Fluid Power Systems (ME353)

Fall 2012
Lecture 12

Conditioning and Distribution

of Compressed Air
Controlling Dirt, Moisture,
Temperature, and Pressure

 Maximum pneumatic system operating efficiency is achieved when system

compressed air is:
Consistently clean
Free from moisture
At a relatively uniform temperature
Pneumatic systems
need to carefully filter
the air taken into the
compressor intake to
extend the service life
of
Compressor
Other system
components

 Filters used on the intake line of pneumatic compressors may be

Dry element
Oil wetted
Oil bath
The filter used is based on the type of compressor, atmospheric conditions,
and the final use of the compressed air
Painting requires very clean air

 The temperature of both the intake and compressed air is important

Temperature changes are reflected in air pressure and volume per the
general gas law
Temperature influences the ability of air to retain water vapor

Air in a pneumatic system may be cooled before, during, or after

compression
Intake air temperature usually depends on the location of the compressor
air intake
Intercoolers and aftercoolers are used to remove heat of compression
Intercoolers cool compressed air between the stages of a multiple-stage
compressor
Aftercoolers cool the air after the air has been compressed
Either air or water can be used as the cooling medium in these devices

 Water vapor in air is referred to as humidity

Can cause problems in a pneumatic system when the temperature of the
compressed air drops to the dew point and the vapor condenses into
liquid water
Liquid water in a pneumatic system can:
Wash away lubricants
Increase component wear
Cause inconsistent system operation
Lower the finished quality of products directly using the air in the
manufacturing process
Condensation of the water vapor in compressed air can occur in:
- Aftercooler units
- Moisture separator
- System receiver
- Distribution system
Specific air driers can be used in pneumatic systems to remove moisture
- Chemical desiccant
- Refrigeration units
- Specialized membranes

 The receiver is the storage unit for compressed air

Typically, the receiver is a metal, cylindrical tank with domed ends
In addition to air storage, the receiver:
Dampens system pressure pulsations
Removes water vapor from system air
In smaller systems, serves as the mount for the prime mover and
compressor
Formulas are available for calculating the volume needed for a receiver
These formulas consider:
Cubic feet of free atmospheric air needed per minute
Desired cycle time
Atmospheric, initial receiver, and final receiver air pressures

 The air distribution system delivers high-pressure, conditioned air from the
receiver to workstations with a minimum of pressure drop
The type of distribution system depends on the size of the facility and the
level of demand for compressed air
Four general categories of air distribution systems are used with pneumatic
systems
Centralized grid with fixed piping
Decentralized grid with fixed piping
Loop system with fixed piping
Flexible hoses for portable compressor systems

 Centralized grid has one centralized compressor station and one line network
for a facility

Decentralized grid has individual compressors in several locations providing

air to smaller distribution networks

 Loop system has a main line that forms a continuous loop with compressors
located at one or more locations
This design provides maximum airflow with a minimum of pressure drop
between the compressors and the individual workstations

Air-Distribution System
Loop system

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

11

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

 Special attention must given to the setup of a hose air distribution in order to
minimize pressure drop
Minimize hose length
Reduce the number of couplings
Eliminate kinks in the hose
Care must be taken to protect the hoses from abrasion in the work
environment
Typical hose distribution system

 Proper sizing of pipe for a fixed air distribution system is difficult because of
variety of work and loads conditions:
The pipe in air distribution lines should be installed with a pitch of 1 per
10 of line
Allows liquid water to drain to water traps
Water can be remove from traps either manually or with automatic
drain devices
Drop lines lead from the main air distribution line to the workstations
Should be attached to the top side of the distribution line
This prevents water in the distribution lines from entering the
workstation lines

 Final preparation of air at a workstation is accomplished by an FRL unit

Air filter
Pressure regulator
Lubricator

 FRL air filter removes:

Airborne dirt remaining in the atmospheric air compressed in the system
Rust and scale from the interior of the distribution lines
Liquid water that has condensed in the drop line
Atomized oil from the operating compressor
Typical air filter uses
centrifugal force and porous
filter material to remove
unwanted materials from
system air
Inlet passageway swirls
the incoming air,
creating a centrifugal
force that separates air
and contaminants
Porous filter material
traps other undesirable
materials

 The pressure regulator in an FRL unit reduces system distribution line

pressure to the level needed by workstation tools and circuit actuators
Unit is also necessary as air pressure in the distribution line fluctuates due to
varying air demands and the characteristics of compressor-capacity control
Several regulator designs are available for use in a pneumatic system
Direct-operated regulator
Basic, diaphragm-chamber regulator
Relieving-type regulator
Balanced-poppet valve regulator
Pilot-operated regulator
Factors to consider when
selecting a system regulator are:
Regulator style
Pressure range
Airflow range
Conductor connection size

 The lubricator in an FRL unit meters oil into pressurized system air at the
workstation
This provides lubrication for system valves, actuators, and air-powered tools

Rapidly moving system air passing

through a lubricator breaks up droplets
of oil, forming a mist or fog
This mist is transported through the
workstation lines to system components

 Effectively moving compressed air through a distribution system requires

appropriate conductors and connectors
Conductors can be classified as
- Rigid (Pipes)
- Flexible (Hoses)
Conductors and the associated fittings must be properly sized and
selected to minimize the pressure drop (minimum length and minimum
no. of fittings and bends)

Work Performers of
Pneumatic Systems

Cylinders, Motors, and

Other Devices

 Pneumatic systems convert the potential energy of compressed air into force
and movement using:
Cylinders
Often called linear actuators
Force generated is controlled by system pressure
Speed of movement is determined by the volume of air allowed to enter the
unit

Motors
Often called rotary actuators
Torque depends on air pressure and the internal structure of the motor
Operating speed is determined by the internal displacement of the motor per
revolution and the volume of compressed air passing through the motor

Variety of other specially designed actuators and processes to assist in or

complete a task

Reciprocating movement
Process assistance
Nozzles
Impact tools

 The basic structure of pneumatic cylinders is very similar to those used in

hydraulic systems
Lower system operating pressures allow the use of lighter materials in
pneumatic-system components
Water vapor present in compressed air requires the use of corrosionresistant materials or coatings for component parts

 Some manufacturers produce nonlubricated pneumatic cylinders

Do not require the addition of oil to the system compressed air
Special coatings on the surface of the cylinder bore and other bearing
surfaces provide lubrication
Coatings are not scraped off during the operation of the actuator

Resilient seals prevent both internal and external leaks

 Pneumatic cylinders may be single or double acting

Two factors are basic to determining required actuator size

Cylinder force output
Absolute air consumption required to produce desired system
performance
The force output of a cylinder is determined by system air pressure and the
effective area of the cylinder piston F = P A
Air consumption of a cylinder can be estimated
Calculate the volume of air displaced during one cycle of the cylinder
Multiplying the displacement volume by the number of cycles per
minute and the absolute pressure ratio
CFM = V Pr N

 Pneumatic motors are used to power:

Many large stationary machines
A large variety of portable hand tools
These motors range in size from fractional-horsepower units to motors
producing over 50 horsepower

 Air motors are available in many designs

-Vane
- Piston
- Turbine
-Other, specialized designs
The vane air motor is the most common design which can be found in hand
tools and large, stationary installations

 Piston air motors are most often found in installations requiring higher
horsepower output
They are available in both axial and radial piston designs

 Turbine motors incorporate air nozzles to direct air onto a turbine

Nozzle produces high-speed air, which results in very high output-shaft
speeds
In specialized applications, the speed of turbine motors can reach
100,000 rpm

 Pneumatic reciprocating motors use percussive or non-percussive techniques

to transfer energy from compressed air to a workpiece
Percussive tools provide multiple, physical impacts to overcome
resistance
Non-percussive devices generally repeat a cycle to provide linear motion
that is used to directly operate a machine
Total input force of a percussion-type reciprocating motor is determined by:
- System air pressure
- Area of the piston
The paving breaker is a very
common application of a
reciprocating motor
Often called a jackhammer
Used in a number of
applications
Models available ranging in
size from hand tools to large
units mounted on mobile
support equipment

 Reciprocating motors are used to power a variety of tools found in the

foundry, construction, and general metal fabrication industries
Scaling hammers
Chipping hammers
Riveting hammers
Tampers
Rammers

Reciprocating motors commonly operate from under 1000 to over 3000

movements per minute of operation
The operating rate depends on the task performed and the type of material
being cleaned, formed, or trimmed

 Compressed air is often used to assist functions without applying force to

linear or rotary actuators
Spraying
Drying
Material agitation
Material transfer

Compressed air is used to agitate material

Assure proper mixing of liquids
Prevent the settling of solid materials in a suspension
Provide oxygenation

 A nozzle is a very important device in many systems using compressed air

In turbine motors, nozzles produce rapid airflow to assure the high speed
rotation of the turbine output shaft
Nozzles may be convergent or convergent-divergent

Blowguns are simple tools, but

must be very carefully handled
Produce high air velocity
Can cause serious injury
Designs are available with
a bleed-off to increase
safety

 Pneumatic-powered impact wrenches are commonly used in service and

manufacturing industries
These tools are used to tighten or remove bolts and nuts

 Nail drivers are used to install staples, nails, or other fasteners in wood
and other materials
Pneumatic models have become popular for use by general consumers, as
well as by the construction industry

Pneumatic powered nail drivers use high-impact force from an air-driven

piston and piston rod to quickly and easily install fasteners

 Pneumatic rock drills are commonly used in quarries, mining, and road
construction
The holes bored by this equipment are used for the placement of explosive
charges that break the rock along a line connecting the holes

 Pneumatic-powered gripping tools are used by robotic equipment to handle

materials

Controlling a Pneumatic
System
Pressure, Direction, and Flow

 These valves control:

Air pressure
Limit maximum system pressure
Regulate the force or torque an actuator generates

Direction of airflow
control airflow direction to establish the direction of
actuator movement

Rate of airflow
regulate the rate of airflow to control actuator operating
speed

 The body of pneumatic system valves may be formed from:

Metal casting
Standard bar stock
Precision bores and passageways are machined into the body
Hold component parts
Allow airflow that controls the operation of the valve

 The operation of a control valve depends on a series of control elements in

the valve
Control elements include:
Fixed orifices
Spools
Pistons
Diaphragms
Precision-machined sliding plates
Needle and poppet valves

 Varying the position of control elements within a control valve determines:

Setting of the valve
Accuracy of system control
The force used to position the internal elements of a control valve is
provided by:
Internal springs
Internal air pressure
External pilot pressure
Electromagnets
Manually applied force

 Pressure control is provided in three specific areas of a pneumatic system:

Air distribution system
Workstation areas
Portions of circuits operating within the workstation areas

The pressure in the distribution lines of a pneumatic system is controlled by:

- Bypass
- Compressor-capacity control system
Bypass pressure control limits maximum system pressure by bleeding excess
air to the atmosphere through a relief-type valve
Compressor-capacity control limits maximum pressure using one of several
different control methods
Compressor start-stop
Inlet valve unloading
Compressor speed control

 Control of air pressure at the workstation is provided by a pressure regulator

It is often a part of the filter/pressure regulator/lubricator (FRL) unit
commonly used at the workstation
Pressure regulator is required at the workstation
due to:
Air from the distribution line is at a higher
pressure than desired
Varying distribution line pressure caused by
the compressor-capacity control system
When sections of a circuit require maximum air
pressures lower than that provided by the FRL unit,
additional pressure regulators may be inserted in
the circuit to provide the needed lower pressures

 When sections of a circuit require a pressure exceeding that available from

the system distribution line, an air-to-air or air-to-oil booster unit can be used
to produce the higher pressure
A safety valve prevents excessive air pressure in distribution lines due to
failure of compressor capacity control components

 Directional control valves can be grouped into four categories:

- Shut-off valves
- Check valves
- Three-way valves
- Four-way valves
Shut-off valves used in pneumatic systems include:
-Globe
- Gate - Ball - Spool - Needle
These valves are used to allow or block airflow in circuit lines
Check valves automatically allow the free flow of air in one direction and
block airflow in the opposite direction
They are commonly used to block or allow air to flow around control valves
during different phases of circuit operation

 Three-way directional control valves:

Pressurize a single-acting cylinder during extension
Vent air during retraction to allow the cylinder to be returned to the
initial position by external forces

 Four-way directional control valves direct compressed air to power a

cylinder during both extension and retraction
They also power air motors during both directions of rotation
Four-way directional control valves are available in four-port and five-port
configurations
A common exhaust is used in the four-port design
The five-port design uses separate exhaust ports for the extension and
retraction positions of the valve

 In most directional control valves, resilient materials are used to seal the
space between the bore and the spool
In packed-spool designs, sealing materials are attached to the valve spool
lands

In packed-bore designs, sealing materials are attached to the bore in the

valve body

 Four-way directional control valves are normally available providing two or

three positions of operation
Two-position valves power an actuator in one direction in the first
position and in the opposite direction in the second position
Three-position valves provide additional operating options using the
middle valve position

 Three center position configurations are commonly available for pneumatic

three-position, five-port valves
-Blocked center
- Open center
- Pressure center

 Flow Control Valves use tow common methods of controlling pressurized

airflow in pneumatic circuits which are:
Fixed-size orifices
Needle valves
Preferred method of flow control in pneumatic
circuits is the meter-out design
Involves the placement of the flow control
valve in the outlet line of the actuator
Favored due to the compressibility of air

 Shuttle valves automatically select the higher pressure of two sources

Allows a circuit to always be connected to the highest pressure

Exhaust mufflers:
Reduce the level of air exhaust
noise
Prevent the entrance of dirt and
liquids into the exhaust ports of
directional control valves and
actuators