A WELL-ORCHESTRATED SYMPHONY
HOW A NETWORKED COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM WORKS
Every part of a compressed air station, whether it be the compressors, compressed air treatment
components or distribution system, should operate as efficiently as possible for its own sake. Modern
compressors and compressed air treatment components are therefore equipped with internal controllers
based on industrial PC technology. But these components are not individual players – they must act
together as a team, and a team works best when it is perfectly coordinated. A sophisticated compressed air
management system is therefore required to perform this particular function.
The Sigma Air Manager
4.0 (SAM 4.0) from
Kaeser is an example
of a progressive and
Industry 4.0-ready compressed air
management system, that binds
all individual components into a
complete team, monitoring and
controlling them so that the required
volume of compressed air is
available at all times, at the required
quality.
Advanced management systems
must successfully meet some
highly demanding challenges.
Not least, they must be capable
of predictive compressor control,
taking into account a range of
contributing factors, such as
switching losses, control losses,
etc. However, modern master
controllers are now expected
to do far more than optimise
compressor operation according
to current demand. Efficiency is
playing an ever-increasing role.
Here, through the development
of a patented, simulation-based
optimisation process, the SAM
4.0 is meeting these requirements
by predictively selecting the most
efficient switching operations based
on compressed air consumption
profile analysis and equipment and
system behaviour, in relation to
the prevailing technical operating
conditions. Decisions are no longer
dictated by a narrow pressure range.
Instead, the key is to achieve the
lowest possible compressed air
production costs through intelligent,
energy-saving switching strategies.
PREDICTING SERVICE
REQUIREMENTS
Such advanced controllers like
the SAM 4.0, also allow for varying
The SAM 4.0 compressed air management system binds all individual
components into a complete team, monitoring and controlling them so that the
required volume of compressed air is available at all times, at the required quality.
26 June 2020
W O R K S H O P