Compressed air leak and steam trap monitoring that puts a cost on every loss
Compressed air leak monitoring measures how much air a plant makes when nothing needs it, and steam trap monitoring finds traps that fail open or closed. Aqueduct meters compressors, dryers, boilers, traps and condensate return, works out specific power and leak load, flags failed traps and blowdown drift, and routes each finding to your CMMS with a cost per month.
Two utilities that leak money all day
Air made for nobody
Compressors keep running through breaks, weekends and idle shifts to feed leaks that nobody can hear over the plant.
Compressors unloaded, not off
A compressor running unloaded still draws a large share of its power while making no air.
Traps that fail quietly
A trap stuck open blows live steam to the condensate line. A trap stuck closed floods the equipment it serves.
Condensate sent to drain
Hot, treated condensate is dumped instead of returned, so the boiler pays again for water, chemicals and heat.
What Aqueduct measures in air and steam systems
| Asset | Measured | What Aqueduct derives |
|---|---|---|
| Air compressors | kW, run, load and unload state, discharge pressure, vibration | Specific power in kW per cfm, unloaded running hours, early signs of failure |
| Air headers and areas | Flow and pressure at the header and at area branches | Leak load during idle periods, pressure drop across dryers and filters |
| Boilers | Fuel use, steam flow, feedwater flow, blowdown, stack temperature | Fuel per tonne of steam, blowdown share, efficiency drift |
| Steam traps | Upstream and downstream temperature, acoustic signal where fitted | Traps failed open, failed closed or cycling abnormally |
What the numbers say.
of a compressor’s output can be lost to leaks; proactive repair gets it under 10%.
Source: Compressed Air Challengeof steam traps should be leaking with a regular maintenance program.
Source: US DOE Steam Tip SheetSources2 references cited on this page
Related
Common questions
The most reliable whole-system measure is the air flow and compressor power drawn when production is stopped, because any air used then is mostly leakage. Aqueduct measures that idle load per area and prices it, while ultrasonic surveys by your team or contractor pinpoint each leak.
Temperature or acoustic sensors on each trap show whether it is passing condensate normally, blowing live steam or holding condensate back. Aqueduct reads those signals, flags traps that have failed open or closed and routes them to your CMMS.
Returned condensate is hot, already treated water. When it goes to drain, the boiler needs more make-up water, more treatment chemicals and more fuel to heat it. Aqueduct meters return flow so the cost of lost condensate is visible.
Specific power is the electrical input per unit of air delivered, in kW per cfm. When it rises, the compressor is making air less efficiently through wear, poor control or unloaded running. Aqueduct calculates it per machine from metered power and flow. See compressed air leaks.
See Aqueduct on your own facility.
Bring a site, a utility bill or a question. We will show you where the loss is.