An automotive parts manufacturer upgraded their system to produce a more efficient supply of compressed air. Data logging of the old system showed that the compressed air system was consuming power at a rate of over 30 kW per 100 cfm produced. With new upgrades, the system is now running around 21 kW per 100 […]
Air Preparation
Compressed air fail: Locked on
A building products company purchased 90 kW and 45 kW compressors a few years ago to run its plant. The staff had heard that it was not wise to purchase a VSD compressor that was the same size or larger than the base compressors, so the 90 kW unit was selected as the trim VSD […]
I wish I knew how to quit you, old air compressor!
By Ron Marshall The compressor was an old unit made by an excellent manufacturer — it had run without trouble for decades, but times had changed. In recent months, the staff had trouble stemming the air and lubricant leaks that seemed to spring up within hours of a repair. What was worse, over the years […]
What is a pneumatic muffler?
Pneumatic mufflers, also called silencers, safely and quietly vent pressurized air to atmosphere. They are commonly installed on air valves, cylinders, manifolds and fittings. Without a muffler, air exhausting from many types of pneumatic-powered equipment can be so loud as to be detrimental to the surrounding environment and potentially harm workers. Noise results when fast-moving, […]
Can you use air knives to cut compressed air costs?
It is very common to see pipes — or pipe plugs with holes drilled in them — fashioned into a blowing device in industrial plants. These are quick to build, and easy to install, but come at a price on the energy bill, due to the high energy intensity of producing compressed air. These applications […]
Save money by giving your system a checkup
By Ron Marshall A building products manufacturer was running out of air pressure during their production shift and were wanting to upgrade their compressor capacity. Before spending any money on equipment, they called in a compressed air auditor to give an opinion on the size they need. As part of the study the auditor placed […]
Don’t keep leaks a secret!
A leakage test at a mattress making facility was done over one weekend. The facility had no main flow meter, so the testing was done using a flow meter made from a set of calibrated orifices when there was no production. The compressed air auditor did the test, and tallied up the orifices — and […]
New high flow gas pressure regulators
ControlAir LLC has announced the introduction of the Type 1227 and Type 1230 High Flow Gas Pressure Regulators to its gas regulator product offering. The Type 1227 and Type 1230 Gas Pressure Regulators are direct-operated, pressure-reducing regulators suitable for use with compressed air, natural gas, or an assortment of other inert gases. These gas pressure regulators help maintain consistent […]
Why is pressure vessel safety important?
By Ron Marshall The pressure vessel authorities in your state or province have set rules for the installation of pressure vessels. Like most regulations these rules have been put in place because someone has been killed or badly injured in the past by an unplanned explosion caused by a failed pressurized device. Sometimes plants install […]
Compressed air fail: Pressure regulators
By Ron Marshall A newly constructed manufacturing plant had a policy to always install high quality pressure regulators for each one of their thousands of production machines. Each regulator was adjusted to the machine input requirements — and the pressure gauge marked it indicate the allowable range of adjustment. Despite this effort, some production machines […]