29 / 44
Mechanical Technology — July 2015
27
⎪
Hydraulic and pneumatic systems
⎪
efficiency and cost savings
blower,” Stubel affirms, “which gives a
tremendous increase in energy savings.
“Looking at long-term cost
savings, the above ex-
ample equates to a
return-on-investment
of 1,5 years
reliability and durability, maintenance
costs, economy of space, ease of han-
dling, and noise level. “Our current units
require an oil change every 400-600
hours (4-6 weeks), while the Delta Hy-
brid requires a change every two years,
reducing costs dramatically,” says John
Pavlik, the treatment plant’s supervisor.
“The town had been searching for a solu-
tion to the high energy costs of plant’s
current system and frequent mechanical
failures that the manufacturer could not
resolve, so we agreed to this comparison
test,” he explains
In addition, the belt-drive technology
is “the simple beauty behind the design”.
The simple self-tensioning system is
97% to 98% efficient and it enables the
driver speed to be optimised, regardless
of whether the machine is connected to
a variable speed drive (VSD) or not. The
belt drive system provides versatility and
adaptability for different applications.
The modular, compact design of the
Delta Hybrid allows multiple units to sit
side by side, saving space while offering
ample access for maintenance.
Pavlik also found the unit to be rela-
tively quiet compared to others. “When
running with the acoustic enclosure open,
although workers still had to use hearing
protection, such as ear plugs, other units
require use of double hearing protection,
such as plugs and ear muffs,” notes the
treatment plants supervisor.
Aerzen Airgas, formerly Airgas
Compressors, is the sub-Saharan
subsidiary of German-based Aerzen
Maschinenfabrik (Aerzen), one of the
world’s leading specialists in the design
and manufacture of roots blowers, turbo
blowers, screw compressors, rotary lobe
compressors and gas meters.
q
and an average annual energy cost
saving of R25 000, when based on a 24
hour running schedule. With a minimal
price difference of R36 000 between
the D 24 S and an equivalent standard
blower cost, the figures start to speak for
themselves,” he says.
Advantages at a wastewater
treatment plant
In addition to providing significant energy
and cost savings, testing at a wastewater
treatment plant in Huntingdon, USA
showed that the Delta Hybrid holds its
ground in fundamental areas such as
One of Aerzen Airgas’s Field Service vehicles
ready for action.