Intermediate Air 

Storage
March 10, 2009 — Kirk Edwards

Also known as secondary receivers, intermediate air storage can be especially effective when a

system has shifting demands or large volume use in a specific area. Intermediate storage is

the buffer between a large demand event and the output of your compressor.

Step number five in Six Steps to Optimization is:

1. Measure your air consumption

2. Locate and fix any compressed air leaks in the system

3. Upgrade your end use blow off applications with engineered products

4. Turn off the compressed air when not needed for production

5. Use intermediate storage of compressed air near the point of use

6. Control the pressure at the point of use to minimize consumption

The buffer created by intermediate storage (secondary receiver) prevents pressure fluctuations which

may impact other end use operations and affect your end product quality.

An application which is a good fit for a secondary receiver tank is one with a high intermittent demand

of compressed air, short duration of this demand, and enough time in between demand events to

replenish the receiver pressure without needing additional capacity from the compressor.

A properly outfitted intermediate storage tank includes a check valve to hold pressure and proper

volume delivered to the receiver, a valve which allows you to evenly fill the receiver back to its full

volume and pressure, a relief valve, and a drain valve to release condensate.

Properly sized and located intermediate storage strategies can greatly improve compressed air system

efficiencies. They are easy to use and install and require little maintenance.

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