Compressed Air Leaks – the causes and methods of detection

Compressed air is one of the most commonly used sources of energy within many plants and workshops. In fact, it is so broadly used it is sometimes classified as the fourth source of energy. Studies have found however that an average of 25% of all compressed air that is created in a compressed air system is lost through air leaks.

These air leaks can be a significant hidden cost for businesses in the form of inflated electricity bills and inefficient production speeds. Air leaks that are left unrepaired can also result in costly shutdowns when the equipment fails.

Compressed air leaks can be the result of inferior materials and components used in a compressed air system, poor design and installation of the compressed air system, employees not following the correct procedures, or general, and at times unavoidable, wear and tear.

It can be a difficult task to identify air leaks, however compressed air specialists, such as Complete Compressed Air Systems (CCAS), has specialty diagnostic equipment that will locate these leaks. Once located, a Compressed Air leak is usually straight forward to fix allowing your business to get back to working efficiently, and your running costs to lower.

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