COMPRESSED AIR

SYSTEMS
An Introduction and Industrial Overview
Table of Contents
o Introduction to Compressed Air
o Significance of Compressed Air
o Components of Compressed Air System
o Compressor
o Compressed Air Dryer
o PSA N2 Generator
o Factors affecting Compressed Air System Design
o System Improvements
Introduction to Compressed Air
o Compressed Air is pressurized air kept at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure and it is an
important medium of energy storage and transfer in industries. Other most commonly used sources of
energy in industry are:
 Electricity
 Steam
 Compressed Air
 Fuel Oils
o The benefits of using compressed air in industries are as follows:
 Safe
 Flexibility
 Low Cost Tools
 Low Maintenance Tools
 Ergonomic Tools
Significance of Compressed Air
o Compressed Air is an expensive utility. Cost equivalent of compressed air can be as high as 7 to 8 times
that of electricity.
o To compress 1 normal cubic unit of atmospheric air to 7 bar pressure, 7 kW of electricity is required.
o Compressed air can be used as “Energy Air” or “Active Air”.

Heat Losses
(85%)

Energy
Consumed
(100%)
Compressed
Air (15%)
Components of Compressed Air Systems
o Most common components of a compressed air system in industry are as follows:
 Compressors
 Compressed Air Dryers
 Air Receivers
 Filtration System
 N2 Generators
Compressor
Compressor and Its Types
o Compressor is a mechanical device used to increase the pressure in a variety of compressible fluids or
gases e.g. Air, Natural Gas etc.
o Based on working principle, compressors are classified into following types:

Compressors

Dynamic Positive Displacement

Centrifuga
Axial Reciprocating Rotary
l

Single Double Sliding

Screw Lobe Gear
Acting Acting Vane
Introduction to Screw Compressor
o A rotary screw compressor consists of a pair of intermeshing rotors housed in a suitable casing to
produce compression. A given quantity of air or gas is trapped in a compression chamber and the space
that it occupies is mechanically reduced, causing a corresponding rise in pressure prior to discharge.
Types of Screw Compressor
Oil Lubricated Screw Compressor
Oil is injected into compression chamber.
Oil performs, lubrication, cooling and noise
dissipation.
Oil Free Screw Compressor
No oil is injected into the compression chamber.
Oil is used for lubrication of bearings and gears,
which are isolated from the compression chamber.
Instead water is used for cooling purpose.
The cooling system in oil-free rotary screw
compressor consists of an air cooler after each stage
and an oil cooler.
Components of Rotary Screw Compressor
o Air Ends
o Male Rotor
o Female Rotor
o Bearings
o Motor
o Gear Drive
o Air Intake Valve
o Discharge Valve
o Oil Cooler
o 1st Stage Cooler
o 2nd Stage cooler
o Moisture Separators
o Master Controller
Demonstration of Compressor Working
Recommended Maintenance Program for Compressor
Weekly Checks:
o Delcos Controller - Check for any service alarm
o Delcos Controller - Check fault history
o Oil System – Drain Condensate from separator vessel
o Oil System – Check oil level and top up if necessary
o Separator Element – Check differential pressure (Max 0.7 Bar)
o Moisture Separator – Drain condensate from separator
o Cabinet Pre Filter & VSD Filter – Check condition, clean if required

Monthly Checks:
o Equipment Performance Analysis
o Cleaning of Components
o Tightening of Electrical Connections
o Oil Check
Cont.
2000 Hours Service:
o Oil level check
o Air filter replacement
o Oil filter replacement
o Electrical connections check
o Cabinet filters / VSD Filters cleaning / replacement
o After cooler, oil cooler and fan cleaning
o Relief valve functionality test

4000 Hours Service:

o 2000 Hours Service
o Starter Contactors: Check contacts, connections and condition
o Oil replacement
o Air filter replacement
o Oil filter replacement
o Motor lubricant cartridges replacement
Cont.
8000 Hours Service:
o 2000 & 4000 Hours Service
o Minimum pressure valve replacement
o Suction regulator overhauling
o Control Solenoid replacement
o Drive coupling inserts replacement
Compressed Air Dryer
Compressed Air Dryer and Its Types
o A compressed air dryer is a piece of equipment designed to separate water vapor or moisture (de-
humidify) from industrial process air to achieve required process air quality.

Types of Compressed Air Dryers:

o Refrigerant Dryers: In Refrigerant dryers heat exchangers are used to cool compressed air which will
condense the bulk amount of water vapor within the air. Once the compressed air is cooled and water is
removed, the air is reheated to around room temperature to ensure no more vapor forms within the pipe
system.
o Desiccant Dryers: In desiccant dryers the process of drying occurs through Pressure Swing Adsorption
(PSA) principle to produce a continuous stream of clean dry air. Dual chamber columns, filled with
desiccant material, are capped by an upper and lower manifold to produce a two bed system (A + B). One
side of the dryer is online drying whilst the other side of the dryer is being regenerated through vacuum
assisted pressure swing adsorption technology.
Desiccant Dryer Operation
o Adsorption Drying: Compressed air enters the dryer at the lower manifold and is directed to the online
bed by the inlet flow control valves. As the compressed air flows over the desiccant material, water vapor
transfers from the wet air to the dry desiccant. The clean dry air flows into the to the upper manifold, via
the outlet check valves, and exits the dryer.
Regeneration Cycle
o Depressurization: The inlet control valve and the outlet check valve are closed and remain so whilst Side
B is undergoing regeneration. The exhaust valve is open allowing the air held within the Side B of the
dryer to be vented to atmospheric pressure. The vacuum pump valve remains closed until the pressure
inside column B has reached atmospheric pressure. This avoids pressurizing the vacuum pump and
prevents damage.
o Vacuum Assisted Regeneration: The exhaust valve is closed once side B is fully depressurized. The
vacuum pump valve is opened allowing a strong vacuum to be pulled in side B. Under vacuum a
continuous flow path now exists from the purge orifice at the top manifold to the vacuum pump valve.
o Re-pressurization: On completion of the regeneration phase, Side B must be pressurized prior to
changeover. The vacuum pump valve is closed and side B is pressurized by the purge air entering through
the purge orifice and the Quick Re-pressurization Valve (QRV).
Cont.
Cont.
Recommended Maintenance Program for Dryers
Daily Checks:
o Check dryer fault status

Weekly Checks:
o Check all connections for leaks

Monthly Checks:
o Check vacuum pump oil level

3 Months Checks:
o Check pressure gauges for excessive back pressure during purging
o Check all electrical connections integrity
Cont.
3 Months Service:
o Replace vacuum pumps oil and separator elements

12 Months Service:
o Replace Silencer Elements
o Replace Service Exchange Hygrometer

36 Months Service:
o Replace the valve seats and seals
o Replace Desiccant Media
PSA N2 Generators
Introduction to PSA N2 Generators
Working Principle
o PSA nitrogen generators operate on the Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) principle to produce a
continuous stream of nitrogen gas from clean dry compressed air.

Construction
o Pairs of dual chamber columns, filled with Carbon Molecular Sieve (CMS), are joined via an upper and
lower manifold to produce a two bed system. Whilst one bed is online and removing oxygen from the
process air the other is regenerated.
PSA N2 Generators Operation
o Clean, dry particulate free compressed air enters the bottom of the online bed and flows up through the
CMS. Oxygen and other trace gases are preferentially adsorbed by the CMS, allowing nitrogen to pass
through. At the end of this adsorption phase the inlet, outlet and exhaust valves close on both beds. The
upper and lower equalization valves open, allowing the pressure to equalize between the beds. This
equalization phase is designed to reduce energy consumption and enhance the overall performance of the
generator.
o Once equalized the bed entering regeneration is depressurized. The oxygen adsorbed during the
adsorption phase is vented to atmosphere via an exhaust valve and silencer. A small proportion of the
outlet nitrogen gas is also expanded into this bed to help the desorption of oxygen from the CMS.
o The bed entering the adsorption phase is pressurized using a controlled flow of nitrogen gas from the
nitrogen buffer vessel (Back Fill) and a controlled flow of clean, dry, particulate free compressed air
(Front Fill).
PSA N2 Generators Demonstration
Recommended Maintenance Program for N2 Generators
Daily Checks:
o Check fault status indicators on control panel

3 Months Checks:
o Check all connections for air leaks
o Check pressure gauges during purging for excessive back pressure
o Check integrity of all electrical connections
o Calibrate oxygen sensors if required

12 Months Service:
o Replace exhaust silencers and filter elements

24 Months Service:
o Replace oxygen sensors
Cont.
36 Months Service:
o Replace Control Valves

60 Months Service:
o Replace cylinder and Solenoid valves
Factors affecting Compressed Air
System Design
Compressor Design
Environmental / Geographical Factors
o Altitude
o Temperature
o Humidity

Process
o Application
o Flowrate
o Air Quality
o Maximum Pressure
o Operating hours
o Demand Fluctuation
o Future Expansions
o Heat recovery
Compressed Air System Design
Demand
o Total FAD requirement assessment
o Air losses assessment
o Compressor Efficiency
o Deration

Supply
o Maximum & Minimum Pressure Requirement
o Pressure Losses Assessment

Storage
o Wet storage
o Dry storage
o Buffer Quantity
Cont.
Air Quality
o Application
o Air Class Requirement
o Pre-requisites for N2 Generators

 Dust Removal

 Oil vapors removal

 Moisture Removal

In accordance with ISO 8573-1 : 2010 Class (2,2,2)

ISO 8573-1 : 2010
System Layout
Room Sizing:
o Equipment Size
o Machine/machine distance
o Machine/wall distance
o Foundations
o Condensate management
o Piping Network
o Exhaust Air Management
o Air Receivers Compressor oil Air end wear
life decreases to also increases
Ventilation: half for every 20 with increase in
o Proper ventilation of compressor room deg. rise above temperature.
normal operating
o Room temperature management
temperature
Piping
Transmission / Distribution:
o Piping Material (CS, GI, SS, Al)
o Inclination in piping
o Filtration Installation

Principles for Compressed Air Piping:

o Identify end user using compressed Air
o Calculate Volume requirement at each end user
o Check Max pressure requirement at each end user
o Establish maximum demand & pressure on each main and branched line
o Consider an allowance for future expansion
o Consider max and min ambient temperature
o Finalize piping network layout
Cont.
Principles for Compressed Air Piping:
o Select piping material with minimum pressure drop
o Keep the number of fittings to minimum possible
o Keep piping inclined 3~5 deg. and install condensate drain at lower side
o Design & install supports to minimize vibrations
System Improvements
Compressed Air Wastage
Causes of Air Wastage:
o Leaks
o Inappropriate Use
Recommended Actions
o Compressor Room Temperature Monitoring
o Compressed Air Leakages Identification
o Heat Recovery
o Adherence to Preventive Maintenance Plans
o Maintain Critical Spares
Potential Benefits
o Reduced on-load Hours
o Reduced energy Consumption
o Reduced maintenance Cost
o Increased equipment reliability
o Increased productivity
o Saving on energy costs
Thank You!