Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Air is the most important thing in the pneumatic system, and as we all know, air is available
Easy channelled
Air is a substance that is easily passed or move from one place to another through a small
Temperature is flexible
Air can be used flexibly at various temperatures are required, through equipment designed for
specific circumstances, even in quite extreme conditions; the air was still able to work .
Safe
The air can be loaded more safely than it is not flammable and does not short circuit occurs
(konsleting) or explode, so protection against both of these things pretty easily, unlike the
minimized or cleaned with some processes, so it is safe to use pneumatic systems to the
Air could move at speeds that can be adjusted from low to high or vice versa . When using a
pneumatic cylinder actuator, the piston speed can reach 3 m / s . For pneumatic motors can
spins at 30,000 rpm, while the turbine engine systems can reach 450,000 rpm .
Can be stored
The air can be stored through the seat tube fed excess air pressure . Moreover, it can
be installed so that the pressure boundary or the safety of the system to be safe .
Easy utilized
Easy air either directly utilized to clean surfaces such as metal and machinery, or indirectly,
Disadvantages:
Compressed air should be well prepared to meet the requirements . Meet certain criteria,
such as dry, clean, and contain the necessary lubricant for pneumatic equipment . Therefore
Easy to leak
One of the properties of pressurized air is like to always occupy the empty space and the air
pressure is maintained in hard work . Therefore we need a seal so that air does not leak .
Seal leakage can cause energy loss . Pneumatic equipment should be equipped with airtight
Potential noise
Pneumatic using open system, meaning that the air that has been used will be thrown out of
the system, the air comes out pretty loud and noisy so will cause noise, especially on the
Pressurized air is easily condensed, so before entering the system must be processed first in
order to meet certain requirements, such as dry, have enough pressure, and contains a small
Expected after knowing the advantages and disadvantages of the use of compressed
air we can make the anticipation that these losses can be avoided .
loads and in other industrial utilization, pneumatics are still in wide use today . The article
Pneumatics is study of mechanical motion caused by pressurized gases and how this
motion can be used to perform engineering tasks . Pneumatics is used mainly in mining and
general construction works . Pneumatic devices are used frequently in the dentistry industry
across the world . On the other hand, hydraulics means use of pressurized fluids to execute a
mechanical task . Hydraulics is frequently used in the concepts of turbines, dams, and rivers .
Air brakes in buses, air compressors, compressed air engines, jackhammers, and vacuum
pumps are some of the most commonly used types of mechanical equipment that are based on
pneumatics technology . Commonly seen hydraulics based equipment types are hydraulic
presses, hydraulic hoppers, hydraulic cylinders, and hydraulic rams . In the subsequent
sections of this article, you will learn how a pneumatic system works, what its best features
based on the working principles of fluid dynamics in the concept of pressure . Any
circuit consisting of active components such as gas compressor, transition lines, air tanks,
hoses, open atmosphere, and passive components . Compressed air is supplied by the
compressor and
is transmitted through a series of hoses . Air flows are regulated by valves and the pneumatic
cylinder transfers the energy provided by the compressed gas to mechanical energy . Aside
from compressed air, inert gases are also applied particularly for self-contained systems .
Pneumatics is applied in a wide range in industries, even in mining and dentistry . The
majority of industries use gas pressures of about 80 to 100 pounds per square inch .
Over pneumatics, hydraulics is capable of moving heavier loads and having greater
force, and since its working fluids are incompressible, it minimum spring actions . But at the
same time pneumatics are cleaner; the system uses no return lines and gases are exhausted to
the atmosphere . Thus leaks will be of less concern since the working fluid of pneumatics is
air, unlike oil in hydraulics . Its working fluid is also widely available and most factories are
pre-plumbed for compressed air distribution, hence pneumatic equipment is easier to set-up .
To control the system, only ON and OFF are used and the system consists only of standard
systems require low maintenance and have long operating lives . Lastly the working fluid of
the pneumatic system absorbs excessive force, leading to less frequent damage to equipment .
Compressible gases are also easy to store and safer; no fire hazard is presented and machines
equipment is more suitable, particularly in industries where the factory units are plumbed for
compressed air .
The air used in pneumatic devices is dried and free from moisture so that it does not create
any problem to the internal parts of the system . Moreover, to avoid corrosive actions, oil or
lubricants are added so that friction effects can be reduced . Compressed air is used in most
of the machines and in some cases compressed carbon dioxide is used . As most of the
pneumatic devices are air based, they have a less complicated design and can be made of
systems, which not only save money but save time too .
Initial cost is less; hydraulics equipment cost as much as twice the price of pneumatic
equipment .
A pneumatic water treatment automation system reduces the costs of installation and
closing of underwater valves, pneumatic systems work well because they can sustain
Pneumatic actuators also have long life and perform well with negligible maintenance
The major disadvantage of pneumatic systems is that they cannot be employed for tasks
that require working under high pressures . However, modern technology is working on
finding better solutions to this address this problem so that heavy engineering tasks can be
executed using pneumatic devices . In a nutshell, in order to execute low scale engineering
and mechanical tasks, pneumatic devices would be the best suited and a viable alternative
Selection of Pneumatics
power . Pneumatics is an attractive medium for low cost mechanization particularly for
sequential or repetitive operations . Many factories and plants already have a compressed air
system, which is capable of providing both the power or energy requirements and the control
system (although equally pneumatic control systems may be economic and can be
The main advantages of an all-pneumatic system are usually economy and simplicity, the
latter reducing maintenance to a low level . It can also have outstanding advantages in terms
of safety .
Pneumatic cylinder
Solenoid valve
Connectors and
Hoses
Solenoid valve:
Commonly known as DCV, this valve is used to control the direction of air flow in the
pneumatic system . The directional valve does this by changing the position of its internal
movable parts . This valve was selected for speedy operation and to reduce the manual effort
and also for the modification of the machine into automatic machine by means of using a
solenoid valve . A solenoid is an electrical device that converts electrical energy into straight
line motion and force . These are also used to operate a mechanical operation which in turn
operates the valve mechanism . Solenoids may be push type or pull type . The push type
solenoid is one in which the plunger is pushed when the solenoid is energized electrically .
The pull type solenoid is one is which the plunger is pulled when the solenoid is energized .
The name of the parts of the solenoid should be learned so that they can be recognized when
CYLINDER
An (pneumatic) air cylinder is an operative device in which the state input energy of
reducing the pressure of the air to that of the atmosphere . The bore of the cylinder has very
smooth finishing reduces friction and losses . There are to angle plates welded to the cylinder
as fitting means .
cushioning and it is essential when the cylinders itself is required heavy masses . The normal
Die and punch are known as ‘press tools’ . Die is the lower part of press tool . It is
clamped on the bolster plate of the press . It remains stationary during the operation . The
die has a cavity to receive the punch . The cavity may be with clearance or without clearance
Punch is the upper part of the press tool . It is attached to the lower end of the ram of the
press . It sheds with the ram during the operation and is forced into the die cavity . Die and
carbide is the materials used for making dies and punches . The die materials selected
depend on the type of production, operation, sheet metal thickness and accuracy .
effort . It is a rigid rod or bar, which turns about a fixed point called fulcrum . A lever may
be straight or curved . Lever works on the same principle as that of principle of moments .
The load W is applied to the point A and hence the point A is known as load point and point
B is effort point . The point F is fulcrum . The perpendicular distance (L1) between the load
point A is load arm and L2 between is known as effort arm . The ratio of effort arm and load
arm is called as leverage . The ratio of load lifted and the effort applied is mechanical
COMPRESSOR
The compressor forms the main part of the pneumatic system by producing the
compressed air . Compressor capacity is the actual quantity of air compressed and delivered
and the volume expressed is that of the air intake conduction, namely at atmospheric pressure
and normal ambient temperature . The clear conduction of the suction air one of the factors
which decide the life of a compressor . Compressor is generally classified into two types,
namely
Turbo compressor
DIRECTION CONTROL VALVES
Direction control valves control the way the air passes and used for controlling the
commencements, termination and direction of air flow . Depending on the number of paths
the air is allowed to pass, directional valves termed two way, three way, and four way or
The different number of rays by means the number of controlled connection of the
valve . Inlet connection to the compressed air supplies outlet connections to the air consumer
and exhaust connection to the atmosphere . The solenoid valve is used to control the air flow
Pneumatic systems require air to operate successfully . As a result of air being extremely
abundant, and free, it is easy to restock the system . Safety: As a result of pneumatic systems
running on air, safety hazards are significantly reduced . There are limited occurrences of
fires because air is non-flammable, and leakages in the system do not negatively effect the
outside environment
result of the low cost design materials . Plastics, zinc, and aluminium are all relatively
Cleanliness- As a result of the system being powered solely by air, the pneumatic device
typically requires limited cleaning . Pressurized air constantly pushes out dirt or debris that
get stuck in the system . If there is a blockage, the simplicity of the design also helps . Due
to the limited amounts of tubes, the system can be easily disassembled and cleaned .
Maintenance- In order for the system to properly operate it must be lubricated with oil
consistently but they have less plumbing than hydraulic systems . Control and Speed- Air is
a
compressible gas, which makes control and speed in a pneumatic system more difficult, in
comparison to electric or hydraulic systems . When specific speeds are needed, additional
devices have to be attached to the pneumatic system in order to procure the desired result .
Maintenance- Pneumatic systems are less durable that hydraulic counterparts . Due to
moisture accumulation the system can freeze up . Safety: Pipes that feed the system air have
the ability to move on uncontrollably on their own, which could cause serious injuries to
those nearby
The word pneumatics is a derivative of the Greek word pneuma, which means air,
wind, or breath . Pneumatics can be defined as that branch of engineering science that
pertains to gaseous pressure and flow . As used in this manual, pneumatics is the portion of
fluid power in which compressed air, or other gas, is used to transmit and control power to
also discusses the hazards of pneumatics, methods of controlling contamination, and safety
Basic Principles of Pneumatics Gases differ from liquids in that they have no definite
volume, that is, regardless of the size or shape of a vessel, a gas will completely fill it . Gases
are highly compressible, while liquids are only slightly so . Also, gases are lighter than equal
Boyle’s Law When the automobile tire is initially inflated, air that normally occupies
a specific volume is compressed into a smaller volume inside the tire . This increases the
pressure on the inside of the tire . Charles Boyle, an English scientist, was among the first to
compressed a volume of air, he found that the volume decreased as pressure increased, and
by doubling the force exerted on the air, he could decrease the volume of the air by half
particular concern in calculating changes in the state of gases . Therefore, the experiment
must be performed at a constant temperature . The relationship between pressure and volume
is known as Boyle's law . Boyle's law states when the temperature of a gas is constant, the
volume of an enclosed gas varies inversely with pressure . Boyle's law assumes conditions of
constant temperature . In actual situations this is rarely the case . Temperature changes
Charles’ Law Jacques Charles, a French physicist, provided much of the foundation
for modem kinetic theory of gases . Through experiments, he found that all gases expand and
contract proportionally to the change in absolute temperature, providing the pressure remains
constant . The relationship between volume and temperature is known as Charles's law .
Charles's law states that the volume of a gas is proportional to its absolute temperature if
consider the container shown in as containing a gas . At any given time, some molecules are
moving in one direction, some are travelling . Gas compressed to half its original size by a
doubled force . Figure 9-36 — Molecular bombardment that creates pressure . NAVEDTRA
14264A 9-32 directions, and some may be in a state of rest . The average effect of the
molecules bombarding each container wall corresponds to the pressure of the gas . As more
gas is pumped into the container, more molecules are available to bombard the walls, thus the
pressure in the container increases . Increasing the speed with which the molecules hit the
walls can also increase the gas pressure in a container . If the temperature of the gas is raised,
the molecules move faster, causing an increase in pressure . This can be shown by
considering the automobile tire . When you take a long drive on a hot day, the pressure in the
tires
increases, and a tire that appeared to be soft in cool morning temperature may appear normal
Compressibility and Expansion of Gases Gases can be readily compressed and are
assumed to be perfectly elastic . This combination of properties gives gas the ability to yield
to a force and return promptly to its original condition when the force is removed . These are
the properties of air that are used in pneumatic tires, tennis balls, and other deformable
Pneumatic Gases serve the same purpose in pneumatic systems as liquids serve in
hydraulic systems . Therefore, many of the same qualities that are considered when selecting
a liquid for a hydraulic system must be considered when selecting a gas for a pneumatic
system .
Qualities The ideal fluid medium for a pneumatic system must be a readily available
gas that is non-poisonous, chemically stable, non-flammable, and free from any acids that can
cause corrosion of system components . It should be a gas that will not support combustion
of other elements . Gases that have these desired qualities may not have the required
means . For example, some air compressors are provided with a lubricating system, some
components are lubricated upon installation, or in some cases lubrication is introduced into
the air supply line (inline oilers) . Two gases that meet these qualities and are most
commonly used in pneumatic systems are compressed air and nitrogen . Since nitrogen is
used very little except in gas- charged accumulators, we will discuss only compressed air .
atmosphere . However, in this manual it is referred to as one of the gases used as a fluid
medium for pneumatic systems . The unlimited supply of air and the ease of compression
make
compressed air the most widely used fluid for pneumatic systems . Although moisture and
solid particles must be removed from the air, a pneumatic system does not require the
Compressed air has most of the desired characteristics of a gas for pneumatic systems . It is
non-poisonous and non-flammable but does contain oxygen, which supports combustion .
The most undesirable quality of compressed air as a fluid medium for a pneumatic system is
moisture content . The atmosphere contains varying amounts of moisture in vapour form .
Changes in the temperature of compressed air will cause condensation of moisture in the
system . This condensed moisture can be very harmful to the system and may freeze the line
and components during cold weather . Moisture separators and hair dryers are installed in the
lines to minimize or eliminate moisture in systems where moisture would deteriorate system
performance . An air compressor provides the supply of compressed air at the required
volume and pressure . In most systems the compressor is part of the system with distribution
lines leading from the compressor to the devices to be operated . Compressed air systems are
similar to those required by pumps in hydraulic systems . They furnish compressed air as
required to operate the units of the pneumatic systems . Even though manufactured by
different companies, most compressors are quite similar . They are governed by a pressure
control system that can be adjusted to compress air to the maximum pressure . Rotary the
rotary compressor has a number of vanes held captive in slots in the rotor . These vanes
slide
in and out of the slots, as the rotor rotates an end view of the vanes in the slots . The rotor
revolves about the centre of the shaft that is offset from the centre of the pumping casing .
Centrifugal force acting on the rotating vanes maintains contact Rotary compressor
operation . This feature causes the vanes to slide in and out of the slots as the rotor turns .
Notice in the variation in the clearance between the vanes and the bottom of the slots, as the
rotor revolves . The vanes divide the crescent-shaped space between the offset rotor and the
pump casing into compartments that increase in size and then decrease in size as the rotor
rotates . Free air enters each compartment as successive vanes pass across the air intake .
This air is carried around in each compartment and is discharged at a higher pressure due to
the decreasing compartment size (volume) of the moving compartments as they progress
from one end to the other of the crescent-shaped space . The compressor is lubricated by oil
circulating throughout the unit . All oil is removed from the air by an oil separator before the
Screw The screw compressors used in the NCF are direct drive, two-stage machines
with two precisely matched spiral-grooved rotors The rotors provide positive displacement
internal compression smoothly and without surging . Oil is injected into the compressor unit
and mixes directly with the air as the rotors turn, compressing the air . The oil has three
primary functions:
It seals the leakage paths between the rotors and the stator and also between
drive the other, which is an idler . After the air/oil mixture is discharged from the
the receiver-separator where it is removed and returned to the oil cooler in preparation for re-
injection . All large volume compressors have protection devices that shut them down
that may be observed in the operation of the air compressors is a governor system
whereby the engine speed is reduced when less than full air delivery is used .
receiver Screw compressor . When air is compressed, heat is generated . This heat causes
the air to expand, thus requiring an increase in power for further compression . If this heat is
successfully removed between stages of compression, the total power required for additional
compressors, this heat is removed by means of intercoolers that are heat exchangers placed
between each compression stage . Rotary air compressors are cooled by oil and do not use
intercoolers After coolers It is obvious that the presence of water or moisture in an air line is
not desirable . The water is carried along through the line into the tool where the water
washes away the lubricating oil, causing the tool to run sluggishly and increases
maintenance .
The effect is particularly pronounced in the case of high-speed tools where the
wearing surfaces are limited in size, and excessive wear reduces efficiency by creating
internal air leakage . Further problems may result from the decrease in temperature caused
by
the sudden expansion of air at the tool . This low temperature creates condensation that
freezes around the valves, ports, and outlets . This condition obviously impairs the
operational efficiency of the tool and cannot be allowed . The most satisfactory means of
minimizing these conditions is the removal of the moisture from the air immediately after
compression and before the air enters the distribution system . This may be accomplished in
reciprocating compressors through the use of an after cooler that is an air radiator that
transfers heat from the compressed air to the atmosphere . The after cooler reduces the
temperature of the compressed air to the condensation point where most of the moisture is
removed . Cooling the air not only eliminates the difficulties which moisture causes at points
Receiver Tank The receiver tank is of welded steel construction and is installed on the
discharge side of the compressor . It acts as a surge tank as well as a condensation chamber
for the removal of oil and water vapours . It stores enough air during operation to actuate the
pressure control system and is fitted with at least one service valve, a drain or blow-by valve,
and a safety valve . Pressure-Control System All portable air compressors are governed by a
pressure-control system . The control system is designed to balance the compressor's air
delivery and engine speed with varied demands for compressed air . The rotary compressor
output is governed by varying the engine speed . The engine will operate at the speed
required to compress enough air to supply the demand at a fairly constant pressure . When
the engine has slowed to idling speed as a result of low demand, a valve controls the amount
of free air that may enter the compressor . A screw compressor output is governed by
automatic control that provides smooth, steeples capacity regulation from full load to no load
in response to the demand for air . From a full load down to no load is accomplished by a
An automatic blow down valve for releasing air pressure when the engine is
stopped .
A drain cock at the bottom of the piping at the bottom of the oil storage tank .
An air filter service indicator to show when the filter needs servicing .
A demister, or special filter, that separates lubricating oil from compressed air .
to both the operator and the mechanic to ensure that the maintenance is performed on
Air Cleaner Servicing The air cleaner contains a primary and secondary dry
filter element An air filter restriction indicator is located at the rear of the air filter
housing to alert the operator of the need to service the filters . When a red band
appears in the air filter restriction indicator, secure the compressor and service the
filters . Use compressed air to clean the primary element; however, never let the air
pressure exceed 30 psi . The secondary filter is not cleanable and should be replaced
when necessary . Reverse flush the primary element by directing compressed air up
from the inside out . Continue reverse flushing until all dust is removed . Should any
oil or greasy dirt remain on the filter surface, replace the element .