What does Compressed air cost? An overview of purchase, operation and maintenance

Over the life cycle of a compressed air system, the costs are generally distributed as follows:

  1. Acquisition costs (approx. 10-15%): This is the cost of purchasing and installing the system, including Compressors, dryers and other equipment.

  2. Energy costs (approx. 70-75%): This is by far the largest cost. It is the cost of electricity consumption during the operation of the compressed air system

  3. Maintenance costs (approx. 10-15%): This includes spare parts, repairs, routine maintenance and possibly service contracts.

It is important to note that the exact percentages can vary depending on the type of compressed air system, operating conditions and region. However, energy costs are almost always the dominant factor in the life cycle of a compressed air system.

In order to accurately record the specific performance of your compressed air system, we recommend measuring over a period of at least seven days. This takes into account various operating conditions and ensures Robust and reliable data. Measuring for a week gives you a valuable snapshot, but only continuous measurement provides a complete picture of reality.

Example of the measurement results of 2 Compressors over 1 week:

Specific power Compressor 1:
= Active power meter_1 / VD 500_1
= 17,472 kWh / 145,600 m³ = 0.12 kWh / m³

Total specific output:
= (Compressor 1 energy + Compressor 2 energy) / VA 500 meter reading
= (17,472 kWh + 4,368 kWh) / 172,900 m³
= 0.126 kWh / m³

Specific power Compressor 2:
= Active power meter_2 / VD 500_2
= 4,368 kWh / 27,300 m³ = 0.16 kWh / m³

What does 1 m³ of Compressed air cost?
Energy costs = 0.21 € electricity price / kWh * 0.126 kWh / m³
= 26,5 € / 1000 m³