What to consider when designing a compressed air piping system
A wide range of industrial processes need an uninterrupted supply of compressed air, this requirement of compressed air supply is met using compressed air piping systems. Piping holds a vital role to ensure an interrupted supply of compressed air through a compressed air piping system for its appropriate delivery to the point of end usage. There are a number of challenges in making this possible including pressure drops and risk of contamination. However, a quality piping can help you avoid all these issues and make the flawless delivery of compressed air through a piping system to the point of end usage possible. We have put together some important tips to help you design a compressed air piping system that can help you avoid all the aforementioned risks and keep the delivery of compressed air smooth and seamless. Further details are given below:
Choose the Right Material:
The very first thing you need to consider while designing a piping system for compressed air is the material of piping. The pipe material holds a pivotal role in keeping the quality and pressure of compressed air ideal. There is a wide range of pipe materials available including iron, aluminium, copper, and plastic. However, you need to keep in mind that some of these materials may get affected by corrosion due to lubricates used for the process of air compression. This corrosion may ultimately lead to leaks in air piping and particulates in the air stream. Some material may also affect the pressure of air because of the friction they offer. You need to keep all these things in mind while choosing the piping material. Some ideal options for this purpose are aluminium, copper, and steel. These materials have low friction coefficients. However, amongst these materials, aluminium ticks all the marks because of its affordability, easier installation process, and availability.
Keep Size and Distance in Mind:
Size refers to the diameter of pipes and distance refers to the point of use. Size and distance matter a lot in maintaining the appropriate pressure. Pipes with low size will definitely have low capacity, this means increased pressure and sometimes this pressure can go beyond the safe limits for the applications at the point of end usage. As for distance, if the compression unit is situated far away from the end use point, the pressure of compressed air may drop below the required limit, creating problems for the substantial application of compressed air. Additionally, it will also cause the compressor to work more than its rate capacity, which can cause unexpected wear in the compression unit requiring frequent maintenance. This will also increase the energy consumption that will go into enhancing the air pressure that gets dropped midway before racing the end point. For an ideal piping system, the pressure created by a compressor should never decrease less than 10% to the farthest point of use.
Remember Layout:
Typically, there are two types of piping layouts used for compressed air piping systems. The first one is a loop and the second is straight. Loop layouts are best suitable for square plants as the air can flow through pipes and drop down to each point of use in a relatively easier manner. The straight layout is applicable where the plant is narrower yet longer, straight layouts are generally more cost-effective as compared to the loop ones.
