Compressed air is a necessary part of many industrial processes. Although there have been attempts to replace it with other technologies, including electric actuators, compressed air has continued to be vital in the industrial world. There is no real replacement for the value and utility it adds to manufacturing processes.
As the current volatility of the energy markets has raised concerns about the unexpected variation and increases in energy prices, companies must get the most value out of every energy input.
Tamturbo’s magnetic levitation-based VSD machines offer the best energy savings of any air compressor on the market and can help businesses thrive in these uncertain times.
The Role of Compressed Air in the Industrial World
Compressed air has a variety of applications in the industrial world. One typical use is separating various products in an industrial food preparation facility. If the facility processes potatoes for french fries, compressed air can separate defective items by blowing them off conveyor belts with a puff of air from a compressed air nozzle.
In most modern industrial facilities, compressed air, water, electricity, and gas are the essential inputs that let the facility function and production occur.
Tamturbo is a leader in compressed air technology, allowing companies to harness this vital resource more energy-efficiently. Our proprietary technology represents a leap forward in compression technology, replacing inefficient oil-lubricated systems with magnetic levitation-based, friction-free functioning, allowing for unparalleled performance with practically no maintenance.
The Cost Structure of Compressed Air and Fluctuating Energy Prices
Compressed air is necessary for several industrial applications, but many traditional compressors are inefficient machines that lose up to 75% of their energy inputs to heat loss and inefficiency.
This loss is more than waste from an inefficient machine; it can dramatically impact a facility’s energy use. The U.S. Department of Energy found that air compressors consume between 10% and 30% of a facility’s total energy use.
The general cost breakdown over the lifespan of a traditional air compressor will be 20% for the initial investment, 10% for maintenance, and 70% for the energy inputs.
Companies can calculate the standard energy consumption of an air compressor by multiplying the top-rated horsepower rating by the amount of time it will be running at full power by the efficiency of the motor.
As energy costs spiral and each kilowatt becomes more expensive, these costs can quickly escalate and adversely impact a company’s bottom line.
Who is Tamturbo?
Tamturbo is dedicated to producing better air compressors. Traditional machines are vital but far too inefficient to thrive in today’s competitive, energy-stressed market. Tamturbo has combined state-of-the-art magnetic levitation technology to compress air without friction or the need for oil or lubricants.
Starting in 2010, Tamturbo brought this technology to the air compressor market, revolutionizing the industry with more efficient machines. Our air compressors require less maintenance than standard machines and recycle waste heat, helping companies in the industrial, food and beverage, and pulp and paper industries money.
How to Save Money with Tamturbo
Tamturbo’s magnetic levitation-based air compression system has the lowest operating cost of any air compressor on the market. This is due to our state-of-the-art design and use of the latest technology.
High Efficiency
Tamturbo air compressors offer unmatched efficiency compared with standard “oil-free” air compressors offering remarkable directs savings in electricity. However, if Tamturbo’s innovative heat recovery system is used, the efficiency naturally rises even more.
No Wear
Traditional and even oil-free screw compressors still require oil to lubricate their mechanical air compression system. Their oil systems have numerous seals that will fail over time and must be re-oiled and lubricated periodically. A standard machine lubrication system requires up to 15 gallons of oil to run, which can leak if not properly maintained.
Traditional machines have gears, which can wear out over the lifespan of a machine. These parts also take time to spin up to speed when needed, giving them a limited number of starts and stops before they break down. They also have between 7 and 20 mechanical ball bearings. These bearings wear down with constant use and must be replaced several times over the years.
Tamturbo’s magnetic levitation system does not have any parts that physically touch. Instead, all pieces rotate in a frictionless environment that prevents wear. There is no need for an oil system with potentially leak seals, no gears to wear, or bearings to replace.
The Tamturbo system uses proprietary 5-axis active magnetic bearings, which have magnetic coils which hold the rotors in a precise floating location within micrometer accuracy. This system relies solely on copper coils that do not wear over the machine’s lifetime and have unlimited stars and stops.
VSD
Many modern air compressors offer variable speeds that react to changes in demand. However, due to their complex design and multiple moving parts, changing the output of a traditional or an oil-free air compressor can cause a 10% to 15% loss in energy efficiency. It also causes additional wear on the Teflon-coated parts and stresses the oil filters and seals. This causes more maintenance, which leads to added downtime for the machine.
Tamturbo’s proprietary Active Magnetic Bearings allow the 3-stage compressor cores with variable speed drives to react to changes in demand for compressed air instantly, allowing the compressor to always run at peak efficiency without any lengthy winding up or down time.
The frictionless design allows the rotor to spin freely, allowing for unlimited changes in speed without added wear and tear. The permanent magnets can speed the rotors up to 35,000 RPM for the best efficiency on the market and provide also the best part-load performance of any air compressor.
Maintenance Savings
Tamturbo machines are meant to run without maintenance for their entire lifespan. Unlike traditional and oil-free machines that require regular maintenance to replace broken or worn-out parts, a Tamturbo compressor does not require maintenance.
Tamturbo’s innovative design eliminates many parts that commonly wear out in standard machines, like ball bearings and oil seals. The machine’s frictionless design prevents wear, and its durable construction of materials like space-grade titanium allows parts to function perfectly over the machine’s lifetime.
All machines have remote monitoring as a preventative measure. Parts like air filters that need to be changed regularly can be replaced before they break down and lower the machine’s efficiency. A technician can replace them during scheduled machine downtime to reduce the impact on production.
This approach allows the machine to function at peak performance and reduces machine downtime effectively to zero. 80% of all adjustments and preventive measures can be done remotely from Tamturbo’s headquarters and do not require any on-site visits from technicians.
Heat Recovery
Tamturbo’s variable speed compressor and water cooling system can make up to 93% of waste heat reusable for other factory processes. Unlike competing machines whose waste heat system provides inconsistent temperatures and variable, unreliable water flows.
Tamturbo has solved this issue by providing continuous, stable water in one direction. It can be used to heat a facility or as an extra hot water source for steps in the manufacturing procedure like heating boilers or steaming components.
A Tamturbo client that brewed beer used the waste heat to keep a large boiler at a constant temperature, eliminating the need for a separate heating system and maximizing the energy used to compress air.
Touch-Free Air
Tamturbo has revolutionized the compressed air industry with our Touch-Free air service model. This provides air as a service, and customers only pay for the air they use. There is no upfront cost for the compressor or maintenance fees. Customers get air at the lowest price point when they need it, with no downtime.
Protect Your Bottom Line with Tamturbo
As energy costs become more and more unpredictable, businesses need to get as much out of every kilowatt hour as possible. Efficiency in all stages of an industrial manufacturing process can help a company protect its bottom line and thrive in this time of uncertainty.
Tamturbo’s machines represent an enormous leap forward in air compression technology and offer up to a 50% reduction in energy use while providing usable waste heat for added savings when used for heating or industrial purposes.
Our machines react instantly to changes in demand, reducing wasted energy and offering minimal downtime due to maintenance. These savings can reduce production costs, helping companies solve energy expenditure concerns with a simple solution. Contact Tamturbo today to learn more.
