Sony DADC UK Limited opts for energy-efficient compressor installation

As an environmentally aware organisation, it was important to Sony DADC UK Limited’s Southwater plant management that the proposed upgrade installation should not only incorporate optimum energy-efficiency features but additionally make a substantial contribution to reducing the plant’s carbon footprint by providing the capability to recover energy in the form of heat. The recovered heat could be utilised to supplement the site’s hot water system as well as the warehouse and office heating circuit.

Sony DADC UK Limited provides leading solutions and advanced technologies, such as world-class optical media replication services and software services with quality leadership. The Southwater facility is one of three production sites in Europe. Much of its output is produced within a clean room environment so it is important that quality compressed air is provided for many of the process operations.

In order to help achieve the company’s energy efficiency and environmental protection objectives, Atlas Copco has replaced an existing GA oil injected compressor with a water-cooled, oil-free, rotary screw ZR160VSDFF unit, with energy recovery capability and an integrated no-loss MD re-generative heat dryer.

The Southwater plant runs two independent compressed air networks – the major system runs at a pressure of 7 bar and the secondary network at 8.4 bar. Part of the air for the 7 bar system is supplied by an existing compressor but the principal input is from the newly installed ZR160VSDFF machine. Approximately 65% of the compressed air output is devoted to the disc replication process, which includes the operation of pneumatic cylinders. It is also blown directly on to the discs for cooling purposes and required in the operation of vacuum generators. A further 15% is utilised in the process of printing on the discs themselves, again involving the operation of pneumatically operated cylinders. The remaining 20% of the air supply is utilised within packing operations.
At the same time, a major portion of the air from 8.4 bar system supplies the mastering department’s laser cutting equipment, with the rest feeding the offset lithographic disc printing machines.

The new installation provides high quality oil-free compressed air to help protect all of these plant processes and end products. At the same time, it saves energy in a number of ways. The VSD feature of the compressor matches output to user demand and is capable of achieving energy savings of up to 35%. With the major compressed air systems operating at the lower pressure of 7 bar, running costs are lowered and, as a result of the reduced working pressure, any costly air net system leaks are also minimised. What is more, there are additional energy economies resulting from the adoption of a re-generative MD no-loss, heat-of-compression technology dryer − the dryer integrated within the ZR160VSDFF – replacing the original heatless desiccant dryers and their associated purge air loss.

The whole installation now also features centralised compressor room control with Atlas Copco’s ES8 system designed to monitor and maintain optimum performance for all of the compressed air equipment.

Sony DADC UK Limited’s compressor system upgrade was made possible largely through a successful climate change agreement application made via the Surface Engineering Association, of which the company is a member. As Facilities Team Leader, Dean Shackel explains: “At Sony DADC UK Limited, environmental sustainability is a top business priority. We strive to reduce the consumption of direct and indirect materials, energy and water. By utilising the latest technology, such the compressor system upgrade, both environmental goals and economic considerations can be brought into line.”