The Client
Nice-Pak is a leading manufacturer of sanitizing wipes, operating in Rockland County, NY.
The Challenge
When the global pandemic hit in early 2020, their production targets soared. All four of their current 75 HP rotary screw compressors were now running. Each had about 20 years’ worth of age on them, and with all of them operating at once, the facility found itself without any sufficient backup.
Space was a concern with this job, as the facility’s available space was maxed out. They couldn’t move the compressors or enlarge the space they resided in, and an outdoor unit wasn’t an option either.
The last Sales Engineer to work with Nice-Pak pitched them on variable frequency machines on multiple occasions — he believed they could save substantial money by converting their fixed-speed machines into VFDs.
“With space a concern, we obtained the industry’s toughest fixed-speed rotary compressor and got away from a horizontal exhaust, greatly alleviating the head load in the room and providing us with more available space.” – Nice-Pak
The Solution
Enter Quincy.
When we first visited the site, we found an overly hot compressor room. The room was small, and summertime temperatures hovered around 100+ degrees inside. Upgrading and adding 100 HP worth of compressors would only make the heat load climb even higher. The facility’s owner didn’t want to add additional exhaust fans to the room. Additionally, the last Sales Engineer had put the refrigerated dryers right next to the compressors, causing spikes in dew point due to the tremendous heat load.
VFDs work just like computers, and computers don’t like excessive heat. We pitched sacrificing energy savings in the interest of gaining reliability, and there are now four QSI-100 compressors running in that compressor room. Since fixed-speed compressors cost considerably less than variable frequency compressors, the customer knew we were trying to push for the most logical solution.
Nice-Pak obtained the industry’s toughest fixed-speed rotary compressor and got away from a horizontal exhaust, greatly alleviating the heat load in the room. We also suggested moving the dryers from the compressor room to a tiny yet functional space downstairs. Doing so protected them from the heat load in the room and secured them at a more reliable dew point. Lastly, we suspended a dry receiver tank from the ceiling above the dryers to provide the plant with an adequate reservoir of clean air.
About Quincy Compressor
Quincy Compressor specializes in compressed air technology, offering top-notch products and services since 1920. Serving the industry for over 100 years, Quincy is on the cutting edge, engineering quality and reliability into every offering. Award-winning accomplishments have allowed Quincy to build solid relationships with its customers and achieve compressed air systems best practices. Quincy’s flagship products include the QSI and QGV rotary screw compressors, the reciprocating QR-25, QT and Climate Control packages along with its innovative Royal Blue Warranty, widely recognized as among the industry’s strongest warranty program.