When considering whether a rotary screw air compressor system needs to be replaced, you first need to know that the actual purchase price of a new compressor is only about 10-20% of the overall cost. In addition, you should also consider the age of the existing compressor, the energy efficiency of the new compressor, previous maintenance history and overall reliability.
You can use a combination of the following factors to help determine:
1、Does your rotary screw compressor need to be replaced or repaired?
A simple criterion is: If the cost of repair is more than 50-60% of the cost of a new compressor, you may need to replace the compressor rather than repair it, because replacing critical air compressor parts can be costly and the efficiency and quality of the repair machine can be difficult to achieve with an air compressor.
2、Have you estimated the life cycle cost of a new air compressor?
The first part of the life cycle cost of a compressor is its daily energy consumption throughout its operation. Compressors using energy-efficient technology consume less energy. Routine maintenance is also a significant expense, so maintenance costs should be included in the lifecycle cost. The frequency of maintenance varies from brand to brand and from model to model, with some compressors requiring twice as much maintenance as others or more.
3、Do you have a plan to optimize your compressor system over its life cycle?
Energy consumption is the largest cost component of compressed air. You need to know how much air you are getting at the pressure you need and how much energy it takes to get to that pressure value. Pro tip: Check whether a variable speed drive (VSD) compressor is suitable for your application and whether your process would benefit from a powerful Q-controller, which may help to improve the energy efficiency of your system.
Based on these three points you can easily determine if your rotary screw compressor needs to be replaced.