Tag: compressor

Basics of Compressors

Published on by johnball2014Leave a comment
Single Stage Portable 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 implies, air compressors are designed to compress air.  Unlike liquids, air is a compressible gas, which means that it can be “squished” into a smaller volume by pressure.  With this stored energy, it can do work for pneumatic systems.

There are two main types of air compressors, positive displacement and dynamic.  The core component of 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 with an impeller like centrifugal air compressors.  This velocity converts to a rise in pressure.

How do they work?  Most air compressors are driven by an electric or gas motor.  The motor spins a shaft to push a piston, turn a rotor, or spin a vane.  At the beginning of the air compressor, we have the intake where a low pressure is generated from the displacement to bring in the surrounding ambient air.  Once trapped, Boyle’s law states that when the volume decreases, the pressure increases.  For the dynamic type, the velocity and design will increase the air pressure.  The higher pressure will then move to a tank to be stored for pneumatic energy.  The amount of power required is dependent on the amount of air that needs to be compressed. 

Compressed air is a clean utility that is used in many 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 a large volume of 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 two 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 for operating 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 a pneumatic device that converts power (using an electric motor, diesel or gasoline engine, etc.) into potential energy stored as pressurized air.  Efficiency in using compressed air is very important.  EXAIR has been manufacturing Intelligent Compressed Air Products since 1983.  We are able to save you money by reducing the amount of compressed air you use.  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.  We even have a Cost Savings Calculator to find the annual savings and payback period; and you will be amazed at how much money can be saved. 

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

Photo: Technical Illustration of a portable single-stage air compressor by Brain S. Elliot.  Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Intelligent Compressed Air®: Compressor Motors And Controls

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

Use of compressed air has gone hand in hand with manufacturing for centuries. From manually operated bellows devices that stoked fires to generate the high temperatures needed for forging metals in ancient times, to the massive steam or oil driven compressors used in the 1800’s on projects like the Mont Cenis Tunnel drills, to the sophisticated electric-powered compressors used widely across modern industry, compressed air has actually been “the fourth utility” longer than the other three (electricity, gas, and water) have been in existence.

Diesel & gas powered compressors offer advantages like higher power ratings, portability, and freedom from reliance on local electric power grids, but most air compressors in industrial use are powered by electric motors. They’re plentiful, reliable, and easily adaptable to a range of control schemes that offer efficient operation across a wide variety of operations.

Which control method is right for you will depend on a number of factors specific to your operation. Here’s a brief run-down that may help you narrow down the selection:

  • Compressors in smaller facilities that supply intermittent loads like air guns, paint sprayers, tire inflators, etc. (like the one shown on the right) are oftentimes controlled via Start/Stop. This turns the compressor motor on and off, in response to a pressure signal. This is the simplest, least expensive method, and is just fine for smaller reciprocating compressors that aren’t adversely affected by cycling on & off.
  • Some compressors ARE adversely affected by Start/Stop control…like rotary screw models. These take a finite amount of time to start back up, which could allow header pressure to drop below usable levels. If they cycle too often, heat from the starting current can build up & overheat the motor. If that’s not bad enough, the screw elements & bearings of the compressor itself are oil lubricated…every time they start up, there’s a finite amount of time where metal-to-metal contact occurs before the oil flow is providing rated lubrication. With Load/Unload control, the motor turns continuously, while a valve on the intake of the compressor is cycled by the compressor discharge pressure: it opens (loads) to build or maintain pressure, and closes (unloads) when rated pressure is achieved. When unloaded, the motor uses about 1/3 of the energy it uses while loaded.
  • While turning down energy use to 1/3 of full load is a great way to cut operating cost while maintaining operational integrity of your compressed air system, and physical integrity of your compressor, it doesn’t necessarily make sense when demand may be low enough to be serviced by existing system storage over long periods of time. That’s where Dual/Auto Dual control comes in. It allows you to select between Start/Stop and Load /Unload control modes.  Automatic Dual Control incorporates an over-run timer, so that the motor is stopped after a certain period of time without a demand. This method is most often used in facilities where different shifts have substantially different compressed air load requirements.

When any of the above control schemes are used, they will necessarily rely on having an adequate storage capacity…the compressor’s receiver, and intermediate storage (like EXAIR’s Model 9500-60 60 Gallon Receiver Tank, shown on right) must be adequately sized (and strategically located) to ensure adequate point-of-use pressures are maintained while the compressor’s motor or intake valve cycle. Other methods use variable controls to “tighten up” the cycle bands…these don’t rely on as much storage volume, and in some (but not all) cases, result in higher energy efficiency:

  • A variation of Load/Unload control, called Modulation, throttles the intake valve instead of opening & closing it, to maintain a specific system pressure. This method is limited in range from 100% to 40% of rated capacity, though, so it’s fairly inefficient in many cases.
  • Slide, spiral, or turn valves are built in to certain compressor designs to control output by a method called Variable Displacement, which (as advertised) changes the physical displacement volume of the air end. When header pressure rises, it sends a signal which repositions the valve progressively, reducing the working length of the rotors. This allows some bypass at the inlet, limiting the volume of air that’s being compressed with each turn of the rotor. Since the inlet pressure & compression ratio remain constant, the power draw from the partial load is considerably lower…so it costs less to operate. The normal operating range for this method is from 100% to 40% of rated capacity, but when used in conjunction with inlet valve Modulation, it’s effective & efficient down to 20% of rated capacity.
  • Of course, the most significant advance in efficient control of rotating industrial equipment since Nikola Tesla invented 3-phase AC is the Variable Speed Drive. When the frequency of the AC power supplied to an electric motor is changed, the speed at which it rotates changes in direct proportion. By applying this type of control to an air compressor, the motor’s speed is continuously controlled to match the air demand. Energy costs can be greatly reduced, as this method allows efficient turn down to as low as 20% of rated capacity.

As mentioned a couple times above, multiple control schemes can be applied, depending on user specific needs. Adding accessories, of course, adds cost to your capital purchase, but discussions with your air compressor dealer will lay out the pros, cons, and return on investment. While we don’t sell, service, or even recommend specific air compressors, EXAIR Corporation is in the business of helping you get the most out of your compressed air system. If you’d like to talk more about it, give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
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Manufacturing’s 4th Utility: Compressed Air System Components

Published on by Tyler DanielLeave a comment

In any manufacturing environment, compressed air is critical to the operation of many processes. You will often hear compressed air referred to as a “4th utility” in a manufacturing environment. The makeup of a compressed air system is usually divided into two primary parts: the supply side and the demand side. The supply side consists of components before and including the pressure/flow controller. The demand side then consists of all the components after the pressure/flow controller.

The first primary component in the system is the air compressor itself. There are two main categories of air compressors: positive-displacement and dynamic. In a positive-displacement type, a given quantity of air is trapped in a compression chamber. The volume of which it occupies is mechanically reduced (squished), causing a corresponding rise in pressure. In a dynamic compressor, velocity energy is imparted to continuously flowing air by a means of impellers rotating at a very high speed. The velocity energy is then converted into pressure energy.

Still on the supply side, but installed after the compressor, are aftercoolers, and compressed air dryers. An aftercooler is designed to cool the air down upon exiting from the compressor. During the compression, heat is generated that carries into the air supply. An aftercooler uses a fan to blow ambient air across coils to lower the compressed air temperature.

When air leaves the aftercooler, it is typically saturated since atmospheric air contains moisture. In higher temperatures, the air is capable of holding even more moisture. When this air is then cooled, it can no longer contain all of that moisture and is lost as condensation. The temperature at which the moisture can no longer be held is referred to as the dewpoint. Dryers are installed in the system to remove unwanted moisture from the air supply. Types of dryers available include: refrigerant dryers, desiccant dryers, and membrane dryers.

Also downstream of the compressor are filters used to remove particulate, condensate, and lubricant. Desiccant and deliquescent-type dryers require a pre-filter to protect the drying media from contamination that can quickly render it useless. A refrigerant-type dryer may not require a filter before/after, but any processes or components downstream can be impacted by contaminants in the compressed air system.

Moving on to the demand side, we have the distribution system made up of a network of compressed air piping, receiver tanks when necessary, and point of use filters/regulators. Compressed air piping is commonly available as schedule 40 steel pipe, copper pipe, and aluminum pipe. Some composite plastics are available as well, however PVC should NEVER be used for compressed air as some lubricants present in the air can act as a solvent and degrade the pipe over time.

Receiver tanks are installed in the distribution system to provide a source of compressed air close to the point of use, rather than relying on the output of the compressor. The receiver tank acts as a “battery” for the system, storing compressed air energy to be used in periods of peak demand. This helps to maintain a stable compressed air pressure. It improves the overall performance of the system and helps to prevent pressure drop.

Finally, we move on to the point-of-use. While particulate and oil removal filters may be installed at the compressor output, it is still often required to install secondary filtration immediately at the point-of-use to remove any residual debris, particulate, and oil. Receiver tanks and old piping are both notorious for delivering contaminants downstream, after the initial filters.

Regulator and filter

In any application necessitating the use of compressed air, pressure should be controlled to minimize the air consumption at the point of use. Pressure regulators are available to control the air pressure within the system and throttle the appropriate supply of air to any pneumatic device. While one advantage of a pressure regulator is certainly maintaining consistent pressure to your compressed air devices, using them to minimize your pressure can result in dramatic savings to your costs of compressed air. As pressure and flow are directly related, lowering the pressure supplied results in less compressed air usage.

EXAIR manufactures a wide variety of products utilizing this compressed air to help you with your process problems. If you’d like to discuss your compressed air system, or have an application that necessitates an Intelligent Compressed Air Product, give us a call.

Tyler Daniel, CCASS

Application Engineer
E-mail: TylerDaniel@EXAIR.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_TD

Compressor Image courtesy of Compressor1 via Creative Commons License

Intelligent Compressed Air®: Common Compressor Room Mistakes, And How To Avoid Them

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

While we don’t sell, install, or service air compressors, EXAIR Intelligent Compressed Air Products run on compressed air, so helping you get the most out of your compressed air system is important to us. Today, we’re starting where it all begins: the compressor room.

Some of the mistakes that are commonly made in the compressor room are by design, and others are operational. My colleague Tyler Daniel wrote a great blog on design considerations recently, so I’m going to focus on the operational aspects, which include maintenance…and maybe some minor design stuff:

  • Poor ventilation: Air compressors get hot. They’ve got a lot of moving parts, and many of those parts are moving under a great amount of force (pressure is literally defined as force per unit area), and at a high rate of speed. Add in the heat of compression (it takes energy to compress air, and that energy has to go somewhere, something another colleague, John Ball, explains here), to all that friction and you come up with a TREMENDOUS amount of heat. An industry thumbrule, in fact, states that over 2500 Btu/hr of heat is generated, PER HORSEPOWER, by a typical industrial air compressor. If the compressor room isn’t big enough, you’ll need an exhaust fan capable of removing all that heat.
  • Lack of filtration: Take a good, full breath in through your nose, right now. Did you smell anything unpleasant or irritating? I hope not…clean air is a “must” for your lungs (and the rest of your body), and the same is true for your air compressor (and the rest of your compressed air system). Keeping up with the maintenance on the intake filter is literally “starting where it all begins”…from the 1st paragraph.
  • Not removing moisture: Water & water vapor will have an adverse effect on many components of your compressed air system: it’ll cause rust in iron pipes, damage the seals in air cylinders, motors, tools, etc., and if you use it for blow off or conveying, it’ll contaminate your product. We’ve written…again and again…about the importance of dryers, and which type might be best for you.
  • Tolerating leaks: The compressor room is loud, so leaks are going to be pretty big before you can hear them. And to add insult to injury, the vibration of a running compressor makes the compressor room a prime location for them to occur. Even one small leak that you couldn’t hear in a quieter area will cost you over $100 over the course of the year, and maybe only take minutes to fix. Good news is, even if you can’t hear them, they ALL make an ultrasonic signature, and we’ve got something for that.
EXAIR Model 9061 Ultrasonic Leak Detector “finds them all, big or small!”
  • Ignoring maintenance. If you don’t schedule planned maintenance, your equipment will schedule corrective maintenance for you…oftentimes at greater expense, and with no regard to your schedule.
    • Moving metal parts that make metal-to-metal contact (or that have very tight spacing tolerances) HAVE to be lubricated properly. If you run low on oil, or let it get dirty or emulsified, severe damage will follow. Keeping an eye on the oil level, and changing it (and the filter) at the manufacturer’s recommended intervals, is critical.
    • Emulsified or otherwise contaminated oil can damage seals, gaskets, and o-rings. That’s obviously a big problem for the compressor, and when it carries over into the header, it’s a big problem for pneumatic cylinders & tools as well. Periodic sampling & analysis of your oil can provide timely notice of issues that can be corrected before they become catastrophic failures.
    • Depending on the type of compressor, and its drive system, the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations may also include:
      • Checking coupling or belt alignment of the drive.
      • Checking bolts for loosening due to vibration (a “necessary evil”, especially with reciprocating compressors).
      • Adjusting the pistons to maintain valve plate clearance.
      • Tightening or replacing the mounts & vibration pads.

If you’d like to find out more about how EXAIR Corporation can help you get the most out of your compressed air system, give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
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Image courtesy of PEO ACWA Some rights reserved Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)