Nearly every manufacturing facility uses compressed air. And all share the challenge of keeping compressed air systems running efficiently and reliably. Depending on the industry (e.g., automotive, consumer goods, mining, etc.), the compressed air system accounts for 10-50% of a plant’s energy usage and is as essential to uptime as electricity. But compressors are inherently […]
Components
Why does my compressed air quality go down in summer?
Are you spending your summer struggling with the quality of your compressed air, with stinky, rusty water pouring out of your pipes? When it comes to air quality, the hot summer months are the most challenging time for most compressed air systems, and to avoid problems, you need to plan for the worst-case scenario. Typically, […]
Compressed air fail: You forgot one thing
A meat processing company air upgraded its compressed air system to increase capacity and reduce energy consumption. They installed large, premium efficiency VSD compressors, a smart compressor controller, efficient filters, large storage, and heated blower desiccant dryers connected with oversized compressor room piping — all in an effort to reduce pressure loss. The maintenance workers […]
Five excellent compressed air knowledge resources to know
These resources cover a range of topics, from system optimization to maintenance practices and measurement techniques. They can provide valuable guidance for improving the efficiency and performance of compressed air systems in various industrial settings. 1. “Improving Compressed Air System Performance: A Sourcebook for Industry” by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE): This valuable sourcebook […]
What type of miniature pneumatics technologies are available?
In the realm of fluid power engineering and manufacturing, innovation knows no bounds. The advent of miniature pneumatics has ushered in a new era of precision and efficiency, enabling a wide range of industries to benefit from compact and surprisingly powerful pneumatic systems. These miniaturized marvels have found their way into various sectors, using low […]
Why is compressor lubricant important?
The lubricated screw air compressors are the most common type in the industrial environment, helping power critical operations in various sectors. Maintaining the quality of your compressor lubricant is very important if you want trouble-free operation. Let’s examine the significance of maintaining high lubricant quality for a lubricated screw air compressor — and its overall […]
How do you check your compressed air storage size?
A very important element of any compressed air system is the system storage volume. But how much do you need? Is your storage capacity big enough? Sufficient system storage is important to the efficiency of a compressed air system because it allows for easier compressor control. Having a large volume connected to your compressors slows […]
When is it time to retire an air compressor?
When is it time to retire a compressor? Your old unit may have served you very well over the last few decades, reliably providing a seemingly endless supply of compressed air. Some units, like the unit in Fig. 1, have been around so long that they have almost become part the family. This design is […]
These new flexible, modular, high-pressure air compressors are gas-tight
Sauer Compressors offers a new series of high-pressure compressors for industrial applications. The Sauer Orkan series is now available in the first four standard types. They are suitable for the compression of many gases and a wide variety of applications. A newly developed magnetic coupling makes the compressors hermetically gas-tight. When developing the Sauer Orkan […]
Compressed air fail: OSHA blow gun regulations
Despite being in force since the early 1990s, compressed air auditors frequently run across compressed air safety hazards when studying their client’s sites. Fig. 1 is a common example where blow guns installed for cleaning have been modified by machine shop personnel. This gun, if the tip is blocked, will deliver over 100 psi to […]