Free heat – Saving energy by using waste heat from compressed air stations

Abstract

ALMiG Kompressoren GmbH based in Köngen is a leading supplier of intelligent compressed air systems. Their cost effectiveness and energy efficiency make these an important factor in the production and profit of every customer. Heat recovery offers potential energy savings that have been underestimated in this context up to now. While more and more customers appreciate the advantages of speedcontrolled screw compressors, only a few are giving thought to further synergy effects of their compressed air stations. The use of waste heat is an important starting point here, because the energy consumed during compressed air generation is converted entirely into heat energy. All too often this energy is released unused into the exhaust air, although it can be used for other purposes, e.g. as a supplement to building heating systems or for cold water preheating. About 72% of the heat generated in the air compressor is transferred to the oil of the oil cooler and is ideally suited for heat recovery.