Staffordshire Council opts for fuel, tyres and emission savings with the GN dual output system

After the recent launch of their GN Nitrogen system, Atlas Copco has been selected by Staffordshire County Council for the supply and installation of their dual output station.

The GN dual output unit can deliver high quality compressed air for the workshop requirements and consistent 97% purity nitrogen for the tyre inflation demands of a wide of range of vehicles that the council operates.

In line with the Council’s demands for high-pressure nitrogen for tyre inflation, and their ongoing task to reduce carbon emissions across the county, the GN provided the perfect solution.

The GN unit will be used to supply all the nitrogen required to fill all the authority’s vehicle tyres from cars/car-derived vans to 65-seat, home to school buses. While the practice of filling tyres with nitrogen is growing fast across mainland Europe, the take up in the UK has been slow. However, with there is new evidence and of the huge potential savings in not only fuel and tyres but in the carbon emissions reductions (by using less fuel) that are made possible by ensuring the tyre pressures remain at the right pressure for much longer.

It is anticipated that with the 600-plus vehicles that the Council operates, they will make considerable savings on fuel and tyre costs and, equally important, is in the reduction in carbon emissions.

Keith Lawson of Staffs CC said, "When we looked at the savings and our own remit to save emissions, it made perfect sense to install a system that could meet all our needs."

As yet, the payback is not readily quantifiable because of the diversity of the fleet and the disparity in annual mileages, but this is a long-term commitment not only to the taxpayers of Staffordshire but also to the environment.

The complete installation, which also included lifts, lubrication and exhaust extraction, and was designed and managed by Ian Gibbs of Rotary Lift UK. They also specified the pipe-work system that utilises the Atlas Copco ‘AirNET’ easy-fit aluminium pipe, which is easier to install and creates has less pressure drop than traditional pipework. Combined with the flexibility of aluminium and the range of fittings available, the complete system will take less than one week to install!