Air System Design

Compressed Air System Design 

 The most economical way to have an efficient compressed air system is to start at the beginning. We can help you design a new compressed air system from scratch, redesign an older system to increase efficiency, or redesign expansion systems to fit into existing systems. 

 All manufacturing plants can benefit from having a specialist in compressed air involved during the design phase. 

Often times, engineers who execute plant designs may be great when it comes to general engineering, but are lacking experience in compressed air systems. 

Most design firms don't generally have compressed air specialists on staff because it is a small part of their overall business. However, some very small mistakes related to compressed air system design could result in major losses of time, productivity and efficiency. 

 We are the professionals; measure and troubleshoot compressed air systems every day. We know what works and what does not work. Many of the systems we encounter in the field have problems due to incorrect piping, false pressure signals to the controllers, high-pressure loss, high velocity and turbulence to the system. 

 Any of these problems can lead to thousands of dollars in lost energy. Because we are not aligned with any equipment manufacturer and take no part in the sale of any compressed air equipment, we can assist our customers in evaluating and making honest recommendations for the components that are right for your operation. 

 For more information on compressed air system design services, contact us.

Belt Drive Failure

DO YOU KNOW?

Improper belt maintenance is the leading cause of belt drive failure. Next in line are improper installation, and environmental factors. 

Typical Frame for Rotary Air Compressors.

Top:

The Air End ( Compressor unit )

Bottom:

Main Drive Electric Motor

typical belt tensioner as found installed in small size, Italian made Screw Air Compressors.

Belt Tension

Air Receivers

Air Receivers 

 Every compressed air system needs a receiver, but the receiver alone is not always the answer to energy efficiency in the system. With its dumpy fat cylindrical shape, dull-painted exterior, lack of visible dynamic activity, and frequently hidden location, it's easy to understand why the air receiver usually is the orphan of the plant-air system family. 

There is confusion and controversy over its function, where it should be located, what size it should be, how it should be piped - and whether an air receiver is needed at all.

Air receivers are one of the least understood, yet potentially most useful components available to increase operating efficiency. 

But an air receiver should be an integral part of any plant air system - mainly to enhance its efficiency. 

Here are the classic purposes: 

Contaminant removal - 

A bare receiver (without a pressure regulator or flow controller) adds a large volume to the piping system. This volume reduces air-flow velocity and encourages finely divided particles of liquid lubricant or condensate to drop out of the air stream. 

These separated liquids then can be drained from the receiver, rather than traveling with the compressed air to produce adverse downstream effects. 

  Pulsation dampening - 

A receiver installed near the compressor discharge dampens pressure pulses from positive-displacement compressors (rotary or reciprocating) to a small fraction of their original amplitude. 

This reduces the probability of excess compressor power or shortened service life resulting from rapid recycling of the compressor. 

 Pressure stabilization - 

A receiver combined with a pressure regulator or flow controller can create an effective pressure band or differential between the supply side and the demand side. A typical example: 95 psig in the receiver, 90 psig steady to the system. 

This will allow the demand side to operate at its lowest effective pressure, and therefore lowest volume demand. Stored air with a pressure differential creates volume held in reserve to cover short-term peak demands that exceed current air supply. 

Controlling energy costs 

When industry management began to focus on energy-cost control as a weapon for reducing production costs, energy managers soon realized that compressed air was their most expensive utility. After all, it takes 8 hp of electricity to produce 1 hp of compressed air. 

Air no longer was perceived as free. Its cost should, and could, be managed. Early efforts in compressed-air cost management focused on the obvious - control of leaks and lowering usage. 

Without effective storage, most unloading controls could not establish and hold enough idle time as a percent of running time. 

Nor could they optimize the automatic start/stop control and shut off.