2 Blade Blower and for assistance in selecting your blower system, contact?[email protected].