Technology

Safe Compressed Air Drying Systems for Class I, Division 1 Environments

By Jess Elley, Product Marketing Manager, Suburban Manufacturing Group – Tsunami Compressed Air Solutions

Learn how engineers can safely remove moisture from compressed air systems in hazardous environments by eliminating ignition risks through pneumatic controls. This article explores design considerations, performance characteristics and reliability factors for regenerative desiccant dryers operating in Class I, Division 1 locations.

Read Full Story

Soft Drink Bottler Saves Energy With Blowers

By Beth Tompkins, JetAir Technologies

A leading soft drink bottling manufacturer’s compressed air needs were threatening to exceed its Michigan plant’s compressed air capacity. Faced with the cost of buying a new compressor, the soft drink bottling manufacturer re-assessed their compressed air use to identify compressor and energy savings opportunities. In the audit, the soft drink bottling manufacturer identified the use of compressed air in a gap transfer as a source of compressed air and energy inefficiency.

[ Read Full Story ]

An Introduction to WAGD System Implementations

By Mark Allen, Director of Marketing, BEACONMEDAES

This article will examine in detail four of the five acceptable WAGD implementations under NFPA 99, along with some alternative ways they may be implemented. This article will not deal with passive implementations.

[ Read Full Story ]

The Importance of Dewpoint for Medical Air Systems

By Chris Duffell and Mark White, Parker domnick hunter

The most abundant contaminant in any compressed air system is water. This can be in either liquid or vapour form. Atmospheric air is already very wet, and becomes saturated when compressed. This water vapour will condense when the temperature drops, after the compressor, and will damage air receivers, pipework and equipment. For this reason coalescing filters and then dryers are used to remove the bulk of this water.

[ Read Full Story ]

Supplied Air Respiratory Protection

By Jay Francis, Americas Sales Manager, Strategic Accounts & Rental Group, SPX FLOW

Hazardous breathing conditions exist in routine industrial operations, such as hospitals, abrasive blasting, paint spraying, industrial cleaning, and arc welding. In these and other operations that introduce contaminants into the workplace, supplied-air respirators are frequently used for worker protection.

[ Read Full Story ]

Profile: BeaconMedaes

Compressed Air Best Practices® interviewed Mark Allen (Director of Marketing) of BeaconMedæs.

In the U.S. as an example, the NFPA has taken the view that if your compressor draws in good clean ambient air, the air stays clean through the compressor, is then dried and filtered, when you deliver it to the patient it will be entirely satisfactory. After all, when you went into the hospital that’s what you were breathing and when you leave you will breathe it again!

[ Read Full Story ]

Profile Dekker Vacuum

Compressed Air Best Practices interviewed Rick Dekker (President & CEO) of Dekker Vacuum Technologies.

The roots of our company start with my father, Jan Dekker, who was heavily involved with oil-sealed liquid ring vacuum systems used in the gold mines of South Africa. This was in the mid-1970’s when gold prices were going up. Vacuum systems (in the mines) were optimized by improving vacuum levels using oil instead of water and by adding vacuum boosters.

[ Read Full Story ]

The Ins and Outs of Vacuum Generators

"Dr. Vacuum" with "Dan Bott"

There is an enormous population of vacuum generators being used successfully by industry. Applications range from pick & place to vapor extraction to bulk material handling and the number of installations is growing. Before proceeding with an installation utilizing these devices, there are two general issues to consider: efficiency and appropriateness.

[ Read Full Story ]

Air Storage Receiver Helps Dense-Phase System

By Brent Ehrlich

Sitting on his desk the day Brian began his new job as Plant Engineer for Carbo Ceramics’ McIntyre, GA facility was a proposal to purchase a new 150 HP air compressor as a backup machine. The facility already had six of these machines and, yes, all six ran almost continuously.

[ Read Full Story ]

Reducing Packaging Cycle Times

By Phil O’Neill, Standard Products Manager, Bosch Rexroth Pneumatics

Swiss brush company Ebnat-Kappel uses non contact transfer technology from Bosch Rexroth to automate a problematic section of its packaging production process.

[ Read Full Story ]

Roxane Laboratories’ System Assessment

By Hank Van Ormer, Air Power USA

Roxane Laboratories, Inc., a subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation located in Columbus, Ohio, created a world-class air system that generated \$61,314 per year in electrical energy cost savings (1,156,868 kWh), improved productivity and quality, and allowed the successful completion of a significant plant expansion.

[ Read Full Story ]