SCFM versus ACFM and ICFM

Actual air compressor capacity (ACFM) versus standard air capacity (SCFM) and inlet air capacity (ICFM)
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SCFM - Standard Cubic Feet per Minute

It is common to rate the compressed air consumption in Standard Cubic Feet per Minute - SCFM. The SCFM - Standard Cubic Feet per Minute - determines the weight of air to fixed or "Standard" conditions. There are several definitions of SCFM. The most common used in the United States is with "sea-level" properties:

14.696 Pounds per Square Inch (psia) 60 Degrees Fahrenheit (oF) (520oR) 0% Relative Humidity (RH)
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Europeans normally use one ata and 0 C as SCFM.

ACFM - Actual Cubic Feet per Minute

Unfortunately, real life "actual conditions" are seldom "standard conditions". When

pressure is applied a volume of air - it gets smaller

vacuum is applied to a volume of air - it expand

Actual air volume flow is often termed ACFM - Actual Cubic Feet per Minute. Actual Cubic Feet per Minute - ACFM, depends on the of the actual air. The conversion from SCFM to ACFM can be expressed as ACFM = SCFM [Pstd / (Pact - Psat )](Tact / Tstd) where ACFM = Actual Cubic Feet per Minute SCFM = Standard Cubic Feet per Minute Pstd = Standard absolute air pressure (psia) Pact = absolute pressure at the actual level (psia) Psat = Saturation pressure at the actual temperature (psi) = Actual relative humidity Tact = Actual ambient air temperature ( R) Tstd = Standard temperature ( R)
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pressure temperature humidity

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Online SCFM - ACFM Calculator

The calculator below can used to calculate ACFM:
100

SCFM

14.7

Standard absolute air pressure (psia)

12.23

Actual absolute air pressure (psia)

0.5069

Saturation pressure at the actual temperature (psia)

0.80

Actual relative humidity

540

Actual ambient air temperature ( R)

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520

Standard air temperature ( R)

temperature converter pressure converter

Example - SCFM to ACFM

The actual CFM of a compressor operating at "non-standard" conditions like can be calculated as ACFM = (100 SCFM) [(14.7 psia) / ((12.23 psia) - (0.5069 psia) (80 / 100))]((540 R / (520 R)) = 129.1
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elevation 5000 feet (1500 m) - atmospheric pressure Pact = 12.23 psia temperature 80oF - absolute temperature Tact = 540oR saturation pressure Psat = 0.5069 psia relative humidity = 80% demand 100 SCFM

ICFM - Inlet Cubic Feet per Minute

Inlet Cubic Feet per Minute - ICFM - is used by compressor vendors to establish conditions in front of additional equipment like inlet filter, blower or booster. When air passes through the filter there will be a pressure drop. The conversion from ICFM to ACFM can be expressed as ACFM = ICFM (Pact / Pf) (Tf / Tact) where ICFM = Inlet Cubic Feet per Minute Pf = Pressure after filter or inlet equipment (psia) Tf = Temperature after filter or inlet equipment ( R)
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