CompressedAirSystemDesign

Inordertooperateaneffectiveandefficientcompressedairsystem,anumberoffactorsshouldbeconsidered
whendesigningthecompressedairdistributionnetworkandplanningtheinstallation.

Designingthecompressedairdistributionnetwork
Inselectingthemostappropriatecompressedairdistributionmethoditisfirstworthconsideringthelocationand
outputofeachcompressorinthenetworkaswellasthelocationandrequirementofeachpointofuse.Withthat
informationinmind,therearethreemaincompressedairdistributionlayouts;

1) Compressedairbranchline
Inacompressedairbranchlineconfiguration,alsoreferredtoasasinglelineordeadendline,compressed
airisdistributedviapipesthatbranchoutfromthemaincompressedairline,withairflowingfromone
direction.Onlyarelativelyshortlengthofpipeisrequiredforbranchlinesbuttheymusthavesufficient
capacitytomeetthewholesystemsdemandforcompressedair.

Pros
Usuallysuitableforsmallcompressedairusers

Cons

Thediameterofairlinepipeinabranchlineneedstobesignificantlylargerthanitwouldbefora
compressedairringmainordistributionnetwork.
Thisdistributionmethodcreatesanincreaseddistancefromthemaincompressedairsupply.The
connectionlinestopointsofusewillthereforehavetobelargerthanforacompressedairringmain.
Individualsectionsofthenetworkcannotbeisolatedforshutdown.Thismeansthattheentire
compressedairsystemneedstobeshutdownforpurposessuchascleaningortoexpandthesystem.

2) Compressedairringmain
Aringmainlayoutisoftenconsideredbestpractice.Inthisconfiguration,compressedaircanflowfromtwo
directions.

Pros
Connectionpipelengthandvolumecanbehalved(comparedtobranchlinesystems)ifallthepointsof
usehavethesamecompressedairdemand.
Connectionlinesareveryshort.
Thecompressedairsystemcanoperateasnormalwhileareasofthecompressedairlinecanbeisolated
andshutdownfore.g.cleaningorsystemexpansion.

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Cons
Morecomplextoinstall


3) Compressedairdistributionnetwork
Acompressedairdistributionnetworkisverysimilartoaringmainsystemhoweveritincludesadditional
crossandlongitudinalconnections.

Pros
Highlysuitedtolargefacilities
Doesnotrequireexcessivelylargepipediameters
Allowsforsectionsofthedistributionnetworktobeshutdownasrequired
Cons
Themostcomplexnetworktoinstall

Themostenergyefficientcompressedairdistributionnetworkwillbetheonewhereallpointsofuseare
suppliedwithadequatelevelsofcompressedairatthepressurerequired.

Ifthepressuredrops,theefficiencyofthecompressedairsystemwillbereduced.Equallyifthepressureistoo
high,theenergyconsumptionofthecompressedairsystemwillincreaseaswillthechancesofairleaks.

Therearesubsequentlyanumberoffactorswhichshouldbeconsideredwhendesigningacompressedair
network;

whatdistancemusttheairbetransportedandcanthisbereduced?
whatlengthanddiameterofpipingisrequired?Higherpressuredropsareusuallyindicativeoflonger
pipesorthosewithasmallerdiameter.
Canfrictionbekepttoaminimum?Frictioncreatespressuredrops.Considerincreasingthepipesizeand
removeallavoidablevalvesandelbows.

Planningthecompressedairsysteminstallation
Foroptimumreliabilityandefficiencythereareanumberoffactorsthatshouldbeconsideredwhen
planningacompressedairsysteminstallation.
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1. Climate
Itisadvisabletomaintainamoderatetemperatureinthecompressorhouse.

Subzerotemperaturescanleadtothecreationanddistributionofmoistcompressedair.Thiswillnot
onlyleadtopoorairqualityatpointofuse,butifafrostoccurs,thecondensationintheairlinewould
freezeleadingtoacompleteshutdownofthecompressorstation.
Theperformanceoflubricantswithinthecompressedairsystemwillalsobeaffectedifthetemperature
fallsbelow+5oC,leadingtosystemfailures.

Equallylettingthecompressorroomgettoohotcanbeproblematic,particularlyduringthewarmer
monthswhen100%oftheelectricalenergythatisusedtopowerthecompressorisconvertedintoheat.
Itisimportantinthissituationtotakemeasurestosafeguardthecompressorhousefromexceedingthe
ambienttemperature.Failingtodosomayleadtoelectricalcomponentsandmotorsoverheatingaswell
asthecompressedairdryersoverloading.Theresultissimilarpoorairqualityatpointofusedueto
thebuildupofcondensation.

Inadequateventilationinacompressorhousecanalsoleadtoanaccumulationofheatwhichwould
causethecompressedairsystemtoshutdown.

2. Accessibility
Indesigningtheinstallationofacompressedairsystemitisworthbearinginmindhowaccessibleall
serviceareasoftheequipmentwillbetoensureeaseofmaintenance.

3. Cleanliness
Itisimportanttoprotectcompressedairequipmentfromdustexposure.

Thecompressorintakefilterswillclogupifdustexposureisnotlimited.Thiswillreducecompressor
performanceaswellasincreasemaintenancerequirements.
Inaddition,cloggedintakefilterscannegativelyaffectaircoolingresultinginoverheating.And,
overheatingcanleadtocostlydowntimeswherecondensateaccumulatesanddecreasesthepowerof
thecompressedairdryer.Ultimatelythiswilldegradeairquality.Abagfilterwhichcleanstheintakeair
maybethesolutionforthoseapplicationswheredustexposureisunavoidable.

CompressedAirAssociationofAustralasia(CAAA)adivisionoftheAirandMineEquipmentInstituteofAustralasiaLtd

CompressedAirAssociationofAustralasia
POBox7622
MelbourneVIC3004
ThisfactsheetisownedbytheCompressedAirAssociationofAustralasiaandcannotbereproducedwithoutpermission.