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Designing Your Compressed Air System - Guide 3

Designing Your Compressed Air System - Guide 3
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Designing Your Compressed Air System - Guide 3 - 1

Compressed Air System Guide Provided as a Service by Kaeser Compressors, Inc. Designing Your Compressed Air System How to Determine the System You Need

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Designing Your Compressed Air System - Guide 3 - 2

Your compressed air system is a critical plant utility. To function properly and cost effectively, it must be carefully designed to fill the special needs of your applications. Six basic elements—demand, compressed air quality, supply, storage, distribution, and control/management—must be evaluated and factored into final layout considerations to give you optimum results at maximum efficiency. All six elements must work together for the system to reach top performance levels. What Is Your Compressed Air Demand? Determining the true demand in your compressed air system can be difficult but...

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Designing Your Compressed Air System - Guide 3 - 3

air systems working at different pressures. Leakage and artificial demand often represent a significant portion of your overall demand. All systems have leaks. Leakage can be measured in several ways while no pneumatic equipment is running: measuring the loaded running time of a compressor, timing the pressure drop of the receiver tank while all compressors are stopped, or measuring leakage at the point of use.Your existing compressed air demand will also include artificial demand caused by excess system pressure that does not increase productivity. Artificial demand can be reduced...

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Designing Your Compressed Air System - Guide 3 - 4

4 Visit our Website: www.kaeser.com What Are Your Supply Requirements? Compressed air supply is provided by air compressors.Your compressed air supply, utilizing sufficient storage and proper distribution, must meet your compressed air demand. If supply, storage, and distribution are not in tune, excessive pressure fluctuation will occur, resulting in increased operating cost and reduced productivity. Most compressors are controlled by line pressure. Typically, a drop in pressure signals an increase in demand, which is corrected by increased compressor output. Rising pressure, indicating a...

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Designing Your Compressed Air System - Guide 3 - 5

where compressed air is needed. A network of pipelines is used to supply different locations with compressed air. The flow of compressed air in pipelines, however, creates friction and results in pressure drop. Pressure drop in the pipelines should, ideally, be no more than 1 to 2 psi. The following steps can be taken to reduce pressure drop: .. reduce the distance the air must be transported .. reduce the friction through the pipes by increasing pipe size and eliminating unnecessary elbows, valves, and other flow restrictions .. reduce the flow rate of air through the system .. select...

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Designing Your Compressed Air System - Guide 3 - 6

6 Visit our Website: www.kaeser.com Optimized Compressed Air System This diagram depicts multiple compressors controlled by a system controller, followed by clean air treatment and a storage air receiver with a flow controller. This setup ensures optimal use of energy. What Are Some Important Layout Considerations? The exact layout of your compressed air system will depend on the interplay of the system elements discussed previously: air demand, air quality, air supply and storage requirements, and distribution considerations. Although information on compressed air generation and use is...

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Designing Your Compressed Air System - Guide 3 - 7

What are the Installation Considerations? Compressors, especially medium or large compressors, should be installed in a special compressor room that is clean, dust-free, dry, and cool. If possible, the compressor room should be located in the north side of the building, with all heat-dissipating pipes and machinery being well insulated. To avoid frost and corrosion from condensate accumulation, the temperature in the room should not fall below 40°F. Compressor units should be easily accessible and lighting should be adequate for maintenance and inspections. Because air-cooled compressors...

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Designing Your Compressed Air System - Guide 3 - 8

© 2007 Kaeser Compressors, Inc. All rights reserved. 06/07 USGUIDE3 Corporate Headquarters: Kaeser Compressors, Inc. P.O. Box 946 Fredericksburg, VA 22404 (800) 777-7873 Fax: (540) 898-5520 www.kaeser.com Mission Statement We strive to earn our customers’ trust by supplying high quality Kaeser air compressors, related compressed air equipment and premium blower systems. Our products are designed for reliable performance, easy maintenance, and energy efficiency. Prompt and dependable customer service, quality assurance, training, and engineering support contribute to the value our customers...

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