3.1.

2 Centralization or Decentralization
There are several factors that influence the choice between one large centralized or several smaller decentralized compressors to meet a given compressed air requirement. Factors that are taken into consideration include the cost of a production shutdown, guaranteed availability of electrical power, loading variations, costs for the compressed air system and the available floor space.

Centralized compressor installations A centralized compressor installation is in many cases the solution of choice, as it is less expensive to run and maintain than several, locally distributed compressors. Compressor plants can be efficiently interconnected, thereby resulting in lower energy consumption. A central installation also involves lower monitoring and maintenance costs as well as better opportunities for recovering energy. The overall floor area required for the compressor installation is also minimized. Filters, coolers and other auxiliary equipment and the common air intake can be optimally dimensioned. Noise reduction measures will also be easier to fit. A system comprising several, different sized compressors in a central installation can be sequence controlled to improve efficiency. One large compressor may have more difficulty meeting large variations in the compressed air requirement without losing efficiency.
For example, systems with one large compressor are often supplemented with a smaller compressor for use during periods such as a night shift or on weekends. Another factor worth considering is the impact that starting a large electric motor has on the mains supply.