In any industrial facility, your compressed air system is a critical utility.
It runs tools, moves material and drives production. But the pressure you generate is seldom the pressure you get at the point of use.
This loss, known as pressure drop, means you pay more to run your equipment while getting less out of it. Struggling with system performance? Our engineers provide expert Air Compressor Servicing Birmingham and can conduct a full audit to identify and eliminate the root causes of pressure drop in your facility.
Tackle the leading causes early, and you’ll keep your air system efficient and your output strong.
What is Pressure Drop?
Pressure drop is a loss of air pressure from your compressor to your final application. A little pressure drop is unavoidable, but too much is a huge inefficiency in your system.
Industry best practice sets clear benchmarks:
- The total pressure drop should not exceed 10% of your compressor’s discharge pressure.
- The loss across your main distribution pipework should be less than 0.1 bar (1.5 PSI).
If your system exceeds these benchmarks, it’s wasting energy and costing your business money.
The High Cost of Unnecessary Pressure Drop
Ignoring excessive pressure drop has severe consequences. The common fix – turning up your compressor’s pressure – is a costly mistake.
- Wasted Energy: For every 1 bar increase in pressure you add to make up for lost pressure, your compressor will use 7% more energy. For a medium-sized compressor, that can be over £24,000 worth of wasted electricity per year.
- Reduced Productivity: When your tools don’t get enough pressure, they slow down—and so does your production. That’s true whether you’re in automotive, food and drink, pharmaceuticals, or almost any other sector.
- Increased Equipment Wear: If your compressor has to work harder to force more air through the system at a higher pressure, that extra work will wear out your equipment faster. Your compressors, dryers, filters and valves will all suffer more breakdowns, and won’t last as long.
- Artificial Demand: Unregulated uses of compressed air (leaks, open nozzles, etc.) will draw more air as system pressure is increased. When you raise the pressure to compensate for one issue, it increases air consumption throughout the plant, for even more energy waste.
Key Causes of Pressure Drop in Compressed Air Systems
Pressure drop is a system-wide problem. To fix it, you need to look beyond the compressor room.
1. Poorly Designed Piping Systems
If your pipework is poorly designed, you’re paying more to move less air. Pressure is lost before it even reaches your tools, forcing the compressor to work harder and driving up energy bills.
- Undersized Pipes: This is the most damaging flaw. The impact is exponential: a small reduction in pipe diameter can cause a massive increase in pressure loss.
- Complex Layouts: Every bend or fitting in your pipework creates turbulence and resistance, robbing you of pressure. A “ring main” design feeds air from two directions, making it more efficient than a straightforward linear run.
- Pipe Material: Steel pipes can corrode with age, leaving a rough interior that disrupts airflow. Modern smooth-bore options – like Atlas Copco’s AIRnet aluminium piping – avoid this problem and keep friction low for the long term.
2. Air Leaks
Leaks are a constant drain on your system, often wasting 20-30% of your compressor’s output. A single 3mm leak can cost you up to £2,000 a year in electricity. Leaks force your compressor to run longer just to keep up. A professional compressed air leak detection survey, like those conducted by our engineers at J Ll Leach, can quickly find these costly issues.
3. Inefficient Air Treatment
When filters and dryers aren’t maintained, they can choke the system and slow production. This is a particular concern in sectors that demand ultra-clean air, such as electronics and pharmaceuticals.
- Clogged Filters: As dirt and particles build up, pressure drops and the compressor has to work harder.
- Undersized or Fouled Dryers: Inefficient or clogged air compressor dryers add significant resistance. If a dryer is not correctly sized for peak flow, it will choke your system and can delay production in high-demand sectors like cement and glass manufacturing.
4. Point-of-Use Restrictions
Often, the most significant pressure drops happen in the final connection to the tool. Using hoses that are too long or narrow, or too many restrictive couplings, can starve your equipment of pressure. A standard error is sizing components like Filter-Regulator-Lubricator (FRL) units for a tool’s average consumption. Instead, you must size them for the tool’s peak flow rate to avoid severe, momentary pressure drops. To fix this, choose correctly sized hoses and minimise restrictive connections.
5. Inadequate Controls and Monitoring
Running your compressor at a fixed high pressure is inefficient.
- Lack of Demand Control: Modern Variable Speed Drive (VSD) compressors, like Atlas Copco’s GA VSD⁺ series, match air output to your real-time demand. This stabilises pressure and can cut your energy bills by up to 60%.
- No Real-Time Data: Problems can build up quietly without the right monitoring in place, only becoming obvious when production slows. Atlas Copco’s SMARTLINK and AIRScan deliver live performance insights, helping you step in before downtime occurs.
Meeting UK Compliance and Safety Standards
Too much pressure drop can also be a safety and compliance issue.
Inconsistent pressure isn’t just inefficient—it can be dangerous. It may even breach UK laws such as the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR) and PUWER. Running your system efficiently also keeps you aligned with the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) requirements.
Strategies to Restore Pressure and Efficiency
You can reclaim lost efficiency with a clear, systematic approach.
- Systematic Diagnostics: Start by understanding where you are losing pressure. A comprehensive energy audit will map your system’s pressure profile and pinpoint exactly where to make improvements.
- Strategic System Upgrades: Invest in your core infrastructure. Upgrading to properly designed compressed air piping systems with modern materials like AIRnet delivers one of the best returns.
- Proactive Maintenance: A proactive maintenance schedule is the easiest way to make your air compressor more efficient. Regularly replacing filters, servicing dryers, and fixing leaks prevents small issues from becoming costly problems.
Why Work With J Ll Leach?
- Over 80 Years of Expertise: We have been offering specialist solutions for compressed air systems to all industries in the UK since 1936.
- Atlas Copco Premier Distributor: Our accreditation provides you with access to the leading edge, energy efficient technology as well as the know-how to install it right first time.
- Certified Engineers: Our staff have the technical expertise to carry out detailed system audits, design efficient systems and deliver dependable maintenance.
Book your system audit now and begin saving on energy costs, eliminating downtime and prolonging the life of your equipment.