Author: Brian Murphy, managing director, Compressed Air Centre Ltd
Engineers not familiar with Teseo need to see the possibilities and flexibility that makes this product pure genius. It is fascinating to see some of the wonderful uses engineers put this product to. Teseo Aluminium pipework was invented by an Italian engineer called Paolo Guzzoni, who eventually went on to open Teseo Ltd in Desenzano, Lake Garda.
Teseo is used for carrying and supplying compressed air, nitrogen and other inert gases. It is also used for various lubricants. It is tested to 56 Bar with a maximum working pressure of 15 Bar. Of all the energy-saving methods employed by industry to save energy in compressed air production, the Teseo is by far the most economical.
Some figures for your interest first, though: some 5.3 million tons of CO2 emissions are added to the atmosphere in Europe alone as a direct result of compressed air leakages (14 billion Kw of power is used annually to generate compressed air).
The correct compressed airline system will, on average, pay back most of your costs for the total compressor system between two and three years by air-leak prevention. Too often, the selection of a compressed-air system is made by management on price alone and little or no thought is given to heat recovery or energy losses.
Teseo does not leak and therefore reduces energy costs year after year. In a recent survey carried out throughout Europe by a German research institution, it was found that air leaks accounted for 16% of energy losses. Leak prevention saves more energy than all the other energy-saving methods put together, including variable speed compressors.
Case studies
Niall Henry of Oakley Ireland Optical Ltd, which produces sport glasses in Mullingar, contacted Compressed Air Centre because he had a problem with Gun Barrel (GB) piping of an old type that had been installed in the factory. Henry needed 6/7 bar pressure at all machines at all times. The problem was he had frequent pressure drops in the old system and could not add to existing set-up or move equipment around without taking lots of pipe down – inevitably causing shutdowns in the process. Oakley operates shifts with its staff and could not afford to be without compressed air at any time.
Compressed Air Centre provided a Teseo aluminium air-line system that not only maintained constant pressure, but was flexible enough to add much more equipment into the air-line system when and as required.
The new air line was installed in minimum time because Teseo is easy to fit. No special equipment was required to install the Teseo modular system. Teseo also allows you to use a special jig to tap and install a new air outlet in a live line
(pressurised up to 15 bar). Henry can now add as many outlets as he needs anywhere in the ring main without stopping production.
Blackstone Motors in Drogheda, Co Louth, required an air and lubrication system that not only functioned well, but also was aesthetic. The company required a professional feel to its service area, so its customers could see how their vehicles were being cared for. The Teseo compressed air delivery system gave a very modern feel to the operation, which Blackstone Motors had been looking for, and it also functioned way better than the old steel piping system. It also left Blackstone with the flexibility to add ‘take-off’ points to the system very easily and quickly when fitting new equipment in the workshop.
Installation and air compression
One person can easily install 20mm or 25mm Teseo on their own at ground level. It is possible to join two lengths or more on the ground and manoeuvre into position with little effort. In fact a great deal of the work can be done at ground level before attachment which makes the job even faster. It is available in sizes up to 120mm.
If you manufacture machinery which requires modular manifolds for air
vacuum or other fluids, then you might be interested in this breakthrough in design for your production. The maximum working pressure is 15 Bar and is tested to 56 Bar.
Some time ago, Compressed Air Centre came across a 400 hp air compressor that was dangerously overheating. The compressor room was too small to handle the massive amount of heat generated by the compressor (up to 250 kws of heat per hour). There were extraction fans and water-cooled radiators installed, but with little effect.
So, what was Compressed Air Centre’s solution? The factory used thousands of gallons of hot water every day, so we re-directed the incoming (filtered) mains to run through the water cooled compressor. It only raised the mains temperature by an average of 6 degrees Celsius, but this was enough to save the factory between €60,000 and €80,000 per annum on its heating bills (figures provided by the ESB during an energy-saving conference). It also reduced the routine service costs because the compressor was now running within its most efficient temperature range.
Apart from Compressed Air Centre’s selection of rotary air compressors, it also manufactures a range of specialised air compressors for all sections of industry. At the moment, some are being used by the Irish Army on the Golan Heights mission in Syria. Many other specially designed units are being used by Monumental craftsmen and tyre fitters throughout Ireland and the UK. Compressed Air Centre in Drogheda is the only remaining company in Ireland that still builds air compressors. It is also the main distributor for Teseo in Ireland.