Compressed Air Equipment

Air that is continually kept under a certain pressure is known as Compressed Air. The pressure at which the air is kept is more often higher than that of the earth's atmosphere. And the equipment that is used to keep this compressed air is known as compressed air equipment. Compressed air is an important source of energy for today’s highly automated industrial production.

It is a fact that around 10% of electricity that is used around Europe is used by compressed air equipment.

Compressed air equipment finds great utility. Some of its uses are:

• Pneumatics - These are used on machinery for work and engineering.
• Scuba Diving - This type of air is essential to inflate safety devices and buoyancy equipment that are carried by divers.
• Gas Dusters – These are used to clean some components that are difficult to clean using water.
• Air Brakes - Automotive garages use this equipment in the process of setting up air brakes.

Thus, to ensure that the compressed air meets the individual requirements of each application it is being used for, it is necessary to know the needs and requirements of the compressed air.

The four most important components of compressed air systems are - production, treatment, distribution, and consumption. These components have to be matched in order to achieve the desired result.

As far as the compressed air system's economic efficiency is concerned, everyone is confronted with the question: "How much does a cubic metre of compressed air cost?" The major part of the overall costs of a compressed air system is the energy supply required for both the compressors and the treatment equipment, which adds up to a whooping 69%.

The remaining 31% of the cost is covered by:

• Implementing the system and instructing the operating staff;
• Expenditure for actually installing the machinery and controllers;
• Air treatment hardware; and
• Maintaining the compressors and the treatment technology

In other words, tapping the potential or optimising the energy efficiency would allow us to save on expenses.

When installing a new compressed air system or expanding or optimising an existing system, the most purposeful approach would be to start by ascertaining the actual demand of compressed air. This would need to calculate the ratio between the amount of compressed air needed and the amount you are willing to spend on it.

Popular assessment methods like air demand analysis (ADA) would help you determine the air consumption data during a selectable metering period. These methods also record the different workload phases of the compressors involved. In addition to these, the pressure drops and leakages in the pipe work can also be detected by using these methods and so at the end of the test the result is an overall assessment of the compressed air system, which would even take the air quality into account.

In addition to compressed air equipment, there are many different types of tools that use compressed air. The compressed air tools that function with the aid of compressed air are generally referred to as pneumatic tools. Compressed air tools have several advantages over electric power tools. First, they offer more torque and power than conventional power tools. Second, they are also more durable than their electric counterparts. And third, they are easy to use. All you have to do is plug in your air tool's hose to your compressor and it starts working.

Compressed air tools require a separate air compressor that powers your individual air tools. So, you must ensure that the PSI (pressure per square inch) rating on your compressor matches with that of your tools so as to achieve the best results. Also, you must make use of air-tool hoses that are made for the connection on your compressor. The reason for this is simple: a tight seal between your hose and compressor is critical to prevent air leakage and loss of power.

There is an air tool for almost every job. Some of the more common compressed air tools are:

Pneumatic drills
Pneumatic hammers
Pneumatic ratchets
Pneumatic wrenches
Air grinders
Lubricators
Air nail guns
Air paint sprayers
Air sanders
Air saws
Tire inflators

Selection of compressed air equipment takes into account many factors. Before selecting a compressor, you would first need to carefully consider the unit's horsepower and tank capacity. Units with more powerful motors and larger tanks can generate higher levels of efficiency and are hence more preferable.