Basic Components of Pneumatic Circuits

a) Compressor – To compress the atmospheric air and deliver at a higher pressure

i) Positive displacement - For capacities lower than 600 m3/min
ii) Turbo Compressor – For capacities higher than 600 m3/min

b) Filters – provided at intake of compressor to remove dirt and harmful material

c) After Coolers – To reduce the air temperature and remove condensed water
d) Receiver – Used to store energy when compressor is switched off.
e) Lubricator – Used to lubricate valves and actuators with oil fog created by venturi effect
f) Regulator – Used to set the downstream pressure to a safe set value

Best practices for the pneumatic circuits

60 1 1
a) Receiver Volume (V) = 𝑁
𝑋 𝑃𝐷 /𝑃𝐴 {𝑉 + 𝐶−𝑉 } Litres
𝐷 𝐷
N= Starts per hour
PD = Pressure difference between cut-in & cut-out
PA = Atmospheric Pressure
VD = required volume l/min (Free Air Delivery = volume of air at std Pressure & Temperature)
CD = compressor delivery l/min (Free Air Delivery = volume of air at std Pressure & Temperature

Ensure the volume of the receiver is not filled up with water by reducing number of starts per hour for
the compressor. For better operation number of starts per hour (N) should not be greater than 15.
b) Use the correct load ratio for pneumatic actuators.
c) Use only the amount of pressure required for the force needed to do the work.
Pressure Drop f = (.0042 𝐿𝑄 2 )/{𝑃/𝑃𝐴 X 5.31d}
d) Use regulators with performance characteristics that meet the requirements of the application.
e) A regulator is an on-demand valve that shuts off at the set point.
 f) Use standard regulators on the supply side of a directional control valve unless
otherwise noted.
g) Size regulators in conjunction with filters by sizing the filter first.
h) Downstream regulators should be self-exhaustive with vent.
i) Always calculate peak flow demand for each end effector in a machine.
j) For multiple end effectors operating at the same time, peak flow demands can be
summed.
k) Size all pneumatic components based upon their flow capacity for the peak flow
demand required.
l) For tubing and piping size successively from small at point of use, to medium at
transmission, to large at point of compression, sum the simultaneous peak flow
demands common to each line.
m) The longer the tubing or pipe, the less the flow capacity. Each 4-fold increase in length
reduces the flow capacity by 1/2.
n) For pneumatic logic, avoid long signal transmission lines if possible.
o) Before switching on a compressed air supply unit, one should thoroughly inspect the whole
circuit to see if there are any loose parts, abnormal pressure or damaged pipes.

Example: Vehicle door operation system

Pneumatic systems can be used to operate the doors of public vehicles. Assuming that the opening and closing
of the doors are controlled by two button switches ON and OFF, When the button-switch ON is pressed, the
doors will open. When the button-switch OFF is pushed, the doors will close.