Compressor Energy Consumption Decreases by 16% Due to Different Lubricant
CUSTOMER CASE
Country Pure Foods
Country Pure Foods in the United States has been active in the North American market for 45 years. The company operates multiple locations producing non-alcoholic beverages. In an effort to reduce the energy consumption of their production equipment, they connected with the American experts from Lubrication Engineers. They initiated a lubricant trial at the production site in Akron, Ohio.
Annual Energy Costs of USD 67,500
One of the largest electricity consumers was an LS-25 screw compressor from the brand Sullair. The compressor supplied compressed air for the entire production department and consumed nearly 900,000 kWh of electricity. The annual energy cost for the compressor alone was approximately USD 67,500.
No Negative Impact on Service Life and Maintenance Schedule
Country Pure Foods set one condition for the trial: there should be no negative impact on the service life of the lubricants or the compressor’s maintenance schedule. A team from Lubrication Engineers studied the issue and recommended using R & O Compressor Oil type 6402 with MONOLEC as an additive.
Lubricant Film with a Thickness of One Molecule
MONOLEC is an additive that forms a lubricant film only one molecule thick on metal parts. This greatly reduces friction. As a result, not only does energy consumption decrease, but wear is also reduced and parts are protected against corrosion. Improved lubrication also extends the oil’s service life, reducing maintenance needs and saving on lubricant.
Exceptionally Positive Results
After replacing the standard compressor oil with R & O Compressor Oil type 6402, a one-month trial period followed. The results were exceptionally positive. While the compressor previously drew an average of 165–170 Amps, this dropped to 140 Amps. Additionally, the average oil temperature decreased from 86 °C to 70 °C. This was a clear indication that much less energy was lost to friction.
16,000 Operating Hours Without Failure
The compressor has now operated for more than 16,000 hours without failure. The compressor oil was still in such good condition that it was decided not to replace it for the time being.
Annual Savings of USD 11,000
By switching to R & O Compressor Oil, the company saved significantly on energy costs. Electricity consumption dropped by 16.4% to 752,000 kWh per year. This is a saving of 148,000 kWh and an annual energy bill that is USD 11,000 lower. Over the remaining service life of the compressor, the total savings amount to more than USD 100,000!
