Air compressor gas volume and power consumption

The relationship between air volume and power consumption of the air compressor can be discussed from many aspects:

1. The direct relationship between air volume and power consumption:
   • The power consumption of an air compressor is proportional to its exhaust gas volume (i.e., gas volume) and exhaust pressure. This means that if the gas volume used by the equipment increases, in order to maintain the same pressure level, the power consumption of the air compressor needs to be increased accordingly. A commonly used calculation method is: air compressor power (kW) = exhaust volume (m³/min) × exhaust pressure (kgf/cm2A) / 0.1 × 0.9. Among them, 0.1 is a constant and 0.9 represents motor efficiency.
2. Factors affecting gas volume:
   • Leakage: The gap between the rotor and between the rotor and the casing will cause gas leakage, thereby reducing the exhaust volume.
   • Inhalation state: When the inhalation temperature rises or the resistance of the inhalation pipeline is too large, the gas density decreases, resulting in a decrease in the exhaust volume.
   • Cooling effect: The temperature of the gas increases when compressed. If the cooling effect is not good, it will affect the exhaust volume.
   • Rotation speed: The exhaust volume of the screw compressor is proportional to the rotation speed. When the voltage or frequency decreases, the speed decreases and the exhaust volume decreases.
3. Factors affecting power consumption:
   • Isothermal efficiency: Improving isothermal efficiency can reduce the power consumption of the air compressor.
   • Ambient temperature: When the ambient temperature rises, the air compressor needs to consume more energy to maintain normal operation.
   • Mechanical efficiency: The improvement of mechanical efficiency can reduce the energy consumption of the air compressor.
   • Intake pressure: Increasing the intake pressure can reduce the energy consumption of the air compressor.
   • Exhaust pressure and exhaust volume: Reducing exhaust pressure can reduce power consumption, but exhaust volume is usually adjusted according to production needs.
4. Energy consumption analysis and energy-saving measures:
   • Under the unloading control mode, there is a large amount of energy consumption and waste in the air compressor. Optimizing control methods can reduce this waste.
   • The longer the running time of the air compressor, the greater the power consumption. Therefore, rationally scheduling of operating time can save energy.
   • Optimized pipeline design can reduce the loss of compressed air during transmission, thereby reducing energy consumption.
5. Energy efficiency indicators:
   • Unit energy consumption of a unit is an important indicator for evaluating energy-saving performance. The calculation formula is to divide the total power consumption by the total gas production. This indicator will change with the actual operating conditions.

To sum up, there is a close relationship between air volume and power consumption of air compressors and is affected by a variety of factors. In practical applications, various factors need to be considered comprehensively and reasonable energy-saving plans are formulated to reduce the energy consumption of the air compressor and improve production efficiency.