Tag: pressure drop

Compressed Air Pipe

Intelligent Compressed Air: Distribution System Design

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

No matter what kind of compressor you have, or what you use compressed air for, a critical part of your system is the distribution system. My neighbor has a 5HP reciprocating compressor that sits on top of a 50 gallon tank in his garage. Unlike me, he LIKES working on cars, and has a variety of pneumatic tools, and a really nice air operated paint sprayer that he can make a car look brand new with. Anyway, his “distribution system” is a 1/2″ rubber air hose with a quick connect on the end. And that works just fine for him.

On the other end of the compressed-air-system-complexity spectrum, a large manufacturing facility may have a few (or more) compressors, and they may not even be in the same room. Today, we’re going to look at the factors that affect distribution design, and some of the “pros and cons” of those designs.

The two main types of supply systems…centralized (where there’s one single compressor room), and de-centralized (where individual compressors are located throughout the facility). There are advantages, and disadvantages to both as far as maintenance, number of operators required, controls, utilities, and noise reduction go. The main impact of these on the distribution and storage layout falls largely on distribution design. Supply headers have to be adequately sized, and plumbed, to get sufficient air flow to the farthest usage points from a centralized compressor room. Inadequate initial design, or adding load without considering flow capacity to service added load, can lead to increasing compressor discharge pressure to keep point of use pressure at the required level. De-centralized systems aren’t usually as affected…because they’re closer to their points of use by design, there’s less pressure loss through the distribution lines.

Whether the supply side is centralized or de-centralized, the advantages & disadvantages of different distribution piping layouts are similar in nature. Let’s look at a Loop design:

In this design, the compressors feed a complete loop of piping, with drops at points of use.

Since compressed air loses pressure due to friction as it flows through the distribution piping, it’s always important to design for the distance from the compressor, to the point of use, to be as short as possible. A Loop design facilitates this by allowing the air to reach any point of use from two directions…by definition, the farthest that the air has to travel is half the total length of the piping.

The other basic style of distribution layout is called “Trunk & Branch”:

In this design, the “trunk” (the horizontal line) feeds a series of “branches” (the vertical lines) to various points of use.

If the distance from the compressor(s) to the farthest point of use isn’t excessively long, a Trunk & Branch system is a lower cost alternative, because it uses less pipe. Keep in mind that line loss will necessarily create a pressure drop that steadily increases, the farther it gets from the compressor. If that means you have to use larger pipe, your installation & materials costs start to creep right back up. The larger the facility, the more sense it makes to consider a Loop design. Alternately, a de-centralized compressor layout can minimize line loss in a Trunk & Branch design too. Locating a compressor on the right-hand side of the sketch above, for example, will effectively give you the major benefit of a Loop design: allowing air to reach any point of use from both directions.

At EXAIR, our mission is to help you get the most out of our products, and your compressed air system. If you have questions, we’ve got answers – give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
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Compressed Air Distribution System, Keeping Pressure Drop to a Minimum

Published on by johnball2014Leave a comment

Compressed air is used to operate pneumatic systems within a facility, and it can be separated into three categories; the supply side, the demand side, and the distribution system.  The supply side is the air compressor, after-cooler, dryer, and receiver tank that produce and treat the compressed air.  They are generally located in a compressor room somewhere in the corner of the plant.  The demand side is the collection of devices that will use that compressed air to do “work”.  These pneumatic components are generally scattered throughout the facility.  To connect the supply side to the demand side, a compressed air distribution system is required.  Distribution systems are pipes which carry the compressed air from the compressor to the pneumatic devices.  For a sound compressed air system, the three sections have to work together to make an effective and efficient system.

An analogy that I like to use is to compare the compressed air system to an electrical system.  The air compressor would be considered the voltage source, and the pneumatic devices would be marked as light bulbs.  To connect the light bulbs to the voltage source, electrical wires are needed which will represent the distribution system.  If the gauge of the wire is too small to supply the light bulbs, the wire will heat up and a voltage drop will occur.  This heat is given off as wasted energy, and the light bulbs will be dim.  The same thing happens within a compressed air system.  If the piping size is too small, a pressure drop will occur.  This is also wasted energy.  In both types of systems, wasted energy is wasted money.  One of the largest systematic problems with compressed air systems is pressure drop.  If too large of a pressure loss occurs, the pneumatic equipment will not have enough power to operate effectively and efficiently.  As shown in the illustration below, you can see how the pressure decreases from the supply side to the demand side.  With a properly designed distribution system, energy can be saved; and, in referencing my analogy above, it will keep the lights on.

Pressure Drop Chart

To optimize the compressed air system, we need to reduce the amount of wasted energy.  This can be caused from leaks or pressure drop.   Leaks can be hidden and are typically located at connections within the distribution system.  In a poorly maintained system, a study found that 30% of the compressor capacity is lost through air leaks on average.  Even though leaks are the “silent killer” to a compressed air system, they can be found with the Ultrasonic Leak Detector. 

Pressure drop is more of a wide range issue.  It is based on restrictions, obstructions, and piping surface.  Out of these, restrictions are the most common types of pressure drops. The air flow is forced into small areas, causing high velocities.  The high velocity creates turbulent flow which increases the losses in air pressure.  Flow within the pipe is directly related to the velocity times the square of the diameter.  So, if you cut the I.D. of the pipe by one-half, the flow rating will be reduced by 25% of the original rating.  Restriction type of pressure drop can be found in different forms like small diameter pipes or tubing; restrictive fittings like quick disconnects and needle valves, and undersized filters, regulators and valves.

As a rule, air velocities will determine the correct pipe size for the distribution system.  It is beneficial to oversize the pipe to accommodate for any expansions in the future.  For header pipes, the velocities should not be more than 20 feet/sec (6 meter/sec).  For the distribution lines, the velocities should not exceed 30 feet/sec (9 meter/sec).  In following these simple rules, the distribution system can effectively supply the necessary compressed air from the supply side to the demand side.

To have a properly designed distribution system, the pressure drop should be less than 10% from the reservoir tank to the point-of-use.  By following the tips above, you can have the supply side, demand side, and distribution system working at peak efficiency.  If you would like to reduce waste even more, EXAIR offers a variety of efficient, safe, and effective compressed air products to fit within the demand side.  This will include the EXAIR Super Air Knives, Super Air Nozzles, and Safety Air Guns.  This would be the pneumatic equivalent of changing those incandescent light bulbs into LED light bulbs.  If you wish to go further in optimizing your system, an Application Engineer at EXAIR will be happy to help you. 

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

Photo:  Lightbulb by qimono.  Pixabay Licence

Pressure Drop Chart by Compressed Air Challenge Organization.

Intelligent Compressed Air: Piping and Pressure Drop

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

Pressure drop is an unavoidable occurrence in compressed air systems. It’s caused by restrictions or obstructions to flow in your system, and that includes…well, everything:

  • No matter how big your header, drops, supply lines, etc. are, pressurized fluid encounters friction with the inside diameter of the conduit through which it flows.
  • Odds are, your header has at least a few elbows, wyes, tees, reducers, etc. Individually, the restrictions from these are usually quite small, but when you look at a system full of them, they can add up.
  • The type of piping your header is made of matters as well. Iron pipe WILL rust, which roughs up the inside wall of the pipe, which adds friction. Copper and aluminum aren’t near as bad, but there’s no such thing as a zero coefficient of friction.
  • Filters force the air flow through very small passages, torturous paths, or directional changes to remove particulates, moisture, and oil/oil vapor.
  • While not a restriction or obstruction, leaks in your system DO let out perfectly good compressed air before it can be used, so they can be included in our discussion.

Before you go off and redesign your air distribution header or remove your filters (DON’T do that!), it’s important to point that, historically, the highest pressure drops occur at or near the points of use:

  • Undersized hoses. The friction mentioned in the first ‘bullet’ above is compounded by increasing length, and decreasing diameter, of your air operated products’ supply lines. If your product’s performance is suffering, look up its rated air consumption and compare that to the flow rating of the length & diameter of the supply line.
  • Quick connect fittings. The push-to-connect types are particularly notorious for this…the air has to flow around the plug that stops flow when it’s disconnected. You can either replace them with threaded fittings, or if you still want the convenience of the quick connect, consider bushing up a size or two. A 3/8 NPT push to connect fitting will flow twice as much as a 1/4 NPT, and a 1/2 NPT will flow over three times as much as a 1/4 NPT fitting. In the EXAIR R&D room, Efficiency Lab, and shop, we actually use 3/4 NPT quick connects for a wide range of testing, demonstration, performance, etc.
  • Leaks. Even if they’re not big enough to cause a pressure drop, they’re still wasting compressed air. And if they ARE causing pressure drops, please stop reading this and go fix them, right now. Yeah; it’s that important.

Now, there are culprits on the supply side too: aftercoolers, dryers, and system filters can all contribute to pressure drops if they’re improperly sized, or, more often, improperly maintained. For troubleshooting, your first and best shot is to have pressure gauges at strategic locations…you can’t manage what you don’t measure. And not managing it can get costly:

  • Let’s say your compressor discharge header pressure is set to 100psig, but an undersized hose is only letting you get 65psig to an air operated product that really needs 80psig. You can increase your header pressure to 115-120psig to “push” more air through that hose, but keep in mind that all your other unregulated loads will get that pressure increase as well: pneumatic cylinders would operate faster, impact drivers will generate more torque, blow off devices will use more air (and get louder), etc.
  • Even if those things weren’t a problem, it’s going to cost you more. For every 2psi increase in your compressor’s discharge pressure, its power consumption increases by 1 percent. So, for the 20psi increase, it’s going to cost you about 10% more to operate that compressor. A larger diameter air hose, on the other hand, is a one time investment that doesn’t affect the rest of your compressed air system.
  • If you haven’t fixed the leaks I mentioned above yet, increasing your supply pressure will increase the leakage flow rate and, especially if the leak’s in a hose or hose fitting, it can tear that opening wider, compounding the leakage flow rate further.

EXAIR Corporation is keen on making sure you get the most out of our products, and your compressed air system. If you’ve got questions, we’ve got knowledge, and a wealth of resources to help…give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
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Intelligent Compressed Air: Distribution Piping and Pressure Drop

Published on by Tyler DanielLeave a comment

An important step you must take after determining your compressed air requirements is the distribution piping for the system. The piping will be the “veins” that connect your entire facility to the compressor. Before installing pipe, it is important to consider how the compressed air will be consumed at the point of use. In order to ensure optimal performance of any compressed air operated device, you must ensure sufficient compressed air flow is delivered. Simply put, inadequate air flow won’t allow you to get the job done.

Pressure drop through the pipe is caused by the friction of the air mass making contact with the inside walls of the pipe. This is a function of the volume of flow through the pipe. Larger diameter pipes will result in a lower pressure drop, and vice versa for smaller diameter pipes. The chart below from the “Compressed Air and Gas Institute Handbook” provides the pressure drop that can be expected at varying CFM for 2”, 3”, and 4” ID pipe.

Once you’ve determined the appropriate piping size for your system, you’ll need to consider the different materials that are available. Some different materials that you’ll find as options are: steel piping (Schedule 40) both with or without galvanizing, stainless steel, copper, and even some plastic piping systems are available.

Plastic piping is not generally recommended to be used for compressed air. Some lubricants that are present in the air can act as a solvent and degrade the pipe over time. PVC should NEVER be used as a compressed air distribution pipe. Take a look at this inspection report an automotive supply store received fines totaling $13,200 as a result of an injury caused by shrapnel from a PVC pipe bursting. However, there are some composite plastics that are suitable for use with compressed air. PVC is most certainly not one of them.  

Steel pipe is a traditional material used in many compressed air distribution systems. It’s strong and durable on the outside and is a familiar material for many to work with. Its strength comes at a price, steel pipe is very heavy and requires anchors to properly suspend it. Steel pipe (not galvanized) is also susceptible to corrosion. This corrosion ends up in your supply air and can wreak havoc on your point-of-use products and can even contaminate your product. While galvanized steel pipe does reduce the potential for corrosion, this galvanizing coating can flake off over time and result in the exact same potential issues. Stainless Steel pipe eliminates the corrosion and rusting concerns while still maintaining the strength and durability of steel pipe. They can be more difficult to install as stainless steel pipe threads can be difficult to work with

Copper piping is another potential option. Copper pipe is corrosion-free, easy to cut, and lightweight making it easy to suspend. These factors come at a significant increase in costs, however, which can prevent it from being a suitable solution for longer runs or larger ID pipe installations. Soldering of the connecting joints can be time consuming and does require a skilled laborer to do so.

Another lightweight material that is increasingly more common in industry is aluminum piping. Like copper, aluminum is lightweight and anti-corrosion. They’re easy to connect with push-to-lock connectors and are ideal for clean air applications. Aluminum pipe remains leak-free over time and can dramatically reduce compressed air costs. While the initial cost can be high, eliminating potential leaks can help to recoup some of the initial investment.

When designing and maintaining your compressed air system, pressure measurements should be taken across varying points to identify (and fix) any issues before they create a greater problem down the road. According to the Compressed Air Challenge, these are the places you should take regular pressure measurements to determine your system operating pressure:

  • Inlet to compressor (to monitor inlet air filter) vs. atmospheric pressure
  • Differential across air/lubricant separator
  • Interstage on multistage compressors
  • Aftercooler
  • At treatment equipment (dryers, filters, etc.)
  • Various points across the distribution system
  • Check pressure differentials against manufacturers’ specifications, if high pressure drops are noticed this indicates a need for service

*More recent compressors will measure pressure at the package discharge, which would include the separator and aftercooler.

Once you’ve taken these measurements, simply add the pressure drops measured and subtract that value from the operating range of your compressor. That figure is your true operating pressure at the point of use.

If your distribution system is properly sized and the pressure drops measured across your various equipment are within specifications, any pressure drop noticed at the point of use is indicative of an inadequate volume of air. This could be due to restrictive fittings or undersized air lines, hose, or tube. Check that the point of use product is properly plumbed to compressed air per the manufacturer’s specifications.

EXAIR Products are designed to minimize this pressure drop by restricting the flow of compressed air. The more energy (pressure) that we’re able to bring to the point of use, the more efficient and effective that energy will be. If you’re looking to improve on how compressed air is used within your manufacturing processes, give us a call.

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

Image courtesy of Tampere Hacklab via Flickr Creative Commons License