Tag: air compressor

Intelligent Compressed Air: Double-Acting Reciprocating Compressor

Published on by Tyler DanielLeave a comment

Evaluating all of the different types of compressors and which is right for you can seem like a daunting task. Today, I’d like to take some time to talk about the Double-Acting Reciprocating type of air compressor.

double acting compressor
Cut-out of a double-acting reciprocating compressor

Double-Acting Reciprocating compressors are a subset of the larger family of positive displacement compressor types. In positive displacement compressors, air is drawn into a chamber where the volume is then mechanically reduced. The energy used to displace the air volume is converted to an increase in air pressure. Dynamic compressors operate a little differently. They utilize an increase in air velocity to create the change in pressure. Air is accelerated to a high velocity through an impeller. The kinetic energy of the air is converted to an increase in potential (pressure) energy.

The Double-Acting Reciprocating compressor is a close relative to the Single-Acting Reciprocating compressor. In these types of compressors, an “automotive-type” piston driven by a crankshaft provides the compression. In a Double-Acting Reciprocating compressor, air is compressed as the piston moves in each direction. Hence the name, “double-acting”. In a Single-Acting Reciprocating compressor, air is only compressed on each full revolution of the piston. This makes the Double-Acting Reciprocating compressor much more efficient than its brethren.

Double Acting Recip
Double Acting Reciprocating Air Compressor

Double-Acting Reciprocating compressors are also available in much larger sizes. While Single-Acting compressors can be found up to 150HP, generally they’re much less common any larger than 25HP. Whereas a Double-Acting compressor is available from 10HP-1,000HP, making it a better choice for larger plants that require a significantly greater volume of compressed air. While they’re a bit more expensive due to the added mechanisms to produce the double-action compression, this cost is quickly offset by the increase in efficiency. At a performance of 15-16 kW/100 cfm, they’re 32% more efficient than a single-acting reciprocating compressor.

If you’re in the market for a new compressor and are struggling to determine the most suitable compressor, talk with your local compressor sales representative. Once you’re up an running, EXAIR has a wide-range of products that’ll make sure you’re using your compressed air safely and efficiently!

Tyler Daniel
Application Engineer
E-mail: TylerDaniel@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_TD
Image courtesy of Best Practices for Compressed Air Systems – second edition

 

General Good Ideas For The Compressor Room

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When considering your compressor room all too often the phrase applies “out of sight and out of mind”.  Of course, we all know that is not a good approach to the compressor room or really anything in life.  Unfortunately, many of us take for granted that very system that delivers the power to keep our machines, equipment and tools operating.

Air Compressor
Compressor Room Located Outdoors

So, what can we do keep the ‘lungs” of our plants performing reliably and efficiently?  Since this Blog is about “General Good Ideas For The Compressor Room”, I have some points below for your consideration.

  • Ideally the compressor room should be centrally located to minimize the length of the pipes and allows for easier noise control. With long piping runs leaks become more likely and frictional losses are increased.
  • The compressor room should be sized to allow for easy maintenance and future expansion.
  • For efficient operation air compressors need clean intake air. Intake air that is dusty, dirty or contains gaseous contamination will reduce the efficiency and possibly the longevity of your equipment.
  • The compressor room needs adequate ventilation since air compressors generate significant heat. If excessive heat is allowed to build up it reduces the efficiency of the air compressor raising utility costs, causes compressor lubricant to break down prematurely that could possibly result in increased maintenance and compressor failure.
  • What is the velocity of the air through the main headers? If the speed is above 1200 FPM many dryers have reduced efficiency and speeds greater than this can also carry moisture past the drainage drop legs.
  • Excess friction caused by too small of a diameter piping creates pressure loss, which reduces efficiency and if the compressor is ran above its pressure rating to overcome the frictional losses increases energy consumption, maintenance costs and down time.

Now that your compressor room is shipshape in Bristol fashion, you might think that all is well.  While that may be true, chances are there are other significant additional savings to be had.  EXAIR specializes in point of use compressed air products that are highly efficient and quiet!  If you have any blow-offs that are open tube or howl as loud as the ghost of Christmas yet to come, check out EXAIR’s Super Air Nozzles.  They are highly efficient and quiet, in fact they meet OSHA Standard 29 CFR – 1941.95 for maximum allowable noise and OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.242 (b) for higher than 30 PSIG blow-off pressure.  All of EXAIR’s compressed air products are engineered to minimize compressed air consumption and take advantage of the Coanda effect.  Simply stated EXAIR’s highly engineered, intelligent designs entrain (combine) ambient air with the compressed air supply which saves you money!

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EXAIR Super Air Nozzle entrainment

EXAIR also offers the Ultra Sonic Leak Detector.  Simply point the device at a suspected leak which are typically found at unions, pipes, valves and fittings from up to 20’ away.   Plants that are not maintaining their plumbing can waste up to 30% of their compressors output through undetected leaks.

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EXAIR Ultra Sonic Leak Detector

EXAIR has a complete optimization product line that the Ultra Sonic Leak Detector is in that includes the Electronic Flow Control, Digital Flowmeter’s and a Digital Sound Level Meter.  All designed to either increase the safety or efficiency of your compressed air usage.

EXAIR has 15 other product lines all designed to increase your process efficiency and save you money by using you compressed air supply efficiently.  Why not visit the EXAIR website or call and request a free catalog?

When you are looking for expert advice on safe, quiet and efficient point of use compressed air products give us a call.   We would enjoy hearing from you!

Steve Harrison
Application Engineer
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Image taken from the Best Practices for Compressed Air Systems Handbook, 2nd Edition

What is an Air Compressor?

Published on by John BallLeave a comment
Internals of an air compressor

What is an air compressor?  This may seem like a simple question, but it is the heartbeat for most industries.  So, let’s dive into the requirements, myths, and types of air compressors that are commonly used.  Like the name states, air compressors are designed to compress air.  Unlike liquid, air is compressible which means that it can be “squished” into a smaller volume by pressure.  With this stored energy, it can do work for your pneumatic system.

There are two types of air compressors, positive displacement and dynamic.  The core component for most air compressors is an electric motor that spins a shaft.  Positive displacement uses the energy from the motor and the shaft to change volume in an area, like a piston in a reciprocating air compressor or like rotors in a rotary air compressor.  The dynamic types use the energy from the motor and the shaft to create a velocity energy with an impeller.  (You can read more about types of air compressors HERE).

Compressed air is a clean utility that is used in many different ways, and it is much safer than electrical or hydraulic systems.  But most people think that compressed air is free, and it is most certainly not.  Because of the expense, compressed air is considered to be a fourth utility in manufacturing plants.  For an electrical motor to reduce a volume of air by compressing it.  It takes roughly 1 horsepower (746 watts) of power to compress 4 cubic feet (113L) of air every minute to 125 PSI (8.5 bar).  With almost every manufacturing plant in the world utilizing air compressors much larger than 1 horsepower, the amount of energy needed to compress air is extraordinary.

Let’s determine the energy cost to operate an air compressor to make compressed air by Equation 1:

Equation 1:

Cost = hp * 0.746 * hours * rate / (motor efficiency)

where:

Cost – US$

hp – horsepower of motor

0.746 – conversion KW/hp

hours – running time

rate – cost for electricity, US$/KWh

motor efficiency – average for an electric motor is 95%.

As an example, a manufacturing plant operates a 100 HP air compressor in their facility.  The cycle time for the air compressor is roughly 60%.  To calculate the hours of running time per year, I used 250 days/year at 16 hours/day for shifts.  So operating hours equal 250 * 16 * 0.60 = 2,400 hours per year.  The electrical rate at this facility is $0.10/KWh. With these factors, the annual cost to operate the air compressor can be calculated by Equation 1:

Cost = 100hp * 0.746 KW/hp * 2,400hr * $0.10/KWh / 0.95 = $18,846 per year in just electrical costs.

So, what is an air compressor?  The answer is an expensive system to compress air to operate pneumatic systems.  So, efficiency in using compressed air is very important.  EXAIR has been manufacturing Intelligent Compressed Air Products since 1983.  If you need alternative ways to save money when you are using your air compressor, an Application Engineer at EXAIR will be happy to help you.

John Ball
Application Engineer
Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb

 

Compressor internals image courtesy of h080, Creative Commons License.

How to Calculate SCFM (Volume) When Operating at Any Pressure

Published on by exaircorpLeave a comment

If you need to operate at a different pressure because you require less or more force or simply operate at a different line pressure, this formula will allow you to determine the volume of air being consumed by any device.

Volume Formula

Using the EXAIR 1100 Super Air Nozzle as our example:

1100

Lets first consider the volume of the 1100 Super Air Nozzle at a higher than published pressure.  As shown in the formula and calculations it is simply the ratio of gauge pressure + atmospheric divided by the published pressure + atmospheric and then multiply the dividend by the published volume.  So as we do the math we solve for 17.69 SCFM @ 105 PSIG from a device that was  shown consume 14 SCFM @ 80 PSIG.

higher

Now lets consider the volume at a lower than published pressure.  As shown it is simply the ratio of gauge pressure + atmospheric divided by the published pressure + atmospheric and then multiply the dividend by the published volume.  So as we do the math we solve for 11.04 SCFM @ 60 PSIG from a device that was shown to consume 14 SCFM @ 80 PSIG.

lower

When you are looking for expert advice on safe, quiet and efficient point of use compressed air products give us a call.  Experience the EXAIR difference first hand and receive the great customer service, products and attention you deserve!  We would enjoy hearing from you.

Application Engineer
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