Atlas Copco Portable Air

Application Training – Sandblasting / Abrasive Blasting

Fenil Shah
August 2008

1
 Course information page

 Course description
– Sandblasting / Abrasive Blasting Application Study.
– This presentation elaborates on some best practices, including equipment
selection and operational processes. How efficiency equals productivity and
productivity equals profitability.

 Course objectives: after the training participants should :

– Understand the principles of blasting
– Be able to determine required flow & pressure
– Understand the selection criteria for the air compressor and be able to offer
blasting solutions
– Understand the key factors determining customer productivity and profit

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 SANDBLASTING BASICS

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 Some Basics Of Sand/Abrasive Blasting

What ?
 Attacking the surface of a material with one of many types of shots/abrasives
 Sand Paper / Erosion Effect
Purpose of blasting ?
 Removal of scale
 Removal of rust
 Surface preparation prior to painting
 Paint Removal
 Dust / Contamination Removal
 Smoothing
 Shaping

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 Blasting Photographs

Before Blasting After Blasting

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 ABRASIVES USED

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 Basics On Abrasives Used

 Abrasive is the media used to attack surfaces

during blasting
 Powder form = Abrasives
 Rounded form = Shots
Less cutting effect
Less wear & tear (Nozzle/Hose)
 Factors influencing abrasive selection
Thickness of material to be removed
Production rate
Desired finish

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 Some Common Abrasives Used
Aluminum Oxide
White Aluminum Oxide
Corn Cob
Crushed Glass
Glass Beads
Plastic
Silicon Carbide
Steel Grit
Steel Shot
Walnut Shell

For safety & environmental reasons, abrasives

containing free silica (as sand) should not be used

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 MARKET SERVED

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 Markets Served
 Bridges  Custom Fabricators
 Iron & Steel  Shipyards
 Metal Refining  Offshore Structures
 Oil & Gas  Petrochemical
 Pipe  Pulp & Paper
 Transportation  Tanks
 Rail Cars

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 Pictures of prospects

 Shipyards
 Water Tower Tanks
 Fuel Tank Farms

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 BLASTING / PAINTING APPARATUS

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 Compressor
Diesel powered compressor used as an air supply for abrasive blasting
COMPRESSOR DETAILS ATLAS COPCO

MODEL XAM 146

FLOW (cfm) 300

PRESSURE (bar) 8.2

ENGINE MAKE AL

ENGINE MODEL HINO WO4CT

NO. OF CYLINDER 4

FUEL CONS. (lt/hr) 11

LENGTH (mm) 3690

HEIGHT (mm) 1635

WIDTH (mm) 1735

WEIGHT (kgs) 1595

FUEL TANK CAPACITY (ltr) 120

OIL CAPACITY ENGINE (ltr) 9.5

OIL CAPACITY COMPRESSOR (ltr) 32

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 After Cooler
 Prevents moisture seriously inhibiting bonding of the paint to the metal
surface
 Prevents metal rust again within hours after sandblasting
 Reduce breathing air system approach temperature
 Increases hose life

Integrated Air Cooled Stand alone after cooler (Pneumatic motor)

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 Hopper

Device used for adding abrasives to the compressed air

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 Pneumatic Pump - Painting

 Helps to pump up wet paint

from the barrel
 After blasting, paint is forced
through an air gun, over the
surface required to be coated
 Pneumatic cylinder of the pump
requires around 40 – 60 cfm of air
flow at 6-7 bar pressure

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 BLASTING SET UP

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 Blasting / Painting Set Up
Safety Mask

Breathing Air
Filter

Painting
Pump

Air Cooled
Compressor Hopper Blaster / Painter
After cooler
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 QUALITY OF AIR REQUIRED

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 Air Quality Requirements
Oil-free and dry compressed air is essential for the following reasons:

 Oil residue in the compressed air will contaminate the abrasive and blasted
surfaces.
 Blasting equipment life is prolonged and equipment maintenance costs are
reduced.
 Prevents metal rust again within hours after sandblasting.

Moisture Trap

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 Effects Of Aftercooler

W/O AFTER COOLER WITH AFTER COOLER

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 FLOW & PRESSURE

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 Flow & Pressure

Larger Ø nozzle Air Consumption

Abrasive Consumption
Nozzle Production @ 7 bar
600
increases blast 45
3500
productivity GOAL:
40
500 40
3000
35
Larger Ø nozzle
Air Consumption (l/sec)
34
30
400
2500
consumes more
m² per hour

MAXIMIZE PRODUCTION RATE

use

28
25
abrasive 22 6 bar 6 bar
kg/hr Abrasive

300 2000
20 7 Bar 7 bar

Higher pressure
MINIMIZE
15
AIR & ABRASIVE CONSUMED
1500
8.6 bar 8.6 bar
10 bar 10 bar
200 10
consumes more MINIMIZE
10 NOZZLE WEAR 1000
air, abrasive, 5
100
increases wear 0500
6 8 9 11 13
0 0
3 4 5 6 6 5 8 99 611 13 7
16 19 8
3 5 8 11 13 16 19
COST
Profit Nozzle Nozzle
Size
Nozzle
Size
(mm)
Size (mm)
Nozzle No.
(mm)

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 Air Consumption Per Blast Nozzle
Nozzle Size Approx. Air Consumption (l/sec - cfm) per Blast Nozzle
bar / psig 6 90 7 100 8.6 125 10 140
No. inch mm l/s cfm l/s cfm l/s cfm l/s cfm
2 1/8" 3 9 20 10 22 12 26 14 30
3 3/16" 5 21 45 23 49 27 58 31 66
4 1/4" 6 38 80 42 90 50 105 57 121
5 5/16" 8 59 125 71 150 75 160 87 185
6 3/8" 9 86 182 94 200 111 235 127 270
7 7/16" 11 113 240 127 270 149 315 170 360
8 1/2" 13 151 320 165 350 193 410 222 470
10 5/8" 16 236 500 259 550 302 640 349 740
12 3/4" 19 340 720 373 790 436 925 500 1060

Blast Nozzle determines compressor size

Nozzle Diameter:
Larger nozzles require more air / more abrasive
Smaller nozzles traps abrasive outflow
Recommended nozzle size in India is 8 mm
Nozzle Pressure:
Higher pressure more wear & tear
Lower pressure lesser productivity
Recommend air pressures 7 to 10.3 bar (100 to 150 psi)
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 Air Pressure in Blasting
Air pressure can be the most important factor
in abrasive blasting
Factors determining pressure loses:

• Distance – The shorter the distance lesser the

pressure drop

• Diameter – The larger hose diameter, the lower

the loss of blast power
• Connections – Qty & Seal ring condition

Correction factors due to above loses to be

considered during sizing of compressor

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 Pressure Vs Blasting Productivity

 How does nozzle air pressure influence productivity ?

Each 1 psig below 100 psig =

1.5%
Each 0.07 bar below 7 bar = Lost Production

 Blasting at 90 psi (6 bar) = 85% production rate

 Loss of 15% of productivity, or will take 15% longer to blast
the same surface area than at 100 psi (7 bar)

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 COMPRESSOR SIZING

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 Getting the Right Compressor

 Compressor selection based on two choices

– Correct Flow

– Correct Pressure

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 Case Study
• Blaster : Jal Engineers Pvt. Ltd.
• End Customer : L&T – Hazira
• Site Location : Surat
• Job : Blasting of Offshore Platform
• Area of blasting : 2000 m²
• Time Period: 10 days

• Job/Day: 200m² in 8hr shift

• After Cooler & Safety Mask Must

(As per L&T standards)
Contractor : Jal Engineers Pvt. Ltd.
Site : L&T Hazira (Surat)

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 Blasting Parameters:
Thumb Rules Used for Blasting calculations in Indian condition:
 8 mm nozzles @ 7 bar is most commonly used
 Blasting Rates: 10m² / hr
 Actual blasting per day, per nozzle: 70m² (Considering 1hr break)
 Abrasive Cost: Rs 1 / kg (Cu Slag)
 Nozzle of 8mm * 8” Cost: Rs 8,000/-
 Nozzle life around 3 months
 Hose cost around Rs 400 / m
 Hose ID = 32 mm; OD = 50 mm
 Abrasive Consumption: 40kg /m²
 Blasting Contract Rates: Rs150 / m² to Rs 500 / m²

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 Flow / Pressure Calculations
FLOW requirement / nozzle
FLOW (l/sec) FLOW (cfm)

Nozzle Air 71 150

Wear Air (50%) 35 75

Breath Air 8 17

Per Nozzle 114 242

PRESSURE requirement / nozzle

Pressure Losses Bar Psig

30 m x 50mm (100’ x 2”) hose 0.33 5

Hose connections 0.14 2

Aftercooler 0.34 5

TOTAL PRESSURE LOSS 0.81 12

If 7 bar mc selected18% loss in productivity (or operating at 82%)

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 Productivity to Profit
NOZZLES NEEDED

JOB DONE / NOZZLE : 7Om²/day

TOTAL JOB REQD.: 200m²/day
3 NOZZLES REQUIRED (Each 8mm)

FLOW NEEDED
FLOW / NOZZLE: 242 cfm
TOTAL FLOW REQD: 726 cfm

PRESSURE NEEDED
PRESSURE: 7.81 bar

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 AC RANGE

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 Productivity to Profit
Capacity Required: 726 cfm @ 7.81 bar; with after cooler
Pressure
PORTABLE COMPRESSORS MODEL Flow (cfm) (Bar) Remarks

XA 76 140 7 Flow/Pressure Not Suitable

XA 90 190 7 Flow/Pressure Not Suitable

XA 126 265 7 Pressure Not Suitable

XA 146 300 7 Pressure Not Suitable

XAM 146 300 8.2 3 Nos. Suitable; Fuel Cons. 33 ltr/hr

XA 175 375 7 Pressure Not Suitable

XAH 210 450 10.5 2 Nos. Suitable; Fuel Cons. 40 ltr/hr

XA 280 600 7 Pressure Not Suitable

XAHS 186 (WITH INTEGRATED AFTER 2 Nos. Suitable; Fuel Cons. 35 ltr/hr (???)
COOLER) 385 12 (Availability/Fuel Cons/Target - Qty – Price)

XAVS 600 588 14 2 Nos. Suitable; Fuel Cons. 60 ltr/hr

XAHS 675 660 12 2 Nos. Suitable; Fuel Cons. 60 ltr/hr

XRH 1100 1100 20 Flow/Pressure too high

VT4TM 140 7 Flow/Pressure Not Suitable

XA 140 E 300 7 Electricity NA

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 COMPETITION

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 Competitors Details

PARTICULARS AC DOOSAN ELGI - 1

MODEL XAM 146 P310 DL04012

FLOW (cfm) 300 300 300

PRESSURE (bar) 8.2 7 7

ENGINE MAKE AL CUMMINS CUMMINS

ENGINE MODEL HINO WO4CT 4BT 4BT

NO. OF CYLINDER 4 4 4

FUEL CONS. (lt/hr) 11 12 12

LENGTH (mm) 3690 3800 3160

HEIGHT (mm) 1635 2250 1720

WIDTH (mm) 1735 1850 1932

WEIGHT (kgs) 1595 2250 3700

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 Productivity to Profit

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 Productivity to Profit
 Labour Cost Analysis:
Compressor capacity 300 cfm @ 7 bar
Considering pressure losses m/c will run at 6.19 bar
 Working at 82% Productivity Rate
 Labour = Rs. 200 /hour, 8 hr day
100% 82% Lost Profit
Blasting Rate (m²/day) 70 59
For 3 Nozzles 210 177
Time needed (days) 9.5 11.3
Time Needed Per Operator (hrs) 76 90.4
Cost Per Operator (Rs.200/hr) 15200 18080 2880
Cost for 3 Operators 45600 54240 8640

Labour Savings: Rs. 8640/-

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 Productivity to Profit
 Fuel Cost Analysis:

 Working at 82% Productivity Rate

AC COMP. Lost Profit
Blasting Rate (m²/day) 70 59
For 3 Nozzles 210 177
Time needed (days) 9.5 11.3
Time Needed Per Operator (hrs) 76 90.4
Diesel Consumption (ltr/hr) 11 12
Diesel Consumption / M/c (ltr) 836 1085
Diesel Cost / M/c (Rs.40/ltr) 33440 43400 9960
Cost for 3 M/cs 100320 130200 29880

Fuel Savings: Rs. 29880/-

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 Productivity to Profit

 Total Blasting Cost:

AC COMP. Lost Profit

Cost of abrasive (Rs. 1/kg) 80000 80000
Cost of fuel 100320 130200 29880
Cost of labour 45600 54240 8640
Total Cost 225920 264440 38520

Extra Revenue: Rs. 38520/-

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 Productivity to Profit

Right Choices increases productivity

……....Compressor
……….Air Treatment

Productivity increases profitability

It’s about money…..

……making more of it
……faster

41 AIP APPLICA TION STUDY AUG 08

 Application Video

Blasting / Coating / Spraying

Knowledge obtained (Interesting Observations) :
 Compressors are required for blasting & coating
 Header / Receiver
 Pressure loses due to connections & longer hose lengths
 Operator performing blasting & coating
 Safety mask
 Nozzle / spraying gun

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 We are committed to your
superior productivity through
interaction and innovation.

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