Dry Air Best Practices

Pumpkin Hurling record set in Utah using compressed air

Compressed air is a very powerful source of energy. Recently in Utah The Big 10 Inchteam used a compressed air cannon to propel a pumpkin 4,623 feet - almost a mile! The pumpkin traveled at more than 700 miles per hour! The Guinness world record for "punkin chunkin," as the sport is often called, is 4,491 feet, set in Illinois in 1998. The thin air at altitude accounts for less drag on the gourd and helped the team break the old record. 
  

Why are Air Receivers Important?

Air receivers are an integral and important part of any compressed air system. Typically they are sized at 6-10 times the flow rate of the system. So, if a compressor has a rating of 25 scfm at 100 psig, their receiver tank should be 150 cubic feet minimum. In a compressed air system, a receiver tank provides the following benefits:

1. The receiver tank acts as a reservoir of compressed air for peak demands.
2. The tank will help remove water from the system by allowing the air a chance to cool
3. The tank minimizes pulsation in the system caused by a reciprocating compressor or a cyclic process downstream.

Much like a water reservoir provides water during times of drought and stores water during the wet times, an air receiver compensates for peak demand and helps balance the supply of the compressor with the demand of the system.

Receiver tanks are required by law to have a pressure relief valve and a pressure gauge. The relief valve should be set to 10% higher than the working pressure of the system.

It is also important to install a drain on the tank either manual or automatic, to remove water from the system. A coalescing filter and air dryer are best placed downstream of the receiver tank.

Dry Air for Water Borne Paints

VOC requirements are encouraging many companies to switch to Water Borne Paints. This type of paint takes longer to dry than the less environmentally friendly solvent based paints. The quality and dryness of the compressed air used in the process is now, more than ever, a critical factor. Dry air equals faster processing. Be certain to use an appropriately sized compressed air dryer at the point of use to eliminate water contamination and speed the drying time.