The Situation
The operator of a paper mill in Cumbria was keen to look at ways to reduce their energy consumption in the wake of exponentially rising costs. As a significant user of compressed air, engineers on-site suggested that this was an avenue worth investigating to achieve the desired savings
The Solution
The mill’s local Hayley team in Carlisle arranged for a trained and experienced
engineer from Hayley’s specialist fluid power division to visit the site to carry out
an air leak detection survey. Within a couple of weeks, the survey had been
completed.
The survey used a cutting-edge ultrasound detector, capable of identifying even
the slowest of leaks. All leaks were recorded, tagged, and photographed, with a
report compiled and shared with the customer. This report included an annual
cost for each leak, extrapolated from the decibel reading, alongside a cost for the
recommended fix.
Recommendations were accepted and the fixes quickly arranged by the Hayley
team
The Result
Following the survey and the remedial actions taken to repair the detected leaks, the paper mill has significantly reduced its electricity consumption. The annual cost-saving achieved as a result of this stands at £81,724. The price of the repairs was around £2,000, making for a compelling payback period.
By reducing their energy consumption, the paper mill has improved its environmental sustainability credentials, another key objective for the customer at the beginning of the project.
Due to the health and safety risks associated with air leaks including the potential for hose bursts as well as the negative impact on hearing that exposure to air leaks can have, the well-being of staff on-site has also been improved