Leak & Inappropriate Use Surveys
Compressed Air Alliance offers a flexible compressed air leak detection program from basic detection and reporting through to complete turnkey solutions timed with your production schedule.
We conduct leak detection programs Australia-wide, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and all regional areas.
Compressed air leak detection and inappropriate use survey. This is our basic offering. The leak detection survey will find compressed air leaks and identify inappropriate use. You will receive a report on our findings and a parts list to help you repair compressed air leaks.
Optional – Repair leaks. Let us manage the compressed air leak repair program. We will organise the parts and labour and arrange a time to repair the leaks. Repairs can usually be completed within 1 – 2 days.
Optional – Measure your compressed air system. In addition to the compressed air leak detection survey (described above), we will measure your compressed air system (consumption, dew point, flow, power, etc) and identify any issues you may have with your compressors, dryers or receivers.
What makes the Compressed Air Alliance Survey different?
All leak and inappropriate use surveys are conducted by technicians with experience in compressed air systems.
Our reports include:
- details on the survey findings
- a summary of each leak and inappropriate use
- a parts list – the parts list is designed to help you order parts so you can repair the leaks.
Contact Us
Contact Compressed Air Alliance for more information on leak surveys and repairs, or to get a quote.
About Leakage & Inappropriate Use Surveys
Compressed air leaks are the greatest offenders when it comes to system efficiency. Leaks typically use one third (1/3rd) of the compressed air supplied to site (although Compressed Air Alliance has seen systems where 75% of the compressed air is used by leaks). On some sites, one compressor was running to supply air to leaks. Inappropriate use typically uses another third (1/3rd) of the compressed air. This means that only one third (1/3rd) of compressed air is used for production purposes.
Leaks and inappropriate use can significantly increase compressed air demand and energy costs, reduce compressed air system efficiency and cause drops in system pressure thereby affecting production. Leaks can also decrease service life and increase maintenance of compressors and associated equipment due to unnecessary cycling and increased run time.
Without specialist equipment, leaks are almost impossible to locate and diagnose during production periods due to high ambient noise and requirements for hearing protection. Leaks typically occur at joints and connections of equipment and can be caused by a number of issues including worn out parts, loose fittings, lack of sealant, poor installation or using the wrong part.
Inappropriate use occurs where compressed air is used when an alternative solution would be more economical. For example: using compressed air to cool or dry a product, when a small electric blower would have a significantly lower running cost.
About Compressed Air Leak Surveys
Leakage and inappropriate use surveys aim to identify and quantify leaks and inappropriate usage so that businesses can make informed decisions on repair, maintenance and modification requirements. Conducting a leakage and inappropriate use survey may provide many benefits to businesses including:
- improvements in compressed air system reliability
- reduced expenditure on energy, capital and maintenance, and
- improved productivity, product quality and staff engagement.
Compressed Air Alliance’s leak survey is conducted onsite by trained technicians during production time and consists of:
- using an ultrasonic detector specifically designed to identify compressed air leaks
- recording and tagging leaks
- establishing parts and labour requirements for repairs
- identifying inappropriate usage and recommending alternative solutions, and
- inspecting other system components for faults or opportunities to improve efficiency.
We convert information recorded during the survey into energy cost data by using flow rate tables, the site’s operating hours and the site’s electricity costs. You can improve data accuracy by measuring the compressed air system’s energy and flow usage to more accurately determine the cost of compressed air before and after repairs.
Follow up Surveys
Leakage is an ongoing issue. Leak surveys and repair projects should be scheduled on a routine basis to ensure leakage is reduced and maintained at below 5% of total system usage.
Follow up surveys should be done at a maximum of every 12 months as new leaks will regularly start to appear in the system.
Tips on Detecting Compressed Air Leaks
If you want to do leak surveys in house, learn about some common mistakes and how to avoid them. Alternatively, if you want to hire a consultant to find your compressed air leaks, check out these tips on what to look for in a compressed air audit.
Repairing Compressed Air Leaks
It is important to repair as many leaks as possible, as soon as possible. Small leaks will deteriorate into larger leaks rapidly, particularly after priority leaks have been repaired. For best results, 90% or more of the leaks should be repaired within one month of the survey. Using an external contractor is usually faster than repairing leaks in house.
Repairing leaks does not result in linear savings. Typically little or no result will be observed until at least 80% of the number of leaks are repaired. Additionally, if this is the first leakage project on the site for any length of time, new leaks may appear very quickly as others are repaired due to the increased pressure in the system. This can result in potential savings not being maintained for the full 12 months.
As you repair leaks, you may need to adjust your compressor and equipment settings. As noted above, repairing leaks can increase pressure in your compressed air system. Therefore, you may need to adjust your compressor or equipment settings to a lower pressure rating. See how Compressed Air Alliance helped one customer save $83,000 by repairing leaks and adjusting compressor settings.
All parts should be ordered for all leaks (regardless of leak size or priority). This can avoid unnecessary machine downtime and increase the likelihood of the repairs being achieved in a timely manner.
What are the Benefits of Repairing Compressed Air Leaks?
One of the most obvious benefits of repairing leaks is a reduction in energy use and costs from reduced air demand, however there are other benefits of repairing leaks. Repairing leaks can:
- improve the compressed air system efficiency as air is being used for its intended purpose rather than being waste through leaks
- avoid the need to purchase additional equipment, boosters or other parts
- reduce pressure drops across the system
- improve air purity through better filter performance
- increase equipment (compressor) service life
- reduce maintenance of compressors and associated equipment due reduced running time, and
- lower ambient noise levels.
Contact Us
Contact Compressed Air Alliance for more information on leak surveys and repairs, or to get a quote.