Glossary · Energy and utilities automation
Compressed-air monitoring
Also known as: Compressed air monitoring
German: Druckluftüberwachung
In industrial energy management, compressed-air monitoring is the continuous measurement of compressed-air generation and consumption, such as flow, pressure, dew point and compressor power, to detect leaks, track efficiency and allocate consumption to machines or areas.
- Energy
In one sentence
Compressed-air monitoring measures air flow, pressure and compressor power to find leaks, track efficiency and allocate consumption.
Example
Flow meters in each hall show that compressed-air consumption stays at 30 percent of the daytime level over the weekend, which points to leaks.
How it applies
- Engineering: Flow, pressure and dew-point sensors are installed at the compressor station and at branch lines; compressor controllers often provide power and load data.
- Operation: Baseline consumption during non-production periods reveals leaks. Pressure trends show whether the network pressure could be lowered, which reduces energy use.
- Maintenance: Leak detection and repair campaigns are prioritized using the monitoring data, and results are verified afterward.
- Documentation: Machine documentation should state the required supply pressure, air quality class and expected consumption per operating mode, so users can plan and monitor supply. Compressed-air lines also hold Stored energy; maintenance procedures must cover depressurizing them.
Compressed-air monitoring vs. pressure monitoring on the machine
A pressure switch on a machine checks whether enough pressure is available to operate safely. Compressed-air monitoring for energy management tracks consumption and efficiency across the network. The two serve different purposes and should not be combined in one function without analysis.