Compressed air is often treated as simply another piece of plant equipment. In practice, it is an expensive utility whose performance depends on the complete system: generation, treatment, storage, distribution, control, and the way air is finally used.
That system view changes the first question from "Do we need more compressor capacity?" to "What is the existing system actually doing?" Reliable answers begin with measurement, because nameplate data and assumptions cannot show how demand, pressure, leakage, and air quality behave through a production cycle.
01 | Establish the baseline
Measure before changing equipment
A useful pre-assessment records compressor types and ratings, operating hours, pressure settings, dryer and filtration arrangements, receiver capacity, pipe sizes, known pressure complaints, and the production schedule. Instrumented testing then replaces estimates with evidence.
Depending on the objective, a compressed air system opportunity assessment can combine flow, pressure, velocity, electrical power, pressure-drop, dew-point, oil, particulate, and ultrasonic leak measurements. Trending these values together reveals how the system responds when demand rises, machines cycle, or shifts change.
02 | Remove avoidable demand
Leaks are visible once their cost is measured
A leak survey should do more than identify noise. Each leak needs a location, estimated flow, operating context, repair priority, and a method for confirming closure. This converts a long fault list into work that maintenance teams can schedule and management can evaluate.
Artificial demand matters too. Supplying the whole plant at a higher pressure than the process needs increases leakage and makes every unregulated use consume more air. Pressure profiling helps separate genuine process requirements from pressure loss caused by filters, dryers, undersized piping, or poor control.
These are indicative figures discussed in the published article. Actual savings must be established from site measurements, operating hours, energy cost, and verified repairs.
"When you measure, you know. When you know, you can improve."
Devon Fisher
03 | Optimise the complete system
Savings extend beyond leak repair
A well-run programme follows the air from the compressor room to the point of use. Four opportunity areas frequently deserve attention:
Pressure and control
Match control strategy and system pressure to measured demand instead of historic settings.
Drying and drainage
Select the required dew point and use reliable zero-loss condensate drainage where appropriate.
Compressor loading
Identify unloaded running, poor sequencing, and demand patterns that create avoidable power use.
Heat recovery
Assess whether compressor heat can support hot-water, process, or space-heating requirements.
04 | Close the loop
Move from potential to realised savings
An audit establishes potential savings. Realised savings require implementation and verification. Repair records should connect the original finding to the completed work, while follow-up measurements confirm that flow or pressure behaviour has changed as expected.
This distinction keeps the business case honest. It also creates a repeatable process: measure, prioritise, repair, verify, and monitor. Over time, the site gains a reliable history of system performance instead of restarting from scratch whenever energy costs rise or pressure problems return.
Original publication
Read Devon's published article
This Fisher Insights edition is an original summary of Devon Fisher's article in the SAEEC Technical Journal, Volume 6. The published version includes his complete discussion, examples, and technical figures.