By Ron Marshall Most compressed air piping systems are radial feeds, with one-way piping branches feeding out from the compressor room in all directions. Often, the piping starts out in larger size and, if the design engineer wanted to save costs, the diameter of the piping might be reduced near the end of the lines. […]
Pressure holding valves
In certain applications, venting of the actuator has to be avoided in case of pressure failure. For this purpose Hafner has developed the so-called pressure holding valve. From a technical perspective the pressure holding valve is a double non-return valve which is blocking the air-flow when neither at port P1 nor port P2 any pressure […]
Compressed air efficiency: 7 tips to get the best bang for your buck
By Ron Marshall The words “bang for your buck” are frightening when it comes to compressed air, but there are definitely very good opportunities to save money by optimizing the way you operate. Compressed air is one of the most costly utilities used in industrial and commercial sites. Only about 10% of the energy input […]
Aventics Smart Pneumatics Monitor enables predictive maintenance, maximizing system availability
Many users wish for prompt information on the state of wear and energy efficiency of pneumatic systems at a glance to be able to respond to potential leaks or machine downtimes early on. The Smart Pneumatics Monitor (SPM) from Aventics detects the system operating state, analyzes data, and provides this processed information to users for […]
Dearing Compressor announces acquisition of Pittsburgh-based Kruman Equipment
Dearing Compressor & Pump Co., the second oldest Gardner Denver industrial air compressor distributor, recently completed its first ever acquisition, merging with the oldest Gardner Denver distributor, Pittsburgh-based Kruman Equipment. The acquisition allows Dearing to effectively double their industrial air compressor business while providing counterbalance to the dynamic energy market. CEO and President, Rick Dearing, […]
Compressed air fail: Hidden piping problems
By Ron Marshall A food processing plant recently built an expansion to their existing building. The compressed air system in the new plant was of very efficient cutting edge, self-contained design. The system uses a mix of VSD and fixed-speed compressors with a central controller, desiccant air dryers with dewpoint control, large storage, and pressure/flow […]
Aventics refines its Advanced Valves once again
Right from the start, simple handling was one of the most important features of the AV valve system series. Pneumatics specialists from Aventics have taken this approach one step further and now have a new solution to showcase at the Hannover Messe 2018. With outlets on the bottom, the AV system is optimized for installation […]
How do I put my compressor to sleep?
By Ron Marshall One of the biggest wastes of energy in a compressed air system is allowing your air compressor to use energy when it is not producing air. This can be a big problem with screw compressors, due to the way these compressors typically operate. Well-maintained modern day screw compressors running in load/unload control […]
How important is pressure to my compressed air efficiency?
By Ron Marshall The pressure at which you operate your system has a significant effect on the energy efficiency of your air compressors, and can affect the air consumption of the compressed air powered tools and equipment in the plant. Running at higher pressure than desired causes higher system flow and more power consumption, increasing […]
Leybold to present vacuum portfolio at ANUGA FoodTec
At the leading trade fair Anuga FoodTec in Cologne, Leybold will present its vacuum technologies for the food processing and packaging industry from the 20th to the 23rd March 2018. The efficient solutions of the vacuum supplier are used worldwide. In a wide variety of applications, the pumps, systems and measuring devices of this long-established company make a […]