A properly sized and designed piping system is a necessary component of any distribution compressed air system. Let’s look more closely at how to size your compressed air piping system to ensure minimal pressure loss while maintaining maximum efficiency. To size your compressed air piping system correctly, you must consider your application’s required operating pressure, maximum CFM, and the distance from the compressor to the point-of-use application which is furthest away from the compressor.
The required pipe size for an air compressor depends on two factors: the distance of the application and the volume of air being carried to the endpoint. Any Google search on how to calculate the correct compressed air pipe size will bring up links to charts that show the ratings of a system’s cfm. Regardless of the application at hand, it is important to know what size of piping your compressed air system needs to meet a given set of demands.
Quite often, the compressed air pipe connected to an air compressor is sized to the same diameter as the connection on the compressor outlet. An additional problem develops if more than one compressor of this same size is combined to feed the compressed air system using the same sized pipe. Some leading compressed air professionals have determined that if the maximum velocity of the compressed air inside the pipe is kept between 20 and 30 feet per second, then minimal pressure drop will develop across reasonably long compressed air piping and fittings.
On a compressed air distribution system, pressure losses greater than 3% are considered excessive, and a well-designed system having a steady rate of air flow is usually designed for not more than a 1% loss or 1 PSI for a 100 PSI system. Figures in the body of the chart above are pipe sizes recommended on a 100 PSI system to carry air with less than 1 PSI loss. If carrying 120 PSI pressure these sizes will carry slightly more air than shown, or pressure loss will be slightly less than 1 PSI. If carrying 80 PSI pressure these pipes will carry slightly less air at 1 PSI pressure loss than shown in the chart.
Lower pressure drop by installing the right compressed air pipe size. To find out the equivalent pipe length for the valve or bend in your system, simply look under the pipe diameter of your compressed air system to find the equivalent pipe length of the valve or bend. Here’s an example calculation using the compressed air pipe sizing table and the equivalent pipe length table.
how to size air compressor piping Related Question:
How do I know what size piping my compressed air system needs?
Compressed air piping size requirements are directly related to the maximum airflow going through the system. Your airflow is measured in cubic feet of air per minute, or CFM. The greater your CFM, the larger your pipes will need to be to avoid excessive pressure drop.
What size pipe should I run for my air compressor?
A shear will require anywhere from 8 to 16 cfm at 90 psi through a half-inch pipe. If the pipe exceeds 100 feet in length, you will need a 3/4-inch pipe to accommodate the pressure and velocity of applications that exceed 15 cfm.
How do you size an air pipe?
Generally accepted practice for sizing piping for pneumatic systems is to use a pressure drop of 10% of gage for nominal pipe sizes up to and including 1/2″, and 5% of gage for nominal pipe sizes of 3/4″ and larger.
What size air lines do I need?
The rule of thumb when picking your hose I.D is the higher the CFM requirement of your air tool, the larger the diameter hose you’ll need. Hand held tools such as spray guns and nailers tend to require 1-3 CFM and will work perfectly well with a 6mm hose.
Is 3/8 air hose big enough?
3/8 inch air hose is the standard size to use for the household or for other common purposes. It has an inner diameter of 3/8 inch and an outer diameter of 0.600 inch, which is enough to convey pressurized air to valves or other devices. 3/8 inch is also big enough for an impact wrench with a 1/2 inch size.
What pipe is best for compressed air?
A great choice for compressed air piping is stainless steel because it is strong and resists corrosion. Like with copper, corrosion resistance in stainless steel piping produces a cleaner, more consistent stream of air.
Can you use PEX for compressed air lines?
My personal preference for small-shop compressed-air piping is PEX. It’s lightweight and flexible, and the fittings literally snap together. It’s the easiest of any of the options to reconfigure and the simplest to install.
Is PVC pipe good for air compressor?
PVC Pipe The use of PVC pipe is common but NOT RECOMMENDED for use with compressed air. It is often used because it is readily available, inexpensive, and easy to install. However, as with many plastics, PVC gets brittle over time and can crack, break, or even shatter.
How do you measure plastic air line?
Tubing is measured using the size of the inside diameter (I.D.) and outside diameter (O.D.). The measurement between the inside and outside diameter of a plastic tube is referred to as “the wall” and is used to measure tube strength: the thicker the wall, the stronger the tube.
How far can you run an air compressor line?
Typically, air hoses will be either 50- or 100-feet long, with a few exceptions. Most people will go for the 100-foot option because it allows them to maximize their distance from the air compressor.
How do you calculate CFM of an air line?
Start with the total volume of air (in cubic feet), divide by the exchange rate (how quickly you want to replace the air), and the result is the total CFM you need for your system.
Do I want 3/8 or 1/4 air hose?
If you’re a hobbyist or DIYer, you’ll probably have lighter air pressure requirements. Nailers or staplers will require 1/4 air hose. A 1/2 impact wrench will require a 3/8 air hose. If you’re using a 3/8 air hose on an air polisher, it can deliver the needed air pressure even at 150ft hose length.
What size air hose do I need for a brad nailer?
So, you can have a 3/8″ ID air hose with 1/4″ fittings, as long as your air tool as a 1/4″ air inlet. “The majority of our customers (residential contractors) look for hoses with 1/4” fittings because that’s the size that fits their nail guns, says Nampel.
What size air hose do I need for a spray gun?
In general, avoid using 1/4 inch hose for all spray guns. With the volume requirements of HVLP spray guns, avoid using 5/16 inch hose to ensure maximum air available to the spray gun. Use quick disconnects only when the air hose must be removed from a gun several times per day.
Can you convert psi to CFM?
Understanding Cubic Feet Per Minute (CFM) CFM is measures at a given PSI and increases in direct proportion to the horsepower (HP) that is applied. While small, mobile at-home air compressors may deliver around 2 CFM, industrial air compressors with 200 HP can achieve air flow of around 1,000 CFM at 100 PSI.
