Case Study: Plastic Container Manufacturer gets a new Compressed Air System

This customer manufactures plastic containers for the snack food industry and compressed air is an essential part of their production process. Previously, they had two 125 HP variable speed rotary screw compressors from the early 2000s in their facility. One of which has had several airend replacements and was due for yet another airend and motor rebuild. On top of that, the two compressors were essentially competing against each other and weren’t running as economically as possible. This is where C.H. Reed comes in.

After discussing their goals and compressed air requirements, we learned that two additional lines were being added to the system that would require an additional 200 CFM on top of the 1,200 CFM of air that they were currently using. They were also experiencing a 10 PSI pressure drop at a certain location in their facility.

We recommended the installation of a new Quincy QSI 200 fixed speed air compressor to be used in conjunction with the other variable speed unit that they were keeping.  The Quincy QSI combines around-the-clock dependability with one of the most durable and efficient airends in the industry. (The QSI is to be used as the baseload compressor with the other variable speed compressor as the trim unit.) We also swapped out their old, undersized air dryer for a Pneumatech cycling water-cooled dryer to provide a 38-40°F pressure dewpoint at 100 PSI, 100°F inlet air temperature, and 100°F ambient air temperature. Lastly, we replaced the existing 1,000-gallon air receiver with a 3,000-gallon receiver and relocated the existing receiver to the opposite end of the plant. This new dryer and receiver combo completely fixed their pressure drop issue.

They now have a completely optimized compressed air system that no longer competes against itself; delivering smooth, consistent air to their facility. On top of that, replacing the old variable speed base load compressor with the new fixed speed QSI 200 baseload compressor will actually be a lot more energy-efficient for them, not to mention extremely reliable.

Contact C.H. Reed for your next compressed air project!