How to design a compressed air system for your plant
Air compressor Toronto is critical equipment in a manufacturing plant but in order to perform efficiently and effectively, the compressed air system must be carefully designed. There are basic factors that must be considered in system design that includes demand, quality of compressed air, supply, storage, distribution and control management. All these elements must work together in order for the system will reach top performance levels.
Air demand in the plant is not constant; it can fluctuate significantly when there is an increased need for power. However, air flow demand at a given time can be monitored through a flow meter so that the system can be designed accurately. Flow meters can be installed at varying points in the system and the recorded data on air flow and pressure can be evaluated. It is important to monitor the peaks and valleys in demand especially their duration to gain substantial information of system dynamics. In the design of the compressed air system, operating pressure requirements and the duty cycle of each individual equipment should be considered so that the system can deliver uniform pressure. All the air tools and equipment must work efficiently within a narrow pressure range otherwise; the whole system has to be operated to high pressure that will be regulated based on needs.
However, it is also important to consider artificial demand that is usually the result of air leaks. Leaks can only be measured when no pneumatic tool or equipment is running. Several ways to determine leakage include measuring the loaded running time of air compressor and timing the pressure drop of the receiver tank when all the compressors are stopped. Leakage can also be measured at the point of use.
Supply of compressed air must always meet demand and this can be satisfactorily implemented by utilizing sufficient storage and proper distribution of compressed air. The total air supply for a plant can be provided by a single air compressor or multiple compressors that can be centrally installed. Smaller systems only require a single air compressor to provide power to the pneumatic tools. For a big manufacturing company, several air compressors might be necessary for flexibility and to efficiently adjust to shift in demand. On the other hand, the problems of supply usually have an effective solution through storage. If storage is sufficient, available energy can be released or replenished as the need arises. Storage is often in the form of an air receiver tank with the required capacity to meet peaks in demand. If storage is not sufficient for the plant’s needs, a drop in air pressure can be experienced by the system.