Towards Sustainable Energy Practices: Experimental Assessment of Waste Heat Recovery from Multistage Air Compressor Operations

Abstract

Compressed air is inefficient and uses a lot of energy, yet it has many industrial uses nevertheless. The thermal energy produced by the compressor accounts for the bulk of its energy consumption. When compared to the amount of energy used by the compressor, the amount of compressed air being supplied to the compressed air network is insufficient. Whether air cooled or water cooled compressors are used, efficient methods can be used to capture the thermal energy that is generated during the process of compressing air. This research looks at a number of different approaches of reusing thermal energy, compares the efficiency of different heat recovery devices, and finds out how well they work. The results shed light on the practicality and efficiency of waste heat recovery systems in industrial compressor operations, thanks to experiments and data analysis. The results of this study have important implications for the advancement of sustainable energy practices in manufacturing.