A few words on Air Treatment Part 2

This is the second part of our entry on air treatment, the first part is here.

Pressure adjustment

Each pneumatic equipment has guidelines on the extent to which it should be operated. Exceeding this pressure does not mean that we will achieve increased efficiency; it will only result in excessive compressed air consumption, which will reduce the efficiency of our pneumatic installation. In order to optimally utilize the air, it is necessary to reduce the pressure that leaves the compressor to the required pressure (tools, filters, etc.).

The systems operate at two pressure levels – compressed air stored in the receiver’s tank at a higher pressure and air used by actuators and other devices. This ensures that compression is not in continuous operation.

Controllers – pressure controlled reducing valves. They have two important functional properties: disposition (maintaining a consistent output pressure independent of inlet pressure) and flow rate (maintains a consistent pressure independent of flow rate). The type of reducer will dictate to us the type of regulation we need and the flow rate.

Most of the regulators are divided into three categories: general purpose regulators, controllers and regulators for special purpose.

Most general purpose controllers are diaphragm type, although piston versions are used where higher throughput is required. The measuring regulators can be adjusted to reduce the discharge pressure without putting the equipment into operation.

Pilot controllers – they regulate the outlet pressure, thanks to which we are able to control the signal generated by the precision regulator.

This means that, for example, the controller can be installed in large distribution networks and placed on the ground floor and can be controlled from another floor with a pilot operated pneumatically. Engineers usually use these types of regulators, where a high constant air supply is required.

Precision regulators – typically used in applications where rapid response, accurate repeatability and discharge pressure control are required. These units have a limited scope of operation, but better flow and regulatory properties than other reducers.

These regulators are able to stand up to a pressure regulator-2 reduce their flow rate by up to 80-90% for special applications such as tensioning strips and paper pressing.
Special-purpose regulators can be based on any of the aforementioned things depending on what they are used for. For example, they can be constructed from special materials such as stainless steel, operate with a piston instead of a flywheel, or have higher release flows.

All these regulators are available in our range of products in the reducers category.

The combination of filter/regulator or air conditioning station will save you space and costs. Specialised regulators are able to remove fine oil particles and ensure precise pressure control.

Lubrication

Another important step in the compressed air system is the introduction of grease to ensure trouble-free operation without excessive resistance. Please note that oil from the compressor is dirty and has lost its lubricating properties and should be filtered out.

The grease in the form of micro mist forms a lightweight molecule with a size of less than two micrometers. Micro-fog particles are capable of providing proportional lubrication through numerous lubrication outlets, making it ideal for many pneumatic systems.

One of the lubricators is an injection pump. Unlike an aerosol lubricator, instead of continuously delivering micro-fog grease, it injects the same amount of oil with each cycle at a time. This type of lubricator is often used in transport networks.

Most pneumatically powered valves and actuators are pre-lubricated and in most cases do not require additional lubrication during operation. Other components may be repaired by engineers, but they must use a new grease before they can be incorporated into the pneumatic system.

In addition, polluted air will gradually damage the original grease and reduce the service life of the seals.

David is the blog editor of e-pneumatic blog, and the main author of its articles. He is also a student of automation in the Gdansk Technical University in Poland.

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