Industrial Compressed Air System Optimization: Experimental Evaluation of Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Gains

This study presents an experimental optimization of an industrial-scale compressed air system aimed at improving energy efficiency and operational performance. The evaluation was conducted in accordance with ISO 11011 standards, covering supply, distribution, demand, and air quality aspects. Reference and optimized scenarios were directly compared under equivalent operating conditions. The most significant improvement was the elimination of a 0.54-bar pressure drop, which enabled the compressor’s set pressure to be reduced from 7.0 bar to 6.5 bar and prevented unnecessary load cycles. In addition, the detection and repair of leakage points significantly reduced constant loads during non-production hours. As a result, average power consumption decreased by 32.6%, while idle consumption was reduced by 70%. Improvements in filtration and condensate management lowered moisture and oil carryover, thereby enhancing process reliability. Considering annual operating hours, the optimization was estimated to offer a potential reduction of approximately 63.5 tons of CO2 emissions. The results demonstrate that substantial efficiency and sustainability gains can be achieved through physical adjustments and operational measures without modifying control algorithms.