Excess moisture in your compressed air system can cause problems both within the system itself and for the applications that utilize it. Appropriate maintenance and the use of air dryers can remove moisture from your air and extend the life of your system. What Causes Moisture in Compressed Air? Moisture is an inevitable byproduct of compressed air. All air contains a certain amount of water vapor. The volume of water held by the air varies with temperature and pressure; the higher the temperature, the more water air is able to hold. That’s why humidity tends to be higher in warmer... Read more »

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How does cold weather affect your compressed air system? Freezing winter temperatures can have adverse effects on your air compressor, air dryer and compressed air system accessories. Here’s what you need to know about cold weather air compressor maintenance and operation. Most compressed air systems are designed to operate in temperatures above 40° Fahrenheit. In the winter months, if your system is not in a heated indoor environment, ambient air temperatures may drop below freezing. When this happens, your compressed air system may sustain both short-term and long-lasting damage. This happens because compressed air systems generate condensate, which can freeze... Read more »

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Time to Upgrade Your Compressed Air System? Your Energy Company Might Pay the Bill. Upgrading your compressed air system from a fixed-speed to a variable-speed drive (VSD) can deliver big savings on your energy bill. But did you know that your energy company may help you pay for the cost of the upgrade? You could get thousands of dollars back on the purchase of a VSD compressor or other energy-saving improvements for your compressed air system.  Understanding Energy Company Incentives for Compressed Air Systems  ComEd (Chicago and Northern Illinois), Xcel Energy (Minneapolis area), and many other energy providers nationwide all... Read more »

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Buy Now, Deduct Entire Equipment Purchase in 2019 Are you considering a major fixed equipment purchase soon? Thanks to Section 179, there’s never been a better time to purchase capital equipment. If you install a new compressed air system in December, you could possibly deduct 100% of your purchase for the 2019 tax year. Here’s how the Section 179 deduction works and how businesses can benefit. Note: We are not your tax advisor. Please check with your accountant to make sure your purchase qualifies. What Is Section 179—And Why Should You Care? Section 179 of the U.S. Tax Code allows... Read more »

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Do you know what size air compressor you need for your facility? Calculating compressed air requirements may seem complex, but it’s important to understand your needs before installing a new compressed air system. Here are four ways to calculate compressed air requirements for your facility. Why Proper Sizing for Compressed Air Systems Matters Air compressors come in a range of sizes and styles to suit a variety of needs. A small auto repair shop with a handful of tools will not need the same volume of compressed air as a large manufacturing facility using compressed air to run dozens of... Read more »

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Did you know that you could get leaks in your compressed air system fixed for free? Yes, free. This is not a trick! It’s a program from ComEd—and a benefit you’re entitled to as a ComEd client. Fluid-Aire Dynamics is an approved service provider under the ComEd Fix-It-Now leak repair program, a benefit provided for ComEd customers in Northern Illinois. Here’s how it works: Contact James Brevoort, Fix-It-Now Program Specialist, at 224-775-1953 or james.brevoort@fluidairedynamics.com to sign up. Our technician finds leaks in your system using an ultrasonic detector, which can detect even the smallest air leak. If the leaks can... Read more »

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Air leaks are very common in compressed air systems. The key is to know how to detect and fix them as the cost of even a tiny leak adds up to a large expense if left unattended. How common are compressed air leaks? Compressed air leaks are widespread in all applications. Not only are they common, but they are time-consuming to find and fix. In the average manufacturing operation, 20-30% of the total energy consumption is compressed air. On average, 30% of that expense is due to compressed air leakage. How costly are compressed air leaks? Here are 2 examples... Read more »

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Many times, when planning a new compressed air system, there is a debate about whether or not to buy a receiver tank. Even operators of established systems sometimes wonder… what is the function of air receiver tank? We collected several questions that we often get about this vital part for an efficient compressed air system. What is the primary role of a compressed air storage tank? Compressed air storage Steady air signal to the compressor controls Secondary heat exchanger The main purpose of air receiver tanks is to provide air capacity to meet high-demand events that last for short periods... Read more »

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How does a backup compressor help my operation? In the typical manufacturing operation, compressed air is mission-critical. If it goes down, you may as well turn off the lights and send everyone home. Besides losing production time when your compressor goes down, usually the product that was being produced at that moment is ruined too. Take a food manufacturer for example. If production suddenly stops, not only do they lose the hours of production that they are down, but whatever is currently in their production line is most likely spoiled because it may not be baked, or mixed, or put... Read more »

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Refrigerated Air Dryers As a refrigerated air dryer chills compressed air to 33–40°F, water vapor condenses into a liquid. Then it is expelled from the system via a water trap and automatic drain. The cool, dry air is reheated to room temperature, exits the dryer, and into the production lines. This helps reduce condensation in the compressed air piping system. There are two types of refrigerated dryers – cycling and non-cycling. Non-Cycling Air DryersNon-Cycling air dryers allow the refrigeration circuit to run continuously. The temperature is controlled by the use of a hot gas bypass valve and the cycling action... Read more »

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Ambient air always contains some level of moisture. When you compress air, the moisture will condense and can cause problems if it isn’t addressed. When an oily water mixture, (the byproduct of condensation) makes its way through the air lines and to points-of-use, it can cause many problems. Blasting and painting processes are affected, along with pneumatic tools, CNC machining centers, robotics, and many other applications. When a compressor draws in air, it is compressed about 8 times the normal atmospheric pressure in order to achieve 100 PSI. Moisture that is present as a vapor in the air begins to... Read more »

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Air compressors range from large-scale industrial machines to small portable units. Purchasing the right machine for your need requires knowing the basics of how an industrial air compressor works and understanding your application. Whether you want to use an air compressor to power air tools or to apply a smooth paint coating, you must know how the different technologies available will affect your application. Types of Air Compressor Systems When you plan to purchase an industrial air compressor, your first task is deciding the type of the air compressor that you have to buy. In terms of design and principle... Read more »

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  The importance of understanding relative humidity to dew point when working with compressed air systems. How many of you consider the relationship between relative humidity to dew point and the effect it can have on your compressed air systems? We spoke with several customers, and people who work in the industry, and we have discovered that many don’t understand how important it is to know both terms when talking about compressed air dryness. Knowing the relative humidity percentage and dew point temperature helps you ensure your compressed air systems are functioning properly and can help save you from costly... Read more »

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Why Do You Need One? Compressed air produced by any oil flooded compressor has contaminates. After the air is cooled by the heat exchanger and/or the dryer, the contaminants including water and oil condense and become a liquid. To properly dispose of this liquid, the oil needs to be removed from the water so that the water can be reintroduced to the municipal water system. This can be achieved through the use of air compressor oil separator. If you do not use an oil/water separator and you dispose of the liquid from your dryer by dumping it into your usual... Read more »

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Temperature plays a key role in how your air compressor will perform on a day-to-day basis. Your compressor may be outside all year long or in a warehouse where temperatures easily fluctuate. No matter the environment, knowing the ideal temperatures your air compressor can function in, is very important. When determining the optimal temperature range for your air compressor’s environment, you should look at it from two different viewpoints: Mechanical Standpoint Between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal operating temperature. This isn’t too cold or too hot, thus avoiding freezing and overheating. Air Density Standpoint Colder air is... Read more »

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How to know the right amount of compressed air your facility needs. There are many ways and methods that can be used in determining how much compressed air is needed to supply your facility, and believe it when we tell you – Getting a properly sized compressed air system is very important. Why do we say that? Under-sizing an air compressor will cause the system not to work. Both over-sizing and under-sizing your equipment can lead to large budget constraints that management never likes to deal with. Over-sizing your equipment can be costly too due to long-term maintenance and higher... Read more »

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Sometimes even the most hardworking technicians and service advisors can find it difficult to stay productive. We have come up with 8 tips using professional auto body shop information and feedback. Read and implement the following for in order to boost your productivity and make the most of your (and your team's) work day.

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This week’s discussion addresses what seems to be an unknown to most users of compressed air. Many calls come in from customers who say their compressor system no longer keeps up the demand of your auto shop. Of course, this could be due to many factors such as added production equipment, air leaks in the equipment and/or distribution piping, or the need of maintenance to the air compressor itself.

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