Laxmi Vishnu Silk Mills: Reducing Compressed-Air Energy Use

Location: Surat, Gujarat
Industry: Textile Processing
Focus: Compressed-air efficiency

Compressed air is an important utility in textile dyeing and printing, but it can also represent a significant electrical load.

Laxmi Vishnu Silk Mills in Surat operated five reciprocating compressors supplying compressed air through a common distribution system.

The Approach

In 2019, the plant replaced the five compressors with one screw compressor equipped with a variable-frequency drive and permanent-magnet motor.

According to the UNIDO/BEE technology compendium, the change reduced the cumulative installed motor rating from 31.66 kW to 15 kW while serving the assessed compressed-air demand.

Reported Results

The published case reports:

• Specific power consumption reduced from 0.32 to 0.16 kW/cfm 
• Annual electricity consumption reduced from about 116,582 kWh to 58,291 kWh 
• Annual electricity savings of approximately 58,291 kWh 
• Annual monetary savings of approximately ₹4 lakh 
• Investment of approximately ₹6.75 lakh 
• Reported simple payback of around 20 months 
• Estimated annual CO₂ reduction of 52.46 tonnes 

What the Case Shows

Compressed-air efficiency is not only about fixing leaks.

The compressor technology, motor efficiency, control method and ability to match output to actual plant demand can all influence overall energy consumption.

This case demonstrates the potential value of reassessing an older compressed-air installation as a complete utility system.

Source Note

This article is based on a case study published under a GEF-UNIDO-EESL/BEE energy-efficiency programme. Energy, cost and emissions figures are as reported by the original source.

Source: UNIDO/BEE — Installation of Energy Efficient Screw Compressor at Laxmi Vishnu Silk Mills