A large industrial manufacturer has three large compressors running constantly in the plant. Occasionally during hot summer days, moisture problems occur downstream, so personnel outfitted each compressed air component with timer style condensate drains. All three compressor have drains on the water separators — this is where most of the water squeezed out of the […]
Air Preparation
Compressed air fail: Piston to screw upgrade
A small automotive service shop was looking for new compressors. The old compressors were reaching the end of life and required constant overhauls. The shop owner was persuaded by a compressor salesperson to go with a screw compressor instead. The existing 10-hp units put out about 35 cfm each, one was the lead unit, the […]
Compressed air fail: Low capacity
By Ron Marshall During a recent compressed air assessment, the measuring instruments connected to a 50-hp lubricated screw compressor showed lower than rated amps. The customer had been complaining about low pressure in the plant, yet the plant flow meter indicated the compressed air demand was well within the rated capacity of the compressor. Typically, […]
VPPI proportional pressure regulator provides dynamic response, stable control
Festo recently introduced VPPI, a new family of proportional pressure regulators. Highly dynamic to 30 Hz, VPPI offers precise and stable operation in vacuum applications as well as tasks up to a pressure range of 12 bar. Coupled with an IO-Link interface as well as a fieldbus connection for controlling the valves via a Festo […]
Compressed air fail: Hot and cold
An electronics parts manufacturer had a maddening water problem. Every day around Noon, its air system pipes started emitting free water at their most important end uses. This water came mixed with compressor lubricant and the dust ingested by the compressor intake. With the addition of pipe rust and scale — which formed due to […]
Extend your reach to combat leaks
By Ron Marshall Imagine if you were 30 feet tall — all the things you could accomplish in your plant! Well, one newly developed style of leak detector can greatly extend your leak detection range. One such detector was recently put to the test in a large industrial site with amazing results. One of the […]
Compressed air fail: One little box
It often pays to read the compressor control instructions! One compressed air system owner had two 150-hp load/unload compressors operating at the plant. A survey of the compressor hours showed that both compressors were running for significant periods of time in the unloaded condition, still consuming 40 kW, but producing no air. A compressed air […]
Compressed air fail: Dryer size
A testing building within a large industrial complex required compressed air for general uses in the processing of the materials to be tested for purity. The load on the compressed air systems is mostly compressed air powered hand tools and processing equipment, but a small amount of air is used within a laboratory where sensitive […]
Compressed air fail: Water shut-off valve
A large industrial complex used water-cooled compressors to supply 115-psi compressed air to its processes. The cooling water temperature was quite low throughout the year and provided compressed air at lower-than-normal temperatures. This took moisture load off the air dryers, but these cool temperatures also caused problems. The plant had been designed with redundant compressor […]
Compressed air power transfer efficiency
How much are you getting out of your compressed air system? Well, the answer might disappoint you. Most users consider compressed air as a free unlimited resource and rarely hesitate to hook any extra demands to the system without first considering the financial impact. Consider a typical compressed air powered vane motor that provides a […]
