- Peg Minichiello
How to Minimize Pressure Drops In An Air Compressor
Pressure drops in air compressors are costly issues that you will more than likely experience at some point or another on your industrial plant. Pressure drops can hamper the performance of your air system while forcing your compressor to use more energy than needed.
Today we will look at four different ways to minimize pressure drops in air compressors.
Minimizing Pressure Drops
Minimizing pressure drops requires a systematic approach in the design and maintenance of the system.
Firstly, air treatment components like after-coolers, dryers, filters and moisture separators need to be selected with the lowest possible pressure drop at specified maximum operating conditions. When these components are installed the recommended maintenance procedures must always be followed.
Here are four additional ways to minimize pressure drops:
Properly Redesign the Distribution System
Audit your current system such as your system layout. It must be correctly set up for optimized air flow and pressure.
Reduce The Distance Air Must Travel
Lengthy travel time between an air compressor and the various tools & machines in an industrial setting is a leading cause of pressure drops. When air needs to pass through multiple tubes, connectors and hoses before connecting to your pneumatic tools it’s no surprise that this distance can cause fall in pressure.
Reduce the number of connecting points and remove unnecessary components in your air system.
Clean and Replace Filters
Regularly clean your filters and replace those that become too clogged or dirty to perform the necessary filtration functions in your system. To avoid long-term problems, you must inspect each filter weekly. Even when not in use or used on a part-time basis, dirt and dust can accumulate & cause the filter to become dirty.
Replace The After-Cooler
If your after-cooler fails to regulate the temperature of gasses within your system, replace the part immediately. Make sure the replacement specifically is designed for the lowest pressure drop at the maximum operating conditions.
Once you’ve done this your compressor’s operations won’t force the after-cooler to strain to efficiently cool air.
Maintenance Is Key
Ultimately, proper and regular maintenance is key to minimizing pressure drops in your air compressor. Should a pressure drop occur it will be easy to locate where the exact problem is coming from and fix it accordingly.
Let’s help you with maintaining your system or upgrading it for optimum results. Talk to our experts at: 925.667.3400/sales@cdasystems.com.