Compressed Air Study

The final report of the Ontario Mining Association´s compressed air leak management program, "Implementing a Sustainable Compressed Air Leak Program," indicates mines in Ontario are now better prepared to initiate and succeed in these energy saving and conservation programs.  "The sustainable air leak management project was a worthwhile and successful initiative," concludes the report.  "Now equipped with templates, leak tags, fact sheets, posters, case studies as well as monitoring equipment and metrics, the industry has moved the yard sticks on its ability to manage one of the most costly and inefficient draws on the bottom line."

This project was carried out by Ivor da Cunha, President of LeapFrog Energy Technologies Inc.  The sustainable air leak management project was started by the OMA in 2006 with financial support and encouragement from the Ontario Power Authority along with monetary and in-kind assistance from the mines which participated in the pilot studies -- CVRD Inco South Mine, FNX Mining McCreedy West Mine and the Williams Mine.  Coordination was provided by Cheryl Brownlee, OMA Manager Energy Issues, and the members of the OMA Energy Committee.

The participating mines saw almost immediate results in energy savings.  Lessons learned and best practices, which can be shared with the industry, include a recognition of the importance of the role of people and leadership, uses of equipment and instrumentation and the development of new procedures and processes.  The three mines used an electronic model -- Compressed Air Optimization Dashboard spreadsheet -- which helped assess the magnitude of compressed air savings.  This will assist other mining companies to check-out the status of their compressed air systems and develop a plan for overall system optimization.  

Some of the successes reported from the three pilot sites include: Fixing one leak which led to the shutting down of a 200 HP compressor; instituting best practices into new mine development; the building of a culture of conservation at work and at home; improved installation and maintenance of couplings; conservation measures deferring decisions to purchase new compressors; use of variable speed compressors; and the benefits of baseline data to keep improving the system. 

Earlier this year, the OMA and the three pilot study mines -- CVRD Inco South Mine, FNX Mining McCreedy West and the Williams Mine -- received certificates of recognition for their energy conservation efforts from Ontario Chief Energy Conservation Officer Peter Love.   

Ontario´s mining industry spends more than $500 million annually on energy, which represents between 15% and 30% of operating costs at various mining operations.  Compressed air consumption can represent between 20% and 40% of energy costs at a mine.   The OMA study "Implementing a Sustainable Compressed Air Leak Program" holds the promise of saving energy and reducing bills.