One of the best analogies I’ve heard to explain the importance of monitoring compressed air related to banking. With any bank account there are deposits and withdrawals, and if withdrawals exceed deposits, problems ensue. So, most people/businesses/institutions have systems in place to monitor their banking accounts, ensuring that there is always enough of a balance in the account to cover expenses.
The same is true for a compressed air system. If the demand exceeds the supply, problems ensue…Lowered pressure and force from compressed air driven blow offs, irregular performance within pneumatic circuits of CNC machines, and general decline of any devices on the system all begin to occur when demand exceeds supply. So, this begs the question of how to prevent a mismatch between compressed air demand and available supply.
Enter the Digital Flowmeter. The entire purpose of the Digital Flowmeter is to provide a method to see (in real time or over a specific period of time) what the existing demand is within a compressed air system. This quantifies the “withdrawal” into an output that can be compared to what is produced by the compressor, allowing for analysis and proper balance of the system.
The application photo at the top of this blog shows the DFM being installed to do just that. This unit is being set up to use a USB Data Logger to capture compressed air flows at a customer-chosen time interval. By monitoring their compressed air flow, this customer can optimize their compressed air system (align output of the compressor with demand of the facility), determine whether there are any leaks in the system, and determine the effectiveness of the compressed air which is being used.
It is important to remember that compressed air is the most expensive utility in any industrial facility. Failing to monitor the system is akin to blindly writing checks on your bank account. Proper system performance starts with proper monitoring, which the Digital Flowmeter easily provides.
If you’re interested in learning more about monitoring your compressed air system, contact an EXAIR Application Engineer. We’ll be happy to discuss specifics and options available.
Lee Evans
Application Engineer
LeeEvans@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_LE