Working pressure is a critical factor that can significantly impact energy consumption when it comes to dimensioning a compressed air installation.
The compressor along with its system design, piping, valve, dryers, filters and other ancillary equipment help determine the necessary working pressure. Different types of equipment can demand varying pressures within the same system. Normally, the application with the highest pressure determines the requisite installation pressure, and other equipment is fit with pressure reducing valves or regulators at the point of consumption.
To calculate the compressor system’s working pressure, you need to know your production equipment’s air pressure requirement while taking into consideration the source, which can cause pressure drops along the way from the compressor to the production line.
Description |
Pressure (PSI) |
Production line requirement |
90 |
Sources of Pressure Drop |
Pressure (PSI) |
Dryer |
3 |
Coalescing Filter |
1 |
Dust Filter |
2 |
Piping (elbows, reducers, valves, fittings) |
4 |
Required Compressor pressure |
100 PSI |
To assess your equipment’s air requirement, you can use the following table as a guide. The table breaks down individual utilization factors to determine upper and lower limits for overall air demand.
Connected equipment |
Nominal air requirement |
Utilization factor |
Total air requirement average |
Tools |
300 CFM |
50% |
150 CFM |
Production lines |
200 CFM |
80% |
160 CFM |
Process lines, total |
|
|
310 CFM |
In this example, we would need a compressor that could produce 310 cfm at 100 psi.
Understanding your system’s working pressure can help save time and money in the long run. Get expert insight into your application demands and how you can adapt your compressor installation accordingly when you leave us a comment below.