How Compressed Air is Used in Industry Today
If you thought compressed air was only used to put air in your car tyres, think again, as many industries rely heavily on compressed air for a number of processes. Indeed, compressed air is an essential medium for energy transfer, with power tools being driven by compressed air, while industrial paint application also uses compressed air. Here are a few more uses of compressed air.
- Scuba Diving – Oxygen is carried in a tank on the diver’s back and these are filled with an air compressor, which is more refined than the model used for pneumatic tools, as there cannot be any contaminants in the air pumped into the diver’s tank for obvious reasons. To acquire such items, talk to air compressor systems specialists who have a wide range of scuba compressors of varying sizes.
- Air Brakes – Commercial vehicles use a compressed air braking system, with an engine-driven compressor that provides the medium to operate the braking system. That is why you hear a loud hissing sound when a heavy goods vehicle stops, as excess air is discharged, and when starting up the vehicle, the driver must wait until the air pressure is sufficient to operate the brakes.
- HVAC Systems – Heating, Ventilation & Air-Conditioning systems use compressors to cool the air, and over the years, they have become ultra-efficient, reducing the amount of energy used in climate control. These systems are eco-friendly, which is something we should all be concerned about today.
- Paintball Guns – Air rifles and paintball guns use compressed air, which is fed into a small tank on the weapon, providing the thrust when fired. The air rifle breaches at the centre and a piston forces air into a sealed chamber, and when fired, this launches the lead pellet.
- Pneumatic Tools – Drills to break up concrete roads are run by compressed air, and the workers would have a towable air compressor to power all of the pneumatic power tools. This diesel generator can supply enough compressed air to power quite a few tools, and there are online suppliers of all types of air compressor at affordable prices.
- Abrasive Blasting – Another sector that uses compressed air, combined with sand or another medium, and the compressed air blasts the sand onto metal surfaces, cleaning them of paint, dirt and grime. The mining industry is one that relies heavily on abrasive blasting to maintain huge earthmoving machinery.
- Injection Moulding – Compressed air is used to force the plastic into the mould, and the machinery can work at a very rapid rate, thanks to complex electronics that control the air movement. Here is some government information on compressed air in industry that outlines legal requirements.
- Paint Spraying – Auto paint shops all use compressed air to force the paint through the fine nozzle, which leaves a very even finish. The compressor is set to automatically come on when the air pressure drops below a set PSI, thus ensuring the sprayer can work continuously without interruption.
As you can see, compressed air is a vital requirement for many industries, and if you need a compressor for any reason, search online for an established dealer, who would have all types of air compressors.
