The official topics for the 2016 Fluid Power Innovation & Research Conference (FPIRC) technical program have been announced. The three days of presentations, which are taking place at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis and hosted by the Center for Compact & Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) and the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA), will cover the following […]
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Compressed air fail: Missed compressor adjustment
By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge A metal fabrication facility ran two separate systems to feed tools and equipment in two shops on their premises. One compressor ran load/unload, the other was a VSD controlled compressor. The plant maintenance engineer attended a Compressed Air Challenge seminar,Β and as a result, came to realize how […]
Harvard researchers build pneumatic octopus
In a departure from the engineering behind typical rigid industrial robots, a team of Harvard University researchers have built whatβs reportedly the first autonomous, untethered, entirely soft robot. The device, a pneumatic octopusΒ nicknamed the octobot, is based on 3D printing and microfluidics, and potentially could pave the way for a new generation of completely soft, […]
Compressed Air Fail: Air dryer purge
By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge A grain products company was increasing their production capacity and needed a new compressor and dryer. The budget was tight, so the company searched and found some used equipment to meet the need. Rather than running the lubricated compressor in modulating mode like the previous compressor, the […]
How costly is my desiccant dryer?
Desiccant units will consume about 2 to 3 kW of energy for every 100 cfm of dryer rating, compared to about 0.8 kW per 100 cfm for refrigerated dryersβalmost 4 times as much! But if you have a desiccant style air dryer in lightly loaded conditions, it may be costing you more than you think. […]
Why is my compressor room so hot?
The physics of compressed air dictates that heat must be generated if air is compressed. The amount of heat depends on the size of the compressor. For example, a fully loaded 25 hp compressor will produce more thanΒ 63,000 Btu/hr of heatβif you do the math, this is the equivalent to about 18 kW of power. […]
How many horsepower should a 100 hp compressor consume?
CAGI Sheets tell the story! When you buy a 100 hpΒ compressor, how many horsepower do you think it should consume? Yes, this is a trick question. Compressor ratings are often confusing when it comes to checking the specifications of screw compressors. The 100 hp associated with the Compressed Air and Gas Institute (CAGI) compressor data […]
Compressed air fail: Water hammer
By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge A building products company chose to allow their piping contractor to design the piping system in their compressor room. Rather than coming off the top of the wet header in the compressor room, the compressors were connected to the bottom of the run. This was much simpler […]
What’s more efficient, reciprocating compressor or screw air compressors?
Often, when it comes to choosing an air compressor for a service shop, there is a choice between types and sizes of compressors. Do you choose a standard reciprocating compressor or do you go with a more modern lubricated screw? But depending on the way you use your compressed air, and how the compressor is […]
Where do you use pneumatic hose and tubing?
THE basic function of pneumatic tubing and hose is to convey pressurized air to actuators, valves, tools and other devices. But there are countless types and sizes of tubing and hose on the market, so engineers should consider a number of important factors to select the right one for aΒ given task. Start with construction. Tubing […]
