It seems bizarre, but it is possible to make vacuum with compressed air. Vacuum eductors, sometimes called ejectors, or venturi use a flow of compress through a specialized nozzle to create vacuum without a mechanical vacuum pump. The process in its simplest form uses no moving parts, so it is very reliable. It is also […]
Air Preparation
Subfreezing dryer delivers Class 3 air with new refrigeration technology
Ingersoll Rand has introduced what it is calling a new breakthrough dryer technology, the Subfreezing Dryer. By incorporating its 146 years of engineering expertise and heritage, Ingersoll Rand has designed a dryer that is the first of its kind — dryer that provides –4° F pressure dew point at 70% lower energy costs and 40% […]
How do you meter your compressed air?
A plastics manufacturer installed a new cutting edge variable speed drive lubricant free compressor during their plant expansion. Rather than using a heatless desiccant dryer, the unit was purchased with an efficient heat of compression dryer estimated to save thousands of dollars in lost purge. As part of the project, the power utility promised a […]
Compressed air fail: Purifier duty
An automotive factory produces high quality vehicles, requiring top- notch, blemish-free finish on their very expensive product. In their final assembly building is a touch up paint booth, where workers occasionally use fume hoods supplied with compressed breathing air. To supply pure compressed air that is free from the carbon monoxide that might be drawn […]
Coalescing filter/regulator combo removes liquid aerosols and particles
ControlAir Inc. has introduced the new type FA10 coalescing filter and the type FA12 filter regulator/coalescing filter combo. The type FA10 coalescing filter is specifically designed to remove liquid aerosols and sub-micron particles from compressed air. The type FA12 filter regulator with Coalescing Filter combines the coalescing filter with a high performance filter regulator in […]
Festo features sanitary pneumatic design solutions at Pack Expo
At Pack Expo September 23 to 25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Festo will be showing pneumatic and electric products compliant with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) guidelines on safely processing, holding, and packaging food. Visit Festo at Pack Expo Booth LS-6349 to see these technologies in person. It is vital that compressed […]
Compressed air fail: Brute force method
A production supervisor was making his rounds one day when he gingerly stepped around a key conveyor belt. At the end of the belt, some water was being thrown off the belt surface and formed a puddle on the floor, causing a slip hazard. Not noticing the danger, the supervisor fell on his butt in front […]
Why is cycle time and efficiency so important with compressed air?
A good check to determine if your oil injected rotary screw compressor is running efficiently is to do a timer test of the load/unload cycles. A rapidly cycling compressor — one that loads and unloads in a cycle that last less than a minute — is inefficient. A best case compressor would be one that […]
Compressed air fail: Check your data
A compressed air expert was asked to help with some calculations of a base case for a potential project. The compressor supplier provided a free compressed air assessment where the inlet flow of the compressor was logged with an anemometer, rather than measuring the output of the compressor discharge. The data showed fairly low flow […]
Compressed air fail: Air mixer
A metal products manufacturer was using a water-based paint to provide a corrosion-proof coating on their products. The paint was previously solvent based, so the plant staff decided to install a compressed air mixer to prevent any risk of explosion. But air mixers were expensive, so the maintenance personnel simply installed a compressed air powered […]