Compressed Air Leak Management: Turn a Survey Into Permanent Savings

Why this matters in food manufacturing A one-off ultrasonic survey can produce an impressive list of leaks and an equally impressive theoretical saving. The value only appears when leaks are tagged, repaired, verified and prevented from accumulating again. Compressed air is expensive because electrical energy is converted into pressure and then frequently wasted at point of use. A permanent programme links generation performance, distribution condition and repair ownership. 1. Establish a baseline Record compressor kW, loaded/unloaded hours, system pressure, flow where metered and non-production demand. A useful leak baseline is the air demand when production users should be off. Normalise the data for production where possible. This separates genuine improvement from changes in operating hours or product mix. 2. Survey consistently Use a competent ultrasonic survey method and tag each leak with location, component, estimated loss, pressure and repair priority. Photograph difficult-to-find points and link them to the CMMS or defect system. Survey during conditions that expose leaks safely. Include hose assemblies, couplings, FRLs, valve islands, cylinders, drains and redundant branches—not just obvious hissing fittings. 3. Repair and verify Assign…