“Nowadays, saving energy is more of a need than a technological option. The EU set a 20% reduction in consumption by 2020. Italy has signed up to this commitment, so being part of the EU implies complying with this target. In this sense, manufacturers working in the compressed air sector are working on research and are developing solutions to pursue these efficiency parameters. And Mattei, with its rotary vane compressors, is at the forefront.”
These are the words of Prof. Roberto Cipollone, engineering lecturer at the University of Aquila. An expert in the field, he has been working with Mattei on improving energy efficiency since 2002.
“In terms of quantity, you can say that 2.5 % of overall electrical consumption is associated with the production of compressed air: this means a global consumption of 450 billion kWh (2011 data). Reaching the target of a 20% reduction would lead to energy savings of 90 billion kWh, equal to the output of 70,000*90/140 MW of wind energy systems or 25,000*90/140 MW of biomass systems. Therefore it's a significant contribution”.
In this regard, there are a number of benefits with the rotary vane technology developed by Mattei: “The various utilities require variable air delivery values (which depend on the use of compressed air) and sometimes the demand drops off drastically: turning the machine on and off produces inefficiencies and very inefficient operating transients from an energy point of view.
Vane compressors require decidedly short times to become fully functional, have more contained rotating masses, are not affected by thermal dilatation of the rotor during operation, so there is no need for particularly heavy-duty or critical supports to hold the shaft. Thanks to all these aspects, they require very little maintenance. Vane compressors also have the benefit of a sharp reduction in friction, which means reducing the power absorbed by the shaft and, therefore, electricity. The layer of oil placed between the vane's top surface and side and the machine's “covers” is very effective in reducing air leaks between the compartments, thereby generating a very high volumetric output. The air compressed in a compartment, does not leak towards adjacent vanes (towards the ones with lower pressure values), so leaks are further reduced.”
From Mattei Vane Magazine 1, November 2014
