In the field of industrial production, the waste heat recovery system of air compressors is playing an increasingly important role. It not only effectively utilizes energy and reduces the operating costs of enterprises but also meets the requirements of environmental protection and energy conservation in the current era. And the calculation of the water production capacity in air compressor waste heat recovery is a key indicator for measuring the efficiency of this system. This article will explore in depth the algorithm standards for water production capacity in air compressor waste heat recovery to help you better understand and apply this technology.

During the operation of an air compressor, most of the electrical energy is converted into mechanical energy for compressing air, and a part of the energy is dissipated in the form of heat, causing the temperature of the compressed air to rise significantly. The air compressor waste heat recovery system is based on this principle. Through a heat exchange device, the heat in the high-temperature compressed air or lubricating oil is transferred to cold water, so that the cold water is heated up and hot water is generated. This hot water can be widely used in scenarios such as domestic water and process water heating in factories, realizing the secondary utilization of energy.

The higher the power of the air compressor, the more heat it will generate per unit time. The longer the operating time, the higher the total accumulated heat will be. For example, the recoverable heat generated by a 55kW air compressor running continuously for 8 hours is bound to be more than that of a 37kW air compressor running for 4 hours, and the corresponding potential water production capacity will also be higher.

Even if the air compressor generates a large amount of heat, if the efficiency of the heat recovery device is low, the actual recovered heat will be greatly reduced. High-efficiency heat exchangers and reasonable system designs can improve the heat recovery rate, enabling more heat to be transferred to cold water and thus increasing the water production capacity. Generally speaking, the heat recovery rate of a high-quality waste heat recovery system can reach 70% - 90%.

The lower the inlet water temperature, the greater the temperature difference with the high-temperature heat source, the stronger the driving force for heat transfer, the more heat that can be absorbed, and the higher the water production capacity will be. Meanwhile, the setting of the target water temperature will also affect the water production capacity. If a higher target water temperature is required, more heat needs to be absorbed. Under other unchanged conditions, the water production capacity may relatively decrease. For example, when the inlet water temperature is 15°C and the target water temperature is set at 55°C, compared with when the target water temperature is set at 45°C, more heat needs to be absorbed to reach the former, and the water production capacity will decrease accordingly.

Based on the law of conservation of energy, we can derive the calculation formula for the water production capacity in air compressor waste heat recovery.

The heat generated by the air compressor Q₁ = P × t × η₁ (where P is the power of the air compressor, t is the operating time, and η₁ is the heat conversion efficiency of the air compressor, generally ranging from 0.7 to 0.9).

Let the specific heat capacity of water be c, the mass of water be m, and the temperature increase of water be ΔT. Then the heat absorbed by water Q₂ = c × m × ΔT.

Under ideal conditions, Q₁ = Q₂, so we can get m = P × t × η₁ / (c × ΔT).

And the water production capacity V = m / ρ (where ρ is the density of water).

After 整理，we can obtain the formula for water production capacity: V = P × t × η₁ / (c × ρ × ΔT).

Take a factory in Guangzhou as an example. The factory has installed a 75kW air compressor that operates for 10 hours a day. The heat conversion efficiency of the air compressor is taken as 0.8, the inlet water temperature is 20°C, and the target water temperature is 60°C. The specific heat capacity of water c = 4.2×10³ J/(kg·°C), and the density of water ρ = 1000kg/m³.

According to the formula, ΔT = 60 - 20 = 40°C.

V = 75×10×0.8 / (4.2×10³×1000×40) × 3600 (converting hours to seconds) ≈ 1.29m³.

Through actual measurement, the average daily water production capacity of the air compressor waste heat recovery system in this factory is about 1.25m³, which is relatively close to the theoretical calculation value. This shows that through accurate calculation based on the algorithm standards, it can provide a reliable basis for enterprises to estimate the water production capacity and help enterprises reasonably plan the use of hot water and energy management strategies.

Accurately grasping the algorithm standards for water production capacity in air compressor waste heat recovery is of great significance for enterprises to optimize energy utilization and improve economic benefits. By deeply analyzing the factors affecting water production capacity, deriving reasonable algorithm formulas, and combining with practical cases for verification, we can better design, operate, and evaluate air compressor waste heat recovery systems. In the future, with the continuous progress of technology, the algorithm standards may be further optimized and improved. Meanwhile, the air compressor waste heat recovery technology will also be widely applied in more industries, contributing greater strength to the green and sustainable development of the industrial field.

Guangzhou Cleanroom Construction Co., Ltd. has been committed to the research and development and application of air compressor waste heat recovery technology. We will continue to pay attention to industry trends and provide customers with more accurate and efficient waste heat recovery solutions. If you have any questions or needs regarding air compressor waste heat recovery systems, please feel free to contact us at any time.