"As you may be aware the Energy 09 Team and the Maintenance Department have recently undertaken a major project to overhaul our compressed air system.
The old system was based underground and Victorian in design, this had two major consequences; conducting any repair work was very expensive as it required a significant amount of excavation and there were a huge number of leaks that were inaccessible. The old system had an annual maintenance cost of over £20,000 and due to leaks it was believed that up to half of the electricity consumed in the compressor house was used to feed the system’s leaks, this represented a hugely inefficient use of the companies money.
Working with our compressor providers (Industrial Air Power) we produced a proposal that would create a more modular and efficient compressed air system, the new system bypasses all the significant leaks (so no more bubbles in the puddles). This is achieved by feeding the new pipe-work around the head of 3 & 4 Dock and installing a new compressor on the County wharf to supply air to the County and Duchy area. A number of smaller compressors are being installed to supply the Garage and Fitting Shop. The system is now much more receptive to the specific needs of different departments and much easier to access, so if any maintenance is required the pipes can be accessed quickly, conveniently and cheaply.
In total we predict savings of up to £50,000 in electrical savings per annum as well as a reduction in maintenance costs of around £15,000 per year.
However this project only tackles half the problem; there is still a lot of wasted compressed air resulting from poorly connected hoses, un-reported leaks and unnecessary use of air. There has been some improvement in these areas but we still have a long way to go. This is the next area that the Energy Team is going to focus on by working with the Safety Department."
Jonathan Baker
The Performance and Efficiency Risk Coordinator
A&P Docks Falmouth
September '09