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Controlling The Dangers Of Compressed Air

There are two concerns in safety when using compressed air . (Flying objects and the air itself) Horseplay has been a cause of some serious workplace accidents caused by individuals not aware of the hazards of compressed air. Some television shows have shown bad examples on the use of compressed air. Compressed air is extremely forceful. Depending on its pressure, compressed air can dislodge particles. These particles are a danger since they can enter your eyes or possibly the skin. The potential damage would depend on the size, weight, shape, composition, and speed of the particles. There have also been reports of hearing damage caused by the pressure of compressed air and by its sound caused by the nozzle. Compressed air itself is also a serious hazard. On rare occasions, some of the compressed air can enter the blood stream through a break in the skin or through a body opening. An air bubble in the blood stream is known medically as an embolism, a dangerous medical condition in whic...

Air Compressor Buying Tips

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How important is air to human life? Since you started being aware of the things around you, you probably have considered the importance of air in one’s life and with the day-to-day activities that confront every person. Air does not only benefit all living beings. The use of a compressed air is widely used in several other areas, most particularly in the business arena. Compressed air is basically used as an essential part of a multitude of manufacturing, industrial, commercial, and automotive applications. The operation of an air compressor concerns a large percentage of the total expense cost of a plant’s utility budget. 1. How They Work Air compressors work out by two different methods. The first is the air compressor that runs by electricity. The other one is the air compressor that runs by means of natural gas. Obviously, it is the air compressor that feeds on natural gas that is more cost effective among the two. An industrial plant will be able to save more and cut down the c...

Air Compressor Suppliers

There are many different Air Compressor Suppliers out there, all offering a different range and different manufacturers, some specialize specifically in a certain make whilst others will stock all. All of the suppliers have their pros and cons: Bambi: are one of these focusing on quality as their primary component; they use the latest tilting piston technology and try to produce some of the lowest noise compressors. Another benefit they can offer is their Silent Range they are manufactured with acoustic hoods rendering the noise output to almost nothing. Bambi also offer up a Budget Range this is designed specifically for the home, trade and DIY users, they cost a lot less than you would expect but still offer good results, power and low noise levels, some of the compressors have noise levels as low as 40 dBa. SIP: tend to offer low maintenance units that are fast and convenient for trade and DIY users, their industrial units are belt driven with large pneumatic wheels offering easy ...

Air Compressors

Air compressors are mechanic devices that take in air and then compress and store it in a compressed form (meaning, it occupies less space than in its normal state). Air compressors are equipped with a tank that holds the compressed air inside. The tank is able to withstand all the pressure that the air applies inside it, but there are always signs that warn the user that damaging the tank can result in an accident. One major difference between the various types of air compressors is that some of them are oil-lubricated while some others are not. Those that are not oil lubricated are also called oil-free compressors. Oil-free compressors boast the advantage that they don’t need oil in order to operate, while oil-lubricated compressors do. Additionally, oil-lubricated compressors need to have their oil changed after certain periods of operation. Another difference that can be seen among air compressors is that some of them are stationary (meaning they are static or unmovable), while so...

About Oil Less Air Compressors

Portable air compressors vary by size and power level, and there are a few different models available from which to choose depending on the tools you will use. Be sure to check the power requirements of your tools to ensure that you purchase a model that has sufficient power to run your strongest tool. Regardless of the compressor you purchase, it is always very important to follow the safety precautions including safety goggles, protective clothing and proper footwear. Portable rotary screw compressors are one of the more commonly used compressors. They range from 65 to 1,600 cubic feet per minute, with pressure ratings ranging from 100 to 350 PSI. As discussed above, the compressor you need depends on your tools and the required power level. Contractors often use 185 CFM because they are able to power two tools simultaneously. One benefit to this compressor is its suitability for both the lighter and heavy duty jobs. The truck mounted compressor is an oil less air compressor and ca...

Compressed Air Leaking? Is It The Valve Or Is It The Cylinder?

Reducing air leaks in your plant can save thousands of dollars annually. Compressed air is one of the most costly forms of energy you can use in your plant, of course, it's one of the most versatile, fast and strong too. When it's "quiet time" in the plant, wander around the machinery and listen. You will often hear the gentle (or perhaps not so gentle) hissing of air escaping from the exhaust port of your air valves. The sound of compressed air "chewing up your dollars" as it wafts to atmosphere can be muted if your air valves have mufflers in the exhaust ports, but nevertheless, it can be heard. Also, there are commercially available ultra-sonic compressed air leak detectors on the market. If your plant doesn't have a "quiet time", which would enable you to actually hear the leaks yourself, investing in an ultrasonic leak detector can bring substantial payback in energy savings. Usually you'll have one air valve connected to one air c...

How Air Duct Cleaning Improves Air Quality

Air duct cleaning is the term commonly applied to the work performed by professional HVAC cleaning contractors. It’s a service that is necessary in order to provide clean air throughout commercial buildings and homes. In business environments air duct cleaning is an important way to insure the comfort of employees for better work performance. It is important to clean air ducts occasionally to insure the safety and security of employees in the work place. Especially in cases where there is a need to remove harmful fumes. Many believe air duct cleaning is as important as having clean running water. Buildings that don't have proper working air ducts tend to be very muggy and seem very damp. Air duct cleaning is one task that when performed, can help keep the indoor air safe and clean for residents to breathe. Home owners are beginning to realize air duct cleaning is an important part of home maintenance and is essential to keeping their indoor air healthy. Home owners should be aware...

How to Buy a Refrigerated Compressed Air Dryer

Many customers are often confused as to which kind of dryer for compressed air would work well for them. While some people prefer high-end brands, others may want to opt for more cost-effective solutions. No matter what your prerogative maybe you should consider the following aspects before purchasing any air dryer system. Reputation of the brand First and foremost, no matter which kind of dryer mechanism you are looking for, make sure the manufacturer enjoys a good reputation in the market. You may end up purchasing a lower end model at a cheaper rate but the downside to this is that your maintenance and repair costs may go up in the long term. Always select a brand, which is well versed with the compressed gas treatment domain. Most manufacturers of compressed air dryer mechanisms should enjoy a good level of customer service not just before the sale but also post sales as that is when it counts the most. Feature sets Once you have zeroed in on a particular brand, you want to explore...

Compressed Air Filters

Compressed air filters are widely used in the industrial arena. They are used to remove water, oil, oil vapor, dirt and other contamination from a compressed air supply. Compressed air filters are used to control and cool various forms of industrial instruments. A pneumatically operated machine suffers serious effects caused by dirt particles, oil carryover and moisture. In most of the applications, contamination of the air supply could lead to serious performance degradation and most likely will increase the maintenance cost in terms of repairs. The result of this is that productive time is lost. The only way to cut down the costs and increase the performance is to properly maintain compressed air filters. There are different types of compressed air filters. All of them are built in a way to remove the oil and other contamination from the air supply. Some have special features that make them more effective in specific applications. Coalescing oil removal filters are able to remove oil...

How to Tell When Your Compressor Needs an Air Dryer

Ask a Question: Can water or moisture be damaging my compressed air system? Answer: Absolutely! Water corrodes pipes, valves, machinery controls. None of this is good. When controls malfunction, production can stop or product can be impaired and all this costs you time and money. Water in Aerosol or Vapor form is more difficult to remove and requires the use of a Compressed Air Dryer. Ask a Question: How does water or moisture get into my compressed air? Answer: Through your Compressor inlet. Water vapor (humidity-moisture) enters the air system through the air compressor inlet air filter. The air compressor sucks in approximately 7 cubic feet of atmospheric air at 0 psig, and that volume of air is compressed into 1 cubic feet of air at 100 psig. The water vapor (humidity-moisture) that was in the 7 cubic feet of atmospheric air is now compressed into 1 cubic feet of compressed air. There are 3 forms of water in compressed air: -Liquid water -Aerosol (mist) -Vapor (gas) Any of these fo...

Compressed Air Dryers and Refrigerated Air Dryers

Compressed air dryers are being used in different industries. They are needed to ensure that the operations of machines are performing perfectly. However, there are so many of them in the market right now that coming up with the most ideal choice will always be very hard. Nevertheless, there are the ones that stand out. When you want to buy compressed air dryers or refrigerated air dryers, you may want to choose any of the following: Cycling Refrigerated Air Dryers. If you are looking for a device that will allow you to save as much as a thousand dollars for every piece of equipment that you buy per year, then the best option will be the cycling refrigerated air dryer. This one is able to maintain its dew point, even if it is performing below its design capacity. Since the total cost of energy will be dependent on the amount of air that is dried, you know that you are able to maximize on the performance and thus are able to save with these compressed air dryers. High Inlet Temperature ...

Tips to Reduce Compressed Air System Pressure Drops

Ask a Question: What causes pressure drops in my compressed air system and how can I reduce them? Answer: Pressure drop can become a compressed air system problem that steals production time and money. What causes pressure drops? Any type of obstruction, restriction, or roughness in the system will cause resistance to air flow and cause pressure drop. In the distribution system, the highest pressure drops usually are found at the points-of-use, including undersized or leaking hoses, tubes, disconnects, filters, regulators and lubricators (FRLs). On the supply side of the system, air/lubricant separators, aftercoolers, moisture separators, dryers and filters can be the main items causing significant pressure drops. The maximum pressure drop from the supply side to the points-of-use will occur when the compressed air flow rate and temperature are highest. Your Compressed Air System components should be selected based upon these conditions and the manufacturer of each component should b...

The Models of Industrial Air Compressors

Industrial air compressors are used by many industries and manufacturers; some even depend on them. An industrial one is much more powerful than the type of air compressors that you would find around the regular household. They are also much more expensive than their lightweight cousins. These air compressor system choices come in both gasoline models and electric models. Most industries use the gasoline models rather than the electric models, as the gas models reduce the utility costs. Most industries choose to use the two-stage model of industrial air compressors for their tough, heavy duty tasks. The two stage system can store unused air for future use. This type of compressor is also much more energy efficient and runs on a higher level of horsepower. More horsepower with these devices means that they work better and longer than the other models. They also break down far less often, which means that fewer hours of maintenance is needed on these units. When purchasing any type of in...

Things to Consider When Purchasing a Portable Air Compressor

Air tools can make your work much easier and efficient, and a portable air compressor is a necessity if you want to use them. Air compressors are available in many sizes and capacities. Some of the larger ones have wheels and handles to help move them around. They have different horsepower and pound per square inch (psi) ratings. They are typically powered by gas, electric, or diesel. The nice thing about the electric ones is that they can be used in spaces where you don't want to deal with the fumes. Of course, gas gives a high degree of reliability for frequent use, and is perfect when you need maximum portability. There's just not always a current bush around when you need one. When you are in the market for a portable air compressor you need to take a look at your requirements. For example, if you are planning on using it for airbrushing, then a five liter tank capacity and approximately 30psi would be sufficient. If you need a larger volume of air then you obviously need s...

Analyzing Your Compressed Air System

The first step in analyzing a compressed air system is to determine your compressed air needs. Compressed air needs are defined by the air quality and quantity required by the end uses in your plant. Assessing these needs carefully and understanding the difference between air quality and air quantity will ensure that a compressed air system is configured properly. Determining your pressure and demand load requirements are also important steps in analyzing your compressed air system. Air Quality Air quality is determined by the air dryness and contaminant level required by end uses. Learn the actual dryness level needed and the maximum contaminant level allowed for reliable production. Overtreating air beyond the required dryness and allowable contaminant level wastes money and energy. Air Quantity The required compressed air system volume can be determined by summing the requirements of your compressed air applications and process operations (taking into account load factors) and the d...