Despite years of warnings — and the development of OSHA standards — there are still many dangerous compressed air blow wands in service at facilities throughout the world. Countless injuries and even deaths could have been prevented if safer devices were used or the blowing eliminated altogether. Fig. 1 shows a wand used to clean […]
Air Preparation
Using CAGI data sheets for refrigerated air dryers
If you are shopping for a refrigerated air dryer, it is a good idea to consult the Compressed Air & Gas Institute (CAGI) published data from the manufacturer before you buy. If you buy a non-cycling air dryer, the unit will consume about the same power no matter what — even if the associated air […]
Are electropneumatic controllers suitable for vacuum applications?
Both electropneumatic pressure regulators and flow control valves can be utilized in controlling vacuum systems. By using an electropneumatic pressure regulator, the designer develops a system which the suction force of the vacuum cup can be precisely controlled. The function of the electropneumatic flow control remains the same when controlling the flow of air in […]
Can electropneumatic controllers control force, tension, and torque?
Contributed by Justin Fluegel An electro-pneumatic pressure regulator is an ideal option to control the force, tension, or torque within a system. The pressure within a system directly correlates to the amount of force available to the actuator — lower pressure results in a lower force and vice versa. For the controller to regulate the […]
A leak detection fail!
A recent question received by email: I need some help from you regarding air leak calculation. We just purchased a new air leak detector that calculates leakage flow. We have high air leakage in our LPG bottling plant and our leak detector showed a flow of 9130.2 L/S. If we convert this to CFM then it will total […]
Why should you look for hidden leaks in your compressed air system?
Air leaks can form in many places in a compressed air system. Some are obvious, but others are well hidden from detection. In Fig. 1, we can see a compressor air cooler that has been subject to frequent high-pressure cleaning using compressed air blow wands. And due to the stresses involved with the cleaning, it […]
Compressed air fail: Frankenstein controls
By Ron Marshall A wood products manufacturer decided to save money by hiring a small service company to maintain its compressors. The company had minimal experience in repairing compressors, but agreed to do the job. The company didn’t have parts available to replace the faulty controls on the two screw compressors — so they did […]
Compressed air fail: The mystery filter
By Ron Marshall A building products company had a compressed air system that featured one large 1,500-cfm compressor and three smaller ones. The compressed air flow had grown to a point where the large compressor could only be turned off during shutdown periods; when it was turned off, the plant pressure would collapse. The large […]
Global drinks manufacturer cuts air and inefficiencies
When a 40 bar turbo compressor situated within an internationally renowned British-based producer of soft drinks broke down, it was faced with two choices: repair or reconfigure. Choosing the latter, the producer found that the old proverb ‘as one door closes, another opens’ proved true. Founded in the late 1930s by an entrepreneurial chemist, Britvic […]
How can you use compressed air storage to reduce peaks?
A press operation used a pulse of compressed air for cleaning operations for 10 seconds, once every 10 minutes. The compressed air flow to the press during the cleaning was 400 cfm, a quite significant flow, and data logger measurements of the air compressors found that each time the blow happened, a 150-hp compressor would […]
