Chap13 - Compressed Air

ME444 ENGINEERING PIPING SYSTEM DESIGN
CHAPTER 13 : COMPRESSED AIR PIPING

CONTENT
1. INTRODUCTION
2. AIR COMPRESSOR
3. PIPING SYSTEM
4. PIPE SIZING
1. INTRODUCTION
COMPRESSED AIR SERVES MANY PURPOSES

 DELIVER MECHANICAL ENERGY (PNEUMATIC SYSTEM)
 PROCESS AIR SUPPLY (MIXING, AGITATION)
 DRYING AND CLEANING (NOT RECOMMENDED)
ETC.
AIR
Cp = 1.01 kJ/kg.K
Cv = 0.72 kJ/kg.K
k = Cp/Cv
= 1.4
AT STP (0 °C and 101.325 kPa), dry air has a density of ρSTP = 1.293 g/L
COMPRESSION CYCLES
P
k 
1
PVn = Constant
n = 0 ISOBARIC n=0
n = 1 ISOTHERMAL
n = k ISENTROPIC
n =  ISOCHORIC
V
ISENTROPIC COMPRESSION PROCESS
Fully insulated cylinder
No heat exchange with the surroundings.
Constant entropy
2. COMPONENTS
DISPLACEMENT COMPRESSOR
ACTUAL COMPRESSION CYCLE
ROTARY DISPLACEMENT COMPRESSORS
SCREW SCROLL
DYNAMICS COMPRESSORS
ACCESSORIES
FILTERS
DRYERS
SILENCERS
REGULATORS
VALVES
TYPICAL AIR COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY
COMPRESSOR ROOM
AUTOMATIC DRAIN
PNUMATIC EQUIPMENTS
3. PIPING SYSTEM
General practice
 Tap from top of main pipe

 Slope toward automatic drain
 V < 6 m/s
 Use ring loop for large system
 Consider 5% minimum leakage
PIPING SYSTEM DESIGN SEQUENCES
1. Locate and identify each process, work station, or piece of equipment

using compressed air. This is known as the total connected load.
These elements
2. Determine volume of air used at each location.
3. Determine pressure range required at each location.
4. Determine conditioning requirements for each item, such as allowable

moisture content, particulate size, and oil content.
5. Establish how much time the individual tool or process will be in actual
use for a specific period of time. This is referred to as the duty cycle.
This information will help determine the simultaneous-use factor by
eliminating some locations during periods of use at other locations.
PIPING SYSTEM DESIGN SEQUENCES
6. Establish the maximum number of locations that may be used
simultaneously on each branch, main, and for the project as a whole.
This is known as the use factor.
7. Establish the extent of allowable leakage (2%-5% for good system).
8. Establish any allowance for future expansion.
9. Make a preliminary piping layout, and assign preliminary pressure

drop.
10. Select the air compressor type, conditioning equipment, equipment

and air inlet locations making sure that consistent scfm (scmm) or acfm
(acmm) is used for both the system and compressor capacity rating.
11. Produce a final piping layout, and size the piping network.
COMPRESSOR SELECTION
Flow rate Pressure
Survey the requirement

Consider use factor
Account for leakage
Apply margin of safety
ABOUT AIR PRESSURE AND FLOW RATE
ACFM – ACTUAL MEASUREMENT OF COMPRESSED AIR

SCFM – EQUIVALENT TO FREE AIR AT 0 PSIG
100 ACFM @ 100 PSIG = 100 X (100+14.7) / 14.7

= 780 SCFM
1 psig X 7 = kPa.
1 cfm X 0.03 = m3 / min.
FAD = Free Air Deliverly

AIR REQUIREMENT
AIR REQUIREMENT
AIR REQUIREMENT
LABORATORY OUTLET USE FACTOR
SLOPE DOWN AND TAP FROM TOP
LAYOUT
A C
B
D
4. PIPING SIZING
ESTABLISH THE PIPE LAYOUT

DETERMINE THE LONGEST RUN
DETERMINE THE EQUIVALENT LENGTH
(150% OF THE ACTUAL LENGTH IS PRACTICAL)
ALLOW PRESSURE TO DROP UP TO 10%
VELOCITY OF AIR SHOULD BE LESS THAN 6 M/S
PRESSURE DROP
Qc in litre per second (FAD)

l in metre
d in mm.
p in bar (absolute)
PRESSURE DROP CHART
P-drop (bar/100m)
AIR FLOW RATE (LPS – FAD)

PRESSURE DROP AND PIPE SIZE
EXAMPLE
PRESSURE DROP IN FITTINGS
PRESSURE DROP IN FITTINGS
INLET PIPE SIZE
SIZING THE RECEIVER
 20 l/kW
 10S of compressor capacity for constant load
 20S of compressor capacity for fluctuated load

EXAMPLE
FINAL NOTES
1. DESIGN PROCESS START FROM THE END USER
• END USER REQUIREMENT
• SOURCE
• PIPING SYSTEM
2. SOME SYSTEM ARE NOT INCLUDED SUCH AS

• FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM (SEE EIT STANDARD)
• HIGH PRESSURE STEAM
• OIL PIPELINE
• MUNICIPALITY WATER DISTRIBUTION NETWORK
3. PIPING SYSTEM COST 7-8% OF A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

• OPERATING COST IS MUCH MORE
• DO NOT UNDERSIZE THE PIPE

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ME444 ENGINEERING PIPING SYSTEM DESIGN

CHAPTER 13 : COMPRESSED AIR PIPING

COMPRESSED AIR SERVES MANY PURPOSES

 Tap from top of main pipe

1. Locate and identify each process, work station, or piece of equipment

2. Determine volume of air used at each location.

3. Determine pressure range required at each location.

4. Determine conditioning requirements for each item, such as allowable

7. Establish the extent of allowable leakage (2%-5% for good system).

8. Establish any allowance for future expansion.

9. Make a preliminary piping layout, and assign preliminary pressure

10. Select the air compressor type, conditioning equipment, equipment

Flow rate Pressure

Survey the requirement

ACFM – ACTUAL MEASUREMENT OF COMPRESSED AIR

100 ACFM @ 100 PSIG = 100 X (100+14.7) / 14.7

FAD = Free Air Deliverly

ESTABLISH THE PIPE LAYOUT

Qc in litre per second (FAD)

AIR FLOW RATE (LPS – FAD)

 10S of compressor capacity for constant load

 20S of compressor capacity for fluctuated load

2. SOME SYSTEM ARE NOT INCLUDED SUCH AS

3. PIPING SYSTEM COST 7-8% OF A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

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