Category: Super Air Nozzle

Comparing and Combining Sound Levels

Published on by Al WooffittLeave a comment

Sound levels are an important safety consideration in most industrial facilities. OSHA has guidelines on allowable noise levels and exposure, covered in OSHA Standard 29CFR – 1910.95 (a). Sound levels are measured in decibels, or dB. It makes sense that a higher decibel value means a louder sound (as illustrated in the graphic below). What is not intuitive is how multiple sound levels interact and combine, or how they compare to one another.

The first thing to understand about sound levels is that they aren’t measured on a linear scale. Instead, they’re measured on a logarithmic scale. This can really throw off our intuition. For instance, a sound at 20dB is actually 10 times stronger than one at 10dB, and a sound at 30dB is 100 times stronger than 10dB. If it were a linear scale, 20dB and 30dB would only be 2 and 3 times stronger than 10dB, similar to how mass works—like 20kg being double the mass of 10kg.

You can see why this is the case with the formula for calculating sound levels, which is as follows:

It’s important to note that the sound pressure levels calculated using this formula are unweighted. To really grasp how loud something will seem to us, we have to consider how our ears pick up various frequencies. This means that low and extremely high frequencies are given less weight than on the standard decibel scale. This adjusted measurement is referred to as dBA. You can check out some typical sounds and their dBA levels in the chart below:

Because of this logarithmic scale, combining two sounds can be pretty counter-intuitive too. Our Model 1100 Super Air Nozzle generates a sound level of 74 dBA, but when you place two of them side by side, the sound level jumps to 78 dBA (and not 148dBA). This is determined using the formula below:

The specifics of this calculation are explained in this blog here, but OHSA provides a quick and easy way to calculate, as shown in the table below:

To see if you need to tackle the noise levels in your facility, you should start by taking a baseline measurement of the different processes and devices that are making the noise. EXAIR’s Sound Level Meter, Model 9104, is here to help. It’s super user-friendly and gives you a digital readout of the sound level (no need to deal with logarithms!).

If you would like to discuss sound levels in your facility, or any of your other compressed air needs, give us a call!

Al Wooffitt
Application Engineer

Send me an Email
Find us on the Web
Like us on Facebook
Twitter: @EXAIR_AW

Let’s Build A Blowoff System!

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

EXAIR makes a wide variety of Intelligent Compressed Air Products that can be used for blowoff applications. The first step is to consider what size, and shape, the airflow pattern needs to be. If it’s a smooth, flat surface, our Air Knives are ideal for that. If a more directed, focused stream of air is required, we have Air Nozzles, Air Jets, and Air Amplifiers. And if it’s for statically charged debris, we can put Ionizers on Air Knives (Super Ion Air Knives), Air Nozzles (Intellistat Ion Air Nozzles), Air Jets (Gen4 Ion Air Jets) and Air Amplifiers (Gen4 Ion Air Cannons.)

If you navigate the EXAIR website to our Blowoff Kits, you’ll see that we can provide a number of our quiet, safe, and efficient Air Nozzles with Magnetic Bases and/or Stay Set Hoses for a quick & easy Blowoff System. In addition to the half dozen or so systems that are specifically called out, you can also put together your own setup that best suits your application. Here’s how:

Example: Model 1100-9412 is two Super Air Nozzles on a Dual Outlet Magnetic Base with 12″ Stay Set Hoses.

If you’d like to discuss a blowoff application – regardless of size or shape – give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
Visit us on the Web
Follow me on Twitter
Like us on Facebook

Who Wants to Save on Compressed Air?

Published on by Al WooffittLeave a comment

At EXAIR we pride ourselves on helping our customers optimize their compressed air usage. Our intelligent compressed air products are engineered to be quiet and efficient, saving you on compressed air consumption. This is just one of the six steps that we recommend in order to optimize your compressed air system.

The first step we would recommend is to measure your air consumption. If you are going to attempt to reduce air consumption in your facility, it is necessary to know what is using it. If you know the consumption of your compressed air-operated products, you can make note of this. A more comprehensive solution would be to install some of our Digital Flowmeters in branch lines in your facility. The flow data provided by this will help you narrow down the high consumption areas and processes.

The second step we would suggest is to find and fix leaks. Our Ultrasonic Leak Detector is perfect for this. According to the Compressed Air and Gas Institute, leaks should not exceed 5-10% of your system’s air supply (we would obviously want 0%, but realistically this is unachievable). However, it is not uncommon to see leaks account for over 30% of many facilities’ compressed air supply being lost through leakage. That’s a potential for a 25% gain in compressed air supply!

The third step would be to upgrade your blowoff, cooling and drying operations using engineered compressed air products. All of EXAIR’s products, like our Super Air Knives, or Super Air Nozzles, are designed with efficiency in mind. Upgrading to an efficient EXAIR product is going to reduce your consumption, sometimes dramatically so!

The fourth step is to turn off your compressed air when not in use. This may sound obvious, but it is not uncommon for compressed air products to be left running continuously. We offer many solutions here, from a simple ball valve (found in many of our Drum Vac Kits), to a solenoid valve (found in our Cabinet Cooler Systems), to our Electronic Flow Controllers – combining a solenoid valve and photoelectric sensor.

The fifth step would be to use intermediate storage near the point of use. If you are controlling your compressed air usage through the use of valves and controls, then your consumption won’t be constant. This fluctuation in demand can be evened out with the use of secondary storage, like our Model 9500-60 Receiver Tank. This will ensure you have the volume and pressure when and where you need it.

Finally, our sixth step is to control the operating pressure. More specifically, to reduce the pressure to the minimum required to get the job done. Simply installing a pressure regulator at the point of use will lead to big savings.

If you would like to start optimizing your compressed air system, then give me a call!

Al Wooffitt
Application Engineer

Send me an Email
Find us on the Web
Like us on Facebook
Twitter: @EXAIR_AW

How One Customer Improved Safety and Reduced Noise with a Simple Retrofit

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

I recently had the opportunity to help a customer facing some serious concerns about their compressed air usage. They had just completed a safety audit conducted by a third-party firm, and one of the main issues identified was the use of handheld blow guns throughout their production floor.

“Thumb guns” are especially popular for blowoff because of their compact size, ergonomic design. and low price.

Even though the tools in question were commercially available and marketed as having “safety tips,” the auditors recorded noise levels exceeding 90 dBA—well above the acceptable threshold. The audit team explained that to maintain a safe work environment, noise levels needed to stay below 84 dBA, and the simplest way to get there was to address the blow guns being used.

That’s when the customer turned to us for help.

We discussed the application in detail, and it quickly became clear that EXAIR’s Model 1100 Super Air Nozzle would be a great fit. Not only does it significantly reduce noise levels—down to 74 dBA—but it also meets OSHA’s 30 PSI dead-end pressure requirement, ensuring operator safety in the event of a blocked nozzle.

This customer wasn’t focused on maximizing air output or performance—they simply wanted to make their environment safer for their team. What made this installation even better was the unexpected benefit: while addressing the safety concerns, it also reduced compressed air consumption. A win-win.

It’s always rewarding when we can help customers meet compliance goals and improve safety, but it’s even better when we can go beyond their expectations and help them uncover savings they weren’t even looking for.

Free testing. Verifiable data. EXAIR Efficiency Lab.

If you’re dealing with high noise levels or safety compliance issues around your compressed air applications, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our team is ready to help you find a solution that protects our people, meets regulations, and improves overall efficiency through the EXAIR Efficiency Lab.

Brian Farno, MBA – CCASS
National Business Development Manager

BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF