Tag: reclassifying muffler

Silencing Mufflers

Published on by EricKuhnash@EXAIR.comLeave a comment

I live near an amusement park called Kings Island. In the later part of Spring I can hear and see the people and rides. As the Summer enters and the tree leaves have all grown they act like a muffler reducing the roller coaster noises and screaming people on the roller coasters. These trees are not high enough to block the nightly fireworks but this is a good thing for me as I enjoy the sights and sounds of the fireworks.

An important focus in every manufacturing environment is a “Noise Reduction” campaign making a safer and healthier area for people working in the environment. EXAIR has Silencing Mufflers that can support your efforts for noise reduction. We have a variety of mufflers which will help to reduce work area noise produced by air exhausting from cylinders, valves and other air powered equipment. EXAIR Silencing Mufflers help plants meet OSHA Standard 1910.95(a) by reducing the sound to safer levels. Not only do our Silencing Mufflers reduce sound but they also eliminate harmful dead end pressures by covering up an open port or opening. These openings do not have a pathway for harmful pressurized air to escape if they become blocked.

Sintered Bronze Mufflers: A low cost solution and easy to install in new and existing air powered products. Sintered bronze muffler come in a variety of sizes (10-32 thread size up through 1/2-20 UNF female) and are capable of passing a certain volume of air with minimal back pressure restriction.

Reclassifying Mufflers: These mufflers are an upgrade from Sintered Bronze Mufflers. They offer the best noise reduction, up to 35 decibels. Available from 1/8 NPT up to 1 NPT. Reclassifying Muffles also eliminate oil mist. The patented wrap design of the removable element separates oil from the exhausted air so virtually no oil is released into the environment.

Straight-Through Mufflers: These mufflers offer a corrosion resistant aluminum outer shell lined with sound absorbing foam for better noise reduction. The typical noise reduction is up to 20dB.

Heavy Duty Mufflers: feature a corrosion-resistant aluminum outer shell with an internal stainless steel screen that protects valves and cylinders from contamination that could enter through the exhaust ports. The typical noise reduction is up to 14 dB.

EXAIR can help in your noise reduction projects with many options to consider. If you have any questions or need help selecting the right muffler for your needs please contact any of our qualified Application Engineers.

Eric Kuhnash
Application Engineer
E-mail: EricKuhnash@exair.com
Twitter: Twitter: @EXAIR_EK

Accessories, Don’t Forget About Accessories!

Published on by johnball2014Leave a comment

Accessories

I went to the auto parts store to replace my brakes on my vehicle.  They asked me if I needed some Anti-squeak grease for my brake hardware.  It made me think about the accessories that EXAIR sells.  I could have used my own kind of grease which may not be able to hold up to the heat, but for a few dollars more, I wanted to go with the item that the experts would suggest.

In this blog, I would like to turn your attention to the accessories that support our Intelligent Compressed Air® Products.  EXAIR products use compressed air to coat, conserve, cool, convey and clean.  To maximize the performance and/or ease installation it is important to have the controls and options, and EXAIR offers these items as Accessories.

Pneumatic applications come in many variations and forms, and Accessories can help you to adapt to your application and to remove “guess work”.  They can make installation easier, add flexibility, and give you peace of mind.

Here are the different categories and explanations for each item that EXAIR recommends for our products with their defined functions.  They can help you in different areas to enhance your EXAIR product experience.

Automatic Drain Filter Separator (left,) and a Pressure Regulator (right.) Oil Removal Filters (optional; center) are also available if needed.

Filters/Regulators:

  • Filter Separators remove bulk liquid and contamination from the compressed air stream. EXAIR stocks a range of sizes from ¼” NPT ports to 1 ¼” NPT ports.  They use a 5-micron filter and a mechanical baffle to remove slugs of liquid from your compressed air system.  Most Filter Separators have an auto-drain to automatically remove the buildup of liquid inside the bowl.   I would consider the Filter Separator as a minimum level of protection required to protect your EXAIR product installations.
  • Oil Removal Filters remove very small particles of dirt and oil from the compressed air; making it even cleaner. The 0.03-micron media of the Oil Removal Filter will “coalesce” the fine liquid particles into large droplets.  Thus, allowing gravity to remove oil vapor from the compressed air stream.  EXAIR offers different sizes ranging from ¼” NPT to 1 ½” NPT ports.  As a note, Oil Removal Filters are great for removing very fine particles, but if you have a system with lots of water, I would recommend a Filter Separator upstream of the Oil Removal Filter for optimal filtration.
  • Regulators control the amount of air pressure being supplied to your EXAIR product. This is important if you are trying to save compressed air, control the force produced by an Air Knife, or convey material slowly.  EXAIR, being a leader in compressed air savings, recommends to use the minimum amount of air pressure to do the job.  This will save compressed air and save you money.  Regulators have a characteristic called “droop”.  Droop is the amount of air pressure that it drops downstream when you start flowing compressed air.  If the regulator is not sized properly, you can “starve” your pneumatic components, causing loss of function.  EXAIR properly sizes our regulators in our kits to make sure that you won’t “starve” your application.
  • Mounting Brackets for the regulators and the filters to help support them to a wall or structure are available. To connect filters and regulators together without a pipe nipple, we also have Coupling Kits for sizes up to ¾” NPT.  And for combination kits which includes a filter and a regulator, we offer the Mounting Bracket and Coupling Kit together for a set.

Silencing Mufflers:

  • Reclassifying Mufflers are designed to have two functions. They can cut noise levels by 35 dB and remove oil mist from the exhaust air.  Cylinders and valves that exhaust pressurized air may have oil in the line to keep the seals from sticking.  When exhausted, it can create a fine mist which is dangerous for operators.  The Reclassifying Mufflers can reduce the loud noise as well as collect any contamination from the exhaust air.
  • Sintered Bronze Mufflers are simple in design, cost effective, and easy to install. They have a minimal back pressure to not restrict operations of the pneumatic device.  They come in sizes from #10-32 thread to 1-1/2 NPT.  For a quick and simple way to reduce noise, the Sintered Bronze Mufflers are in stock for fast delivery.
  • Straight-Through Mufflers offer a way to reduce noise levels without worrying about clogging. They have an aluminum shell lined with sound absorbing foam, and they can reduce the noise level by 20 dB.  EXAIR offers them with two ports from ¼” NPT to ¾” NPT.  This can allow you to connect other items like blowing hose kits while reducing noise.
  • Heavy Duty Mufflers have an outer aluminum shell with an internal stainless steel screen that can protect the components from environmental contamination, and can also keep contaminant like rust from being ejected at high speed into the work area. They have a typical noise reduction of 14 dB.

Pneumatic Valves:

  • Manual Valves allow for operators to turn on and off their system by hand. The full-flow ball valves range from ¼” NPT to 1 1/4” NPT in size and will not restrict flow.  EXAIR also offers a manual foot pedal valve for hands-free operations.  This ¼” NPT foot valve has a 3-way operation and works great if the operator has to use both hands in their process.
  • Solenoid Valves are a way to turn on and off the supply of compressed air electrically for automated systems. We offer solenoids in three different voltages; 110Vac, 240Vac, and 24Vdc.  EXAIR has a large range of flows with ports ranging from ¼” NPT to 1” NPT.  All models are UL listed and are CE and RoHS compliant.

Hardware:

EXAIR’s Swivel Fitting Family

  • Swivel Fittings are a great way to securely install and aim EXAIR nozzles. They are dynamic as they can be adjusted and set to a flow direction with 50-degrees of movement.  They are made from 303SS or 316SS for corrosion resistance with ports ranging from 4mm to 1” NPT.
  • Compressed Air Fittings are a nice arrangement to connect different compressed air items together. We offer a range of hex and close nipples, couplings, reducers, tees, elbows, crosses and bulk head fittings.  If you need a quick way to connect directly to your pneumatic system, we may have it on the shelf.

    Model 9043
  • Magnetic Bases are designed for a solid mount to steel surfaces and for easy portability of your blow-off system to different locations. It has a 100 lb. (45.5Kg) pulling force to keep the blowing device attached firmly until you want to move it.  They can be mounted in a vertical or horizontal position.  EXAIR offers a single outlet Magnetic Base (for one blow-off device); a dual outlet Magnetic Base (for multiple blowing products); and a single outlet Swivel Magnetic Base (to offer more flexibility to orientation).  The bases come with a ¼ turn shut-off valve to easily turn on and off the compressed air to the EXAIR products.
  • Receiver Tanks are used to store compressed air. They can be used at the air compressor or as secondary reservoirs for intermittent demand.  They help your compressed air system with pressure variations and high demand loads.  EXAIR offers a model 9500-60 Receiver Tank that has a 60 gallon capacity and is rated to 200 PSIG.  It meets the ASME pressure vessel code.

    Universal Air Mounting Kit
  • Universal Air Knife Mounting System gives you a way to mount the EXAIR Super Air Knife, Full-Flow Air Knife, and Standard Air Knife. This kit is used to position your air knife securely and precisely.  It comes with a bracket and an articulated arm that can reach up to 30” (762mm).  You can orientate the air knives in any position to maximize the effectiveness.

    Plumbing Kits
  • Plumbing Kit, or PKI, is a great tool for longer Super Air Knives to help attach your compressed air system. They are designed to help lessen the time for install as well as to properly supply compressed air equally along the entire length, specifically for 24” (610mm) and longer.  We can offer the Plumbing Kit separately if you find that it could benefit your fabricators during installation.
  • Coupling Kits are designed to attach Aluminum and Stainless Steel Super Air Knives if you need to extend past the 108” (2,743 mm) width. Coupling Kits will mount the air knives together end to end.

Hoses:

  • Conveying Hoses are used with our Air Operated Conveyors or Line Vacs. The hoses are made from a durable PVC semi-flexible hose with six different diameters from ¾” I.D. up to 3” I.D.  The conveyance hoses can slip easily to the ends of the Line Vacs or to tubes for an easy transition.  EXAIR can cut-to-length Conveying Hoses up to 50 feet (15m); in increments of 10 feet (3m).
  • Coiled Hoses get compressed air from the piping system to the EXAIR product. They are made of a durable abrasion-resistant nylon material that is 12 feet long (3.6 meters).  They have swivel fittings at the end to allow for easy uncoiling, and a spring strain relief to keep the hose from kinking.  The coiled design makes it easy to reach around the work area and retract back to the substation.  This will help to keep the hose off the ground where potential dangers could occur.  We offer 3 different connection sizes; 1/8” NPT, ¼” NPT, and 3/8” NPT.
  • Compressed Air Hoses is another way to supply EXAIR products. They are useful if you need to reach from overhead sources or around equipment.   They are made from a reinforced synthetic rubber in 3/8” I.D. and 1/2” I.D. diameters.  We can make specific lengths up to 50 feet (15m).  They are rated for 250 PSIG (17 bar) air pressure, and the hose material works well for long-lasting protection against ozone, weathering and temperatures up to 158oF (70oC).  They come standard with two male ends in ¼” NPT or ½” NPT.
  • Stay Set Hoses give you that possibility of manually adjusting or re-adjusting Super Air Nozzles. The hose has a “memory” function; so, it will not creep or droop until you physically move it.  They work well to direct air flows in unique ways at specific target areas.  They can be used with Super Air Nozzles, Safety Air Guns and Blow-off Kits.  The Stay Set Hoses come in lengths from 6” (15cm) to 36” (91cm), and they are offered with ¼” NPT male on both ends or with a 1/8” NPT female and a ¼” NPT male connections.  These hoses are rated for 250 PSIG (17 bar) and are made from reinforced synthetic rubber.

Temperature Accessories:

  • The ETC, or Electronic Temperature Control, is a digital temperature controller with a LED screen for precision monitoring and adjusting temperatures in a Cabinet Cooler System. The controller has easy-to-use buttons to raise or lower the desired internal cabinet temperature.  Once set, the ETC will hold the temperature to +/- 1 oF (+/- 0.5 oC).  The LED displays the internal temperature for continuous monitoring.  The ETC comes complete with the controller and a solenoid valve in two different voltages, 120Vac and 240Vac.
  • The thermostat is a way to control a solenoid valve electrically to turn on/off a Cabinet Cooler System at a set temperature. It is preset at 95°F (35°C), but it can be adjusted to other desired temperatures.  It has an accuracy to hold the set temperature within +/- 2 °F (1 °C).  It can handle voltages from 24V to 240V, AC (50/60 Hz) or DC.  They are UL Recognized and CSA certified.

In today’s fast-paced world, there is a need to get your devices operating correctly and as quickly as possible.  EXAIR Accessories can do that.  Not only will you have confidence, as you are using the items recommended by the EXAIR experts, but you won’t have to worry about your system “squeaking” to a halt.  Like with my brakes above; I was happy to use the recommended grease to end any annoyance with my braking.  If you would like to discuss the proper options with your EXAIR products, an Application Engineer will be happy to help you.

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

Limiting Noise Exposure with Mufflers for Compressed Air

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment
Mufflers come in many shapes and sizes. Each with their own benefits.

If you have ever walked into a manufacturing facility and heard the hiss or even worse the banshee scream of compressed air being exhausted to ambient, whether it be from a cylinder discharge, a timed drain going off, or a bypass valve being activated, they all could be hushed with a muffler. A muffler for compressed air comes in several shapes and sizes. EXAIR offers four separate types from stock to help attenuate the noise disruption within your facility.

The OSHA standard for allowable noise exposure is 29 CFR-1910.95(a) and outlines the number of hours per day any individual can be exposed to a particular noise level. These noise levels are expressed in decibels (dbA).

Hearing loss is the best known, but not the only, ill effect of harmful noise exposure. It can also cause physical and psychological stress, impair concentration, and contribute to workplace accidents or injuries.
Reclassifying Mufflers attenuating the exhaust of a pneumatic cylinder.

The first type I would like to showcase are the Reclassifying Mufflers. These are ideal for cylinder exhausts or valves which commonly contain an oil mist within the air stream which can easily contaminate the surrounding area. The patented design of the removable element separates oil from the exhausted air so virtually no atomized oil is released into the environment. They also attenuate the exhaust noise level up to 35 decibels. The filter element helps the exhaust to meet the OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.1000, a worker’s cumulative exposure to oil mist must not exceed 5 mg/m³ by volume in any eight hour shift of a forty hour work week.

The chart below helps to properly size the Reclassifying Muffler for a pneumatic cylinder. One key to proper installation of these mufflers is they must be installed vertically in order to properly trap and drain the oil.

Reclassifying Muffler Quick Pick Chart
Sintered Bronze mufflers are excellent choices for tight installation locations and are easily sized.

The next type of muffler to discuss are the Sintered Bronze Mufflers that are offered in ten different sizes. These are an excellent low cost solution which easily install into new or existing ports. Each size is designed to provide minimal back pressure and restriction for the individual port size. The quick pick chart below helps to easily select the correct size for attenuating the exhaust of a pneumatic cylinder. One key difference between these and the Reclassifying Mufflers is, these do not have to be oriented vertically as they do not collect the oil out of the exhaust air.

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The model 3913 – 3/4″ NPT Straight Through Muffler

If the process air needs to be directed or plumbed away from the operator then the Straight Through Mufflers are the ideal selection as they offer an NPT threaded inlet and exhaust. They are available in three standard NPT sizes from stock. These mufflers can be installed in any orientation and work well with our Vortex Tubes to help pass the cold air through while lowering the operating sound level of the tube. The average noise reduction of the Straight-Through Mufflers is 20 dB. This can easily reduce the noise level of an operation to below the OSHA standard requiring hearing protection for operators in the area.

The model 3903 Heavy Duty Muffler

The final option for mufflers from EXAIR are the Heavy Duty Mufflers. These are available in two sizes from stock and are constructed of corrosion-resistant aluminum with a stainless steel internal screen. These can be installed in any orientation and are ideal for protecting exhaust ports from contaminants that may clog or damage the device they are attached to. The typical noise reduction from installation is 14 dB with these mufflers.

These are available in two sizes from stock and are constructed of corrosion-resistant aluminum with a stainless steel internal screen. These can be installed in any orientation and are ideal for protecting exhaust ports from contaminants that may clog or damage the device they are attached to. The typical noise reduction from installation is 14 dB with these mufflers.

To summarize, EXAIR offers a multitude of options when it comes to lowering sound levels in operation areas that are caused by exhausted compressed air. Each of the mufflers discussed above are shipped same day from stock to meet your immediate need. If you are unsure of which muffler to use for your application, feel free to contact an Application Engineer.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
Ph. 1-513-671-3322
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

EXAIR Products: Silencing Mufflers Overview

Published on by exaircorpLeave a comment

OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.95(a), relating to permissible noise exposure levels, states that when employees are subjected to sounds in excess of 90 dBA, some type of control should be used to reduce the sound level. In an industrial setting, it’s very common to find the exhausting air from air operated devices such as actuators, diaphragm pumps or cylinders for example, to produce sound levels well above the allowable limits set forth in the Standard. EXAIR offers a variety of different Silencing Mufflers that help to reduce this  noise level, while also increasing operator safety.

 

Reclassifying Mufflers are available in 1/8″, 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″, 3/4″ and 1″ NPT sizes

EXAIR’s Reclassifying Mufflers offer noise reduction up to 35 dB and are available in sizes ranging from 1/8″ to 1″ NPT. These types of mufflers are often considered”dual-purpose” as they not only reduce the noise level but also remove oil from the exhaust airflow by incorporating a removable filter element.  The exhausting oil mist is reduced from 50 PPM (parts per million) to only 0.015 PPM, when the device is operated at 100 PSIG. In addition, there is a bowl on the bottom to capture any residual oil and a 1/4″ tube adaptor to allow for easy draining.

Sintered Bronze Mufflers are available in #10-32, 1/8″, 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″, 3/4″, 1″, 1-1/4″ and 1-1/2″ NPT sizes, as well as 1/2-20 UNF female for use with solenoid valves

Straight Through Mufflers are available in 1/4″, 3/8″ and 3/4″ MNPT x FNPT

Sintered Bronze Mufflers are a relatively low cost option, commonly used with air cylinders as they can be installed quick and easy. We offer 1o different sizes, ranging from #10-32 for small installations, up to 1-1/2″ NPT for larger scale applications. The noise reduction depends on the size of the muffler and back pressure, which can occur from dirt or particulate clogging the muffler, restricting the exhausting airflow from passing through the porous sintered bronze.

Our Straight Through Mufflers are made of corrosion resistant aluminum and are lined with a sound absorbing foam, capable of reducing noise levels up to 20 dB. We offer 3 different sizes, 1/4″, 3/8″ and 3/4″ NPT, with a male thread on one end and female thread on the other. We incorporate this muffler design into our Cold Guns and Adjustable Spot Coolers and they are commonly used with our Vortex Tubes, Cabinet Cooler® Systems and E-Vac® Vacuum Generators as well.

Heavy Duty Mufflers are available in 1/4″ and 3/8″ FNPT

Lastly, the Heavy Duty Mufflers feature an internal, 50 mesh stainless steel screen, to protect against contaminants in the airflow,  and a corrosion resistant aluminum outer shell. In most cases, the sound reduction can be as high as 14 dB and we offer 2 different sizes, 1/4″ and 3/8″ FNPT. These types of mufflers are regularly used on the hot air exhaust of our Vortex Tubes.

For help with product selection or to discuss a particular process, please contact one of our application engineers at 800-903-9247.

Justin Nicholl
Application Engineer
justinnicholl@exair.com
@EXAIR_JN