Conserving Energy - Flow Measurement & Average Demand

Andrew Placek

Universal Blower Pac, Inc.

Flow Measurement and Average Demand

Proper equipment design begins with a thorough understanding of your process requirements. All design engineers are concerned with the quality of a particular air delivery solution, but many have not adequately modeled the problem. Sometimes the end result is a quality system that when placed into operation is not at all suited for the real world application.

Consider the application of mixing a tank through diffused aeration. Mixing is a volume dependent application where fluid displacement to achieve a homogonous mixture is the goal. At the point where the desired mixture is attained any excess air put into the system is wasted. Since mixing through diffused aeration is a costly and an ongoing expense, any reduction you can make will save money continuously over the lifespan of the equipment.

We recommend use of volumetric flow (ACFM or m^3/min) measurement versus a mass flow (SCFM or Nm^3) measurement for this volume dependent application.  A mass flow measurement will result in a higher volume and excess fluid displacement when temperature and elevation increase above the standard volume’s defined point (this is typically defined in the US as the amount of air in one cubic foot at 68F, 36% RH and sea level).

Read the rest of the paper here (PDF format).

Repair Capabilities

Universal Blower Pac is not your typical "blower packager".  We take pride in being able to handle the entire process when it comes to blowers.  We can assist with design, provide knowledgeable support during the sales process, we manufacture the blower system, and we have our own service & repair department!  A more detailed overview of our capabilities will be covered in a separate post.  This post briefly highlights our repair capabilities.

New Product - The EE-Pac

As mentioned in the previous post, we would soon be providing information on the EE-Pac and now that time has come.  Universal Blower Pac has been in the process of developing this product for a few years and now we are ready to release it!  The EE-Pac was spawned due to the increasing demand for energy efficient equipment within the industry.  The EE-Pac is a variable flow, variable pressure machine that remains efficient across a wide range of operating conditions.  At the end of the post there are links to a flyer and recent advertisement that will highlight some of the benefits of the equipment.

As you can see from the previous post comparing efficiencies we have been able to achieve power consumption values similar to that of multistage centrifugal blowers and high speed turbo blowers at their optimum operating points.  Also, we have demonstrated energy savings when multiple operating points are used.  Furthermore, the EE-Pac should be a significantly smaller capital expense when compared to similarly sized high speed turbo blowers.  What it all boils down to is that the EE-Pac provides energy efficiency for a fraction of the cost of other energy efficient blower systems available.

The EE-Pac is a unique energy efficient blower system because

Efficiency Comparison - PD Blowers vs. Turbo Blowers

Have you ever wondered where the Turbo Blower manufacturers obtained their data for their wild claims of 30-40% increase in efficiency over PD blowers? While pursuing a recent project we found that a turbo blower manufacturer (which we will keep unnamed) took the owner out to an existing WWTP plant in the area to compare the currently installed PD blower to their turbo machines.  The owner was amazed at how quiet and efficient the turbo blowers were and wanted his engineer to use them for their plant upgrades! What no one discussed that day, and what the turbo blower manufacturers hope no one discusses period, is that the PD blower packages used in the comparison were 20+ years old! Think about that for a moment. Technology makes leaps and bounds every 3-5 years, let alone 20! Existing technology is modified and improved upon constantly in a competitive market!

Today, PD blower systems are much more efficient than those installed in the past. There are multiple reasons why this is true, but the most significant reasons are as follows: improved blower efficiencies, improved motor efficiencies, direct driven systems. We will touch on each one of these in the attached paper.  There are even comparisons at the end for you to evaluate!

Download Efficiency Comparisons Document Here

What are your thoughts after reading the document?

A Brief History Lesson - Universal Blower Pac

Universal Blower Pac was founded in May of 1979 by Ray Fiechter.  UBP was founded because there was a lack of customization regarding blower packages in the pneumatic conveying industry.  From his time working as a sales manager for a bare blower manufacturer, Ray noticed that the current manufacturers were limited in their ability to provide a customized solution to their clients.  In certain instances the manufacturer’s representative would package the equipment for their regional customers!   He felt that this gaping hole in the industry could be filled by an independent blower package manufacturer.  Thus UBP came into existence.

UBP manufactured packages primarily for the pneumatic conveying industry until 1985 when it entered the Water Treatment market.  Because Ray’s previous experience was in pneumatic conveying he wanted to establish the company and secure a place in that market prior to venturing into another market.  He knew there were plenty of opportunities in the water treatment industry and it wasn’t long before water treatment sales became a staple of the company.  Universal Blower Pac maintains a presence in the Pneumatic Conveying industry and also has experience building SVE (Soil Vapor Extraction) systems.  Shortly after entering the water treatment market, Universal Blower Pac was moved to its current location in 1986.  Due to the growth of the company the facility has expanded three times since the original building was erected!  1990, 1995, and 2009 were all years where the facility grew with the company.   The most recent expansion, which was completed earlier this year, is a topic in a previous post.

In 1988 UBP begins an alliance with Gardner Denver which had acquired the Sutorbilt and Duroflow PD blower lines in 1987.  What separates UBP from the rest of the blower packager manufacturers is our ability to customize our product and include any component requested by our clients.  This enables us to meet their needs to the fullest extent.  This ability also helps UBP adapt, as the industry and economy are always changing.  As an example, UBP has customers that are pressed for time and may not need customized products.  They only require a blower package that operates at their specified conditions.  Therefore UBP introduced the EXP package, or Express Package, in 1993.  This package can accommodate a range of flows and has a very short lead time when compared to other blower packages.

Fun Fact:  In the early 1980’s there were only two nationwide independent manufacturers of blower packages and the other company no longer manufactures blower packages.  Therefore, UBP is the oldest independent blower manufacturer that operates on a national level. 

The company has grown significantly with each passing year.  From time to time UBP has grown slower as the company adjusted its managerial and marketing methods to accommodate the market and economy changes.  Below is a timeline that highlights the significant events in the history of Universal Blower Pac.

We are currently working on future timeline worthy events such as the new product we will be unveiling in a few months!  An Energy Efficient Positive Displacement Blower System that remains efficient at multiple operating points or while turned down significantly!  More information on this system will be available in the coming months.  We also just secured our second best sales year in this unpredictable economy and have a chance to make it 4 straight record sales years!  Check back soon for more information on UBP.  There will also be a few “informational posts” that will help explain some of the technology we use and how it compares to other types of technology in the market