Traditionally, engineers have specified a variety of piping materials for compressed air systems, including black iron, galvanized steel, copper, stainless steel and even plastic. More recently, aluminum piping has become an option considered by many contractors, architects and engineering firms. Aluminum piping makes sense for compressed air systems in many different applications.
Black iron and galvanized steel pipe are two common types of pipe used for compressed air systems. More than 60% to 70% of all compressed air systems installed today use black iron or galvanized pipe, due to a variety
Aluminium piping has many benefits, but the characteristic that has seen its popularity surge in recent years is versatility. Ease of installation and overall cost savings have made it the preferred choice in a range of industries, leading to its use in a number of applications; with fire, water and air being three of the most common.
1. Fire
Aluminium is lightweight, robust and able to withstand high temperatures. This makes it ideal for use in fire protection systems, which are a crucial aspect of the emergency response to building fires. Fire
System #1: Contact
“Contact” is defined in the code as, “the process where compressed air is used as a part of the production and processing including packaging and transportation of safe food production.” Another way of defining this is simply if compressed air comes into direct contact with food products. If this is the case, the end user must know that the compressed air must be purified to the “Contact” purity-level as defined in the Code. We often hear the term “incidental contact” used in the U.S. This is an ambiguous
With increasing energy costs and a growing demand to be “greener”, the performance and efficiency of your compressed air systems has never been more important. Potential energy savings not only reduce the environmental impact of your business, they can also improve your bottom line. This is why you should seriously consider having a professional compressed air system audit. An audit of this kind should provide a comprehensive evaluation of your plant’s current operating practice and system performance. Once you have this data in your hand, the potential benefits for performance gains and energy
You don’t have to be a hipster to realize the craft brewing industry is exploding across the US. Craft brewers and other facilities are using compressed air in making the brews that turn heads and win awards.
Without compressed air, the brewing process would be much more difficult. Aeration, for example, is a key part in the fermentation process. Yeast cultures require oxygen, and oil-free air compressors provide clean compressed air.
After the fermentation process, many craft breweries use compressed air to provide power to machinery during clarifying. Beers are clarified in
By minimizing pressure drops and optimizing compressed air quality, a well-designed air piping system can make a big difference in the energy efficiency of the compressed air system. Modular air piping gives you the freedom to design a custom compressed air piping system to meet the unique needs of your facility while offering flexibility to adjust the design should your facility expand.
Piping systems more than five years old have been shown to exhibit leaks of up to 25 percent and a single quarter-inch air leak at 100 psi will cost