The drawbacks of using compressed air to spray

You might think that compressed air is inexpensive – or even “free” – but it’s likely to be the most expensive utility you’ll use in your plant. Only around 19 percent of the total power used in a compressed air system is converted into clean, compressed air flow. The other 81 percent is lost as heat.

It also takes a lot of electrical energy to make compressed air power. On average, between 7 and 8 HP of electrical power is required to produce just 1 HP of compressed air power. Because of this necessary system requirement, compressed air is often more expensive than electricity, natural gas and water when it comes to costs of maintaining an operational plant.

Then there’s the problem of air leaks. Compressed air leaks are obviously a waste of energy and money. But their impact is greater. Air leaks can contribute to system pressure drops, making pneumatic equipment function less efficiently and shortening their life cycle. Air leaks cause equipment to cycle more frequently, increasing the running time of the air compressors, which leads to additional maintenance requirements and possible increased unscheduled downtime.

Consider a 200 HP compressed air system with a 30% loss of output due to leakage. If the compressor power has a total of 60 HP in leakage, this could result in wasting 25,000 euros worth of air per year.

For these reasons, many contractors are switching from an air-driven sprayer to an electric airless sprayer such as the Graco KING. When wired correctly, electric power is safe, reliable and convenient for you and your customers. If your air compressor stops working, you no longer have to stop production. The days of essential maintenance on large-scale compressors are over.

KING electric sprayers offer a flexible alternative to conventional air-operated sprayers. Thanks to their electric drive, noise levels are lower and icing belongs to the past. KING sprayers are extremely energy efficient, with a low kWh per liter sprayed. Compared to air-driven airless units, KING will reduce energy consumption by up to 80%.