By replacing their older and larger plant air compressors with two smaller Ingersoll Rand Centac C400 Centrifugal Air Compressors at their Rosslyn manufacturing plant, BMW South Africa will potentially save over a million Rand per year in reduced electricity consumption. The compressors were commissioned during the first week of January in time for the resumption of plant’s 2015 production schedule.   The new Ingersoll Rand Centac C400 compressors will provide 7 bar of oil-free air at a flow rate of 60 m3/min in order to power the facility’s line instrumentation – including actuators, operating valves, cylinders, and so forth – used in advancing the vehicles and various workpieces along the production line.   The original compressors, also provided by Ingersoll Rand more than 10 years ago, had been procured in line with requirements that have since changed, and were thus providing a surplus of pneumatic potential that could not be harvested. Despite the compressors continuing to function according to their performance rating, the fitment of a more accurately-specified compressor solution is an important cornerstone of a more streamlined, efficient production line. The C400s provide around 33% less compressed air capacity.    “The C400s were designed, configured, installed and commissioned along a very tight deadline, having received the order at the end of September to be ready for the plant’s commencing of its 2015 operations,” explains Paul Horwell, Key Account Leader, Ingersoll Rand. For a centrifugal compressor, whereby dynamic parameters such as motor size and compressor internals are configured according to the atmospheric pressure of the unit’s operation, this was a considerable logistical and implementation achievement.   The two machines are automatically regulated through Ingersoll Rand’s Integrated Multiple Machine Control (IMMC) intelligent controller. The IMMC automatically collaborates the performance of each compressor, providing a seamless air supply in the event of a unit changeover, for performance and maintenance purposes, and balancing the machines when they run in tandem.   The C400 provides a flexible compressed air solution that supplies oil-free air in a diverse array of industries and applications.The absence of vaporised lubricant in the pneumatic supply eliminates the related contamination of instruments, preventing them from sticking, which ultimately reduces maintenance. Additionally, intervals for lubricant change are increased exponentially.   As part of the package deal, Ingersoll Rand has offered to buy the existing old compressors.   Ingersoll Rand handled the transportation and delivery of the units, and supervised the installation, which was done by an independent Ingersoll Rand distributor. Ingersoll Rand will maintain the machine over its service life.  

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The Ingersoll Rand Centac C400 centrifugal air compressors supplied to BMW will streamline their production, and potentially lower their annual electricity consumption by up to one million rand.  

Enquiries:
Paul Horwell
Key Account Leader
Ingersoll Rand
Office: (+27) 11 565 8639
Mobile: (+27) 83 648 7004
Fax: (+27) 11 565 8620
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.ingersollrandproducts.com