If you use compressed air for ANYTHING, odds are EVERYTHING you use it for has a minimum supply pressure for proper operation. And if the supply pressure drops below that:
Blowoff devices won’t develop enough flow & force to effectively clean or dry the object(s) you use them for.
Air-operated chucks on CNC machines won’t hold the piece steady enough for proper cutting, and tool changers will operate slowly/sluggishly. This is a bad combination…increasing the time it takes to make something, AND making it poorly.
Pneumatic cylinders will actuate slowly…if at all. This can cause a big problem if, for instance, they’re used to lift a lid on a mixing tank for an automated chemical add, which ends up pouring all over the partially closed lid of the tank instead of going inside it.
These are just a few of the problems that inadequate supply pressure can lead to, and I list them specifically because I experienced them all during my storied (and strange) career path before EXAIR made me the compressed air know-it-all expert I am today. It wasn’t my job to fix those problems (I was on site doing field service on a scale, a hydraulic motor, and a chemical pump, respectively), so I had no idea HOW to fix the compressed air-related problems…but I do now.
One quick & easy fix would have been to increase the compressor discharge pressure. That’d work just fine, but it comes with a cost. Every 2psi increase in discharge pressure increases the power consumption of the compressor’s motor by 1%. Let’s say you increased the discharge pressure from 100psig to 120psig – that’s a 10% increase in power consumption…and operating cost. To add insult to injury, that also increases the magnitude of any leaks in your system, making them more costly as well.
EXAIR Model 9500-60 60 Gallon Receiver Tank.
Actually, that probably IS what I’d have done as a scale, hydraulics, or industrial pump technician. The RIGHT answer, though, is intermediate storage. A properly sized Receiver Tank, located close enough to those operations, would have prevented those problems without increasing operating costs. In fact, it could have even brought them down, if the compressed air header pressure was already set to overcome any pressure drops on the way to those air guns, CNC machine, or mixing tank lid cylinders. Every 2% DECREASE in discharge pressure will also decrease the compressor motor’s power consumption by 1%. Which is actually Step 6 in our Six Steps To Optimizing Your Compressed Air System.
You electrical-types out there could also think of it as a capacitor – absorbing demand spikes & helping the circuit run more evenly.
Sizing a Receiver Tank is fairly straightforward, and we’ve written about it here, here, and here. You can, of course, always contact an Application Engineer to do (or check) the math…give me a call.
Russ Bowman, CCASS
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Turning off compressed air when it’s not in use is one of the fastest ways to reduce energy costs, extend equipment life, and improve overall efficiency. When paired with efficient air products and proper controls, the savings can be substantial and immediate.
Compressed air is valuable. Treat it that way. Here are some helpful ways to use it when you need it!
Start by walking the plant floor and identifying applications that run continuously, especially during breaks, shift changes, or downtime. Common culprits include open blow offs, cooling air left running, or vacuum systems operating without parts present. If air is flowing without adding value, it’s costing you money. So let’s find ways to turn it off.
Tie Air Use to Production Activity
Compressed air should only be used when production is active. Connecting air supply to machine cycles, sensors, or PLC controls ensures air flows only when parts are present or a process is occurring. Automating on/off control not only reduces waste but also improves consistency and repeatability.
Use Solenoid Valves for Automatic Shutoff
Solenoid valves are an effective way to shut off air when equipment is idle. When integrated into machine logic or timers, they prevent air from flowing during downtime, nights, and weekends. This is especially effective for blow off and cooling applications that don’t require constant air.
Replace Open Blow offs with Efficient Nozzles
Open pipes and tubing waste enormous amounts of compressed air. High-efficiency air nozzles and air knives are engineered to amplify airflow while consuming significantly less compressed air. Upgrading these devices not only lowers air consumption but also improves safety by reducing noise levels.
Monitor, Audit, and Reinforce
Turning the air off once isn’t enough, it needs to become part of the culture. Regular air audits, flow monitoring, and team accountability help ensure improvements stick. Encouraging operators and maintenance teams to report unnecessary air usage creates long-term savings and reinforces best practices.
Turning compressed air off when it’s not in use is a powerful first step—but real, lasting savings come from pairing good habits with the right technology. That’s where EXAIR solutions make the difference.
EXAIR Engineered Air Nozzles replace inefficient open pipes and tubing, delivering the force you need while dramatically reducing air consumption and noise. EXAIR Air Knives provide uniform, high-velocity airflow for drying, cooling, and cleaning—using far less compressed air than homemade blow offs. When higher airflow or vacuum is required, EXAIR Air Amplifiers generate powerful output without additional energy input.
To ensure those savings are measured and maintained, EXAIR Flow Meters give you real-time visibility into compressed air usage, helping you identify waste, verify improvements, and build accountability into your process.
Compressed air doesn’t have to be a hidden cost. With smart shutdown practices and proven EXAIR products, you can turn wasted air into measurable savings—every shift, every day.
Since air compressors use a lot of electricity to make compressed air, it is important to use the compressed air as efficiently as possible. EXAIR has six simple steps to optimize your compressed air system. Following these steps will help you to cut electrical costs, reduce overhead, and improve your bottom line. In this blog, I will cover the first step – Measure the air consumption to find sources that use a lot of compressed air.
Six Steps to Optimizing Your Compressed Air System
Information is important to diagnose wasteful and problematic areas within your compressed air system. To measure air consumption, flow meters are used to find the volume or mass of compressed air per unit of time. Flow rates are very useful data points to find problems like leaks, over-use in blow-offs, waste calculations, and comparison analysis.
There are many different types of flow meters. Many of them entail a breakdown of your current compressed air lines by cutting, welding, or dismantling for installation. This will add costs in downtime and maintenance staff. But, not with the EXAIR Digital Flowmeters. In this blog, I will share the features and benefits of the Digital Flowmeters, including options for you to start measuring and optimizing your compressed air system.
Overall, it only takes a few minutes to install and start measuring. The installation kit comes with a drill guide to properly locate the two holes in the pipe. Please de-energize the compressed air in that line to install. The Digital Flowmeter uses a clamp to mount on the pipe and to seal the area around the probes. Once it is powered, the unit is ready to measure the air flow inside the pipe with a large LED display. The display can be customized to show flow readings in three different units; SCFM, M3/hr or M3/min; and, it can display the Daily Usage and Cumulative Usage.
To get started, the EXAIR Digital Flowmeter is a thermal dispersion device that can accurately measure compressed air flows. They use two sensing probes for comparative analysis. One probe is a temperature sensing probe, and the other is a flow-sensing probe. By comparing these, the Digital Flowmeter can measure precisely the mass of air flow without needing to be recalibrated. They are a cost-effective, accurate, and simple way to measure compressed air flow.
EXAIR stocks a large volume of Digital Flowmeters to ship on the same day for U.S. customers. We also offer a 30-day unconditional guarantee to try them out. We stock meters for pipe diameters from ½” NPT to 4″ NPT Schedule 40 black pipe. EXAIR can also offer flow meters for copper pipes with diameters from 3/4″ to 4″, and aluminum pipes with diameters ranging from 40mm to 101mm. If you have another type of piping for your compressed air system, you can give us the material, O.D. or I.D., and wall thickness. We may still be able to get a Digital Flowmeter for you.
For measuring, all the units come standard with a 4 – 20mA analog output. Per your request, we can change this signal to a serial output for RS-485 or Ethernet connections. What more can we offer with the EXAIR Digital Flowmeter? Options. Options upgrade the flow meters to better suit your application. Here is a list below:
EXAIR’s Digital Flowmeter w/ USB Data Logger
USB Data Logger: This option allows for a recording of the flow information. With a software download, you can set up the USB Data Logger to record the flow from once a second (roughly 9 hours of storage) to every 12 hours. After the data points are recorded, you can then download the information into the software to review. Then the information can be uploaded to an Excel program to do further analysis.
Summing Remote: With compressed air pipes running along the ceiling and walls, reading the Digital Flowmeter may be difficult. The Summing Remote has a 50-foot (15 meter) cable to bring the LED display into viewing. The Summing Remote is powered by the Digital Flowmeter, and it can be positioned at eye level, inside managers’ rooms, or around large equipment for monitoring.
Hot Tap DFM
Hot Tap Digital Flowmeter: This option is a great way to install a Digital Flowmeter on the pipe without shutting down the compressed air line. We offer this option for 2″ and larger for steel and copper pipes. It gives a quick and easy way to attach them if you have a 24-hour operation or a critical process that needs to run continuously.
Pressure Sensing Port
Pressure Sensing Digital Flowmeter: If you would like to know the compressed air flow and the air pressure, this option will be able to do this. They are available with the Digital Flowmeters for steel and copper pipes that are 2″ and larger, and for the aluminum piping that is 50mm and larger. This option can display pressure units in either PSI or Bar right on the same LED display that shows the flow readings.
Blocking Rings
Block-Off Rings: If you want to move your Digital Flowmeter, the Block-Off Rings will be able to cover the openings in your compressed air pipe. They seal around the drilled opening when the Digital Flowmeter is removed from the pipe. They are reusable; so, they can be removed if you want to remount the Digital Flowmeter in the same spot. If you want to use one flow meter in different locations, the Block-Off Rings allow you to do this.
When you need to analyze your pneumatic components, flow is an important point in diagnosing the overall “health” of your compressed air system. The EXAIR Digital Flowmeter can give you that important data point. With optimization, you can cut your energy consumption, improve efficiency, and save yourself money. This blog is an overview of Step 1 of six steps. You may have more questions about the other steps, and that is great! You can find them in other EXAIR blogs, or you can contact an Application Engineer at EXAIR. We will be happy to help you.
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. In this blog, I will cover each area.
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. 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 pressure and the amount of air that needs to be compressed.
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. This would include valves, cylinders, blow-offs, pneumatic clamps, etc. To condition the demand side, regulators and filters are used. The Pressure Regulators help to limit the amount of pressure. For blow-off devices, the lower the air pressure to “do the job”, the less compressed air is used. To help with the fluctuations in demand, a secondary Receiver Tank can be used. The demand side can also be a system to do specific jobs. In using pneumatic systems, the “power” must come from the supply side.
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 considered 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. With a properly designed distribution system, energy can be saved, and, in reference to my analogy above, it will keep the lights on. To have a properly designed distribution system, the pressure drop should be less than 10% from the reservoir tank to the point-of-use.
Processes lead to continuous improvement.
EXAIR created the “Six Steps to Optimizing Your Compressed Air System”. By following these tips, 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 electrical equivalent of changing those incandescent light bulbs into LED light bulbs. If you wish to go further in enhancing your system, an Application Engineer at EXAIR will be happy to help you.
