Our guide to efficient compressed air lines
Poorly designed air lines can often lead to low productivity, poor air tool performance, and an increase in energy bills. Therefore, the layout, installation and maintenance of your Infinity pipe system are crucial to keeping your business running.
When designing a compressed air line, it is essential to know what factors have an impact on pressure efficiency;
- Pipe Sizing
- Piping Layout
- Maintenance
Pipe Sizing
When constructing a compressed air line, you need to correctly scale the piping to prevent excess or a drop in pressure. Pipes that are too small for the capacity of airflow may increase the pressure past the safe point of the end-use application. Increasing the pipe size helps reduce pressure drop, maintains safety measures, and adds to the air lines capabilities.
Under-sizing the internal diameter of the pipe, relevant to the flow required, will increase the velocity. Higher velocity in pipe systems can be a significant cause of:
- Erratic pressure control
- Turbulence in the pipe system
- Pressure drops
- Extra power requirements at the compressor
Piping Layout
Piping layout maps the path compressed air will take around the workplace. Design is critical to efficiency; as the more bends you have in your line, the higher the pressure drop will be.
A ring main system is considered a best practice. As the air flows in two directions, the volume of compressed air carried in each direction is reduced by up to half, in most cases. Once the ring main has been installed feed lines can then run to feed required production areas and end-use applications as a subnetwork.
Maintenance
Regular maintenance to your compressed air line helps prevent future problems.
Simple steps such as shutting your compressed air off for nights and weekends, and regularly checking the drains can help prevent long-term wear and tear. Changing the filters periodically helps to ensure optimal performance.
Did You Know – Infinity has a team of professional, dedicated design engineers that are available to provide you with advice on air line and ring main development?
Infinity System Design provides a fully integrated turnkey solution. Boasting a team of the most experienced designers and technicians in the Australian and New Zealand pneumatic industry. We aim to bring our customers technical expertise, superior workmanship across all sized projects, and unlimited access to the most advanced pneumatic equipment on the market.
Contact the Infinity Design Team and let’s work together to maximize your compressed air system’s efficiency.