Ideal Compressed Air Piping Layouts

Finding Your Ideal Layout Compressed air piping is a necessary component of any compressed air system, delivering compressed air where it is needed. A significant concern with compressed air piping is designing an ideal layout for your operation. There is no one-size-fits-all system. Your compressed air piping needs to be able to deliver sufficient volume, at a high quality, and with enough pressure to meet your demands. To adequately meet your compressed air requirements, you must consider multiple factors about your piping. The size, material, and distance of your piping influence the quality of compressed air. Individual aspects of your piping lead to different end results. For example, your piping diameter is dependent on your flow rate, pressure, pressure drop, and total length of the system. To determine your desired pipe diameter, you need an idea of how much air you need to transport.  Your compressed air piping system is similar to a highway, and your road needs to be the right size to handle all the traffic. If your compressed air system requires large quantities of air to be transported from the compressors to the point of use, you will need larger piping than systems that require less. Just as busier highways are broader and more complex to handle increased traffic, pipe systems with lots of compressed air need larger diameter pipes.  Different Layouts for Different Operations Each case is unique when it comes to compressed air piping requirements. A setup that works for your neighbor in the same industry might not work for your facility. The layout of your facility, the distance from the compressor to your point of use, and other variables that are unique to your operation all determine the type and size of your piping.  A good starting point for preparing a layout for your compressed air piping system is the pipe size. Next, you can determine how much of that pipe you will need to get the compressed air to the end of the line. Once you know how much piping you need in the larger sizes, work down to smaller pipes for drops. After you have an idea of the quantity of piping you need, you will need the connections and unions to bring the system together. In optimized systems, energy costs will decrease, equipment failure is less likely, and overall production efficiency will improve. Changes in your layout can improve the overall efficiency of your piping system, but that requires knowing how to set it up in the most efficient manner possible. Considerations For Your Piping Layout When designing your compressed air piping, there are a few variables that you need to consider before you settle on the products. Each system will require a different level of pressure and airflow. Airflow is impacted by the size of your piping, the material it is made from, and the turns/angles of the piping. Size of Compressed Air Pipe As we mentioned in our highway metaphor, your compressed air piping needs to be capable of transporting the air without pressure drops or blockage. Incorrectly sized pipe will rapidly increase the degradation process and incur steep maintenance costs.  Inadequately sized piping, too large or too small, is detrimental to your process. It can also be affected by the size of your compressor. Your compressor will determine the CFM and PSI of the air being introduced into the system. You could have the correct-sized pipe for your needs; your compressor just might not be up to par. Ensure your compressor and pipe are correctly sized to deliver the right air volume at an acceptable pressure. If they are incorrectly sized, problems can be expected. Piping Material Compressed air piping comes in various materials: stainless steel, black iron, aluminum, copper, and PVC, which should never be used. What material works best for your system depends on your required air quality and the capital available to invest in piping. Each material has its pros and cons, with some having more negatives than positives.  Different materials come with unique operational preferences as well. Individuals in your shop may be comfortable with stainless steel piping because that is what your system has used for years. Comfort with a material is a valid reason to keep using it; no need to learn a new piping system.  Black iron and copper pipes are industry classics for compressed air piping. They are standards for opposite reasons: copper is corrosion-free and easily adaptable to fit your facility, while black iron is implemented for its strong and durable material. Unlike copper, black iron is heavy and susceptible to corrosion. Both materials have good reasons to use them, but their durability and connections make future changes a nightmare. Aluminum is the cream of the crop in terms of compressed air piping material. Like stainless steel, it is resistant to corrosion and degradation. However, aluminum has the same resistance as stainless steel but at a fraction of the total weight. With similar connections made even easier by “plug and play” components, the skills required for stainless steel piping are the same as those for aluminum piping. Pathway of Pipe High-congestion areas or sharp turns cause pressure drops and turbulence. When airflow slows down, the pressure drops along with the CFM. When a sharp turn is present, the air needs to slow down to make it around the corner, just like it would when driving on a highway. Sharp turns slow down the airflow and increase the amount of turbulence.  Turbulence occurs when air is forced to slow down as it flows into a bend. As the air slows down, its path changes. Rather than being uniform with a laminar flow, the layers of air will begin to lose their shape. Turbulence is detrimental to the flow of compressed air and increases the likelihood of equipment failures. When it comes to your compressed air  By installing gentler bends, you can minimize the turbulence created. Typically, you should minimize the number of 90-degree turns at junctions and use as many 30-degree to 40-degree turns as possible. When using a 90-degree bend, you can expect turbulence and a pressure drop of 3-5 PSI for every turn. Moisture Content Moisture in compressed air is a natural part of the compression process; however, it will deteriorate your system over time. If too much moisture is present in your piping, the inner lining will begin to corrode. As the material corrodes, particles can flake off and gather together.  Buildup of particulate matter can completely obstruct airflow, which is precisely why you have filtration and a dryer in place. If you adequately remove moisture and particulate matter from the air, your odds of this occurring are drastically reduced.  If you are worried about excess condensation dropping out of the air, moisture separators being installed along the line or near the point of use can provide an additional layer of moisture removal.  Future Opportunities When designing a compressed air piping system, it’s easy to tunnel vision on the present. You want to ensure that your equipment and pipe will deliver the desired quantity of air at the correct pressure. When you are so focused on making sure it works now, planning for the future can fall to the back of your mind. But this is precisely when you want to prepare for the future. With plug-and-play connections, adding on to your system is a piece of cake. When it comes time to expand your operations, you can add to your existing equipment rather than rebuilding it entirely. Keeping future expansions in mind while creating a compressed air piping system will make life easier for your future self. Configuring Your Compressed Air Piping Layout People use a few different variations when setting up their compressed air piping. Each network is a little more complicated than the last, but that just shows how many different ways there are to achieve your desired results. Linear Air Piping System The simplest way to set up your compressed air piping is also the least efficient use of your compressed air. Linear air piping systems are exactly that, a line with a start and an end. The air starts at the compressor and moves through the system until it reaches the line’s end.  As the air moves from the air compressor to the end of the line, the compressed air is being used up. The farther down the line it gets, the more compressed air is consumed. As you get to the end of the line, the total air volume is depleted. There is no issue with enough compressed air for the drops in front, but that story quickly changes as you follow the flow. End-of-the-line equipment is left without compressed air, and as long as the equipment is drawing air, the latter equipment will be dealing with leftovers. Antenna Air Piping System A step above your linear air piping system, antenna air piping systems provide a more equal distribution of the compressed air. With a larger main distribution line going down the center and auxiliary branches for individual supply lines. These systems are made even better when compressed air storage is included on both sides of the main header. This keeps the airflow constant throughout the system. Unlike linear systems, no sections are left without compressed air. A shut-off valve can also be attached to each individual branch to isolate the individual branches. When an area no longer needs air, it can be closed off so the excess air can travel to other parts of the system or back to a storage tank. Closed-Loop Air Piping System It is the most common type of compressed air piping system, and for good reason. With a uniform distribution of compressed air and equal distribution of pressure, closed-loop systems ensure that all points in the system receive the same quality air. This allows everyone to work simultaneously without worrying about enough air reaching the end of the line. When compressed air storage is included in this system, you have even more flexibility to run multiple tools or processes simultaneously. With a main loop, you can keep the airflow centric without investing in oversized pipes. The pipe remains horizontal, and tapping flanges are installed to drop the air down to your desired location. Leaving the main section horizontal makes the installation process more manageable. Satellite Air Piping System Combining the last two layouts, antenna and closed loop, satellite air piping systems consist of one giant loop with secondary or satellite loops coming off of it. This yields the benefits of a closed-loop system for the entire facility and the point-of-use loops. Satellite systems are most often used in more extensive operations. With individual satellites and shut-off valves, you can perform maintenance on one while the others remain operational. Splitting your air into these different satellites gives you more control over the air at points of use. In large-scale operations, air treatment can be adapted to suit the individual loop. This will allow you to use better-proportioned tools in each application, saving you money on equipment that uses less air. Gridded Air Piping System The gridded air piping system is the most elaborate layout for your compressed air system. Rather than extending out to individual closed loops, the entire system is a closed loop. The loop is then “strengthened” by the secondary lines that are included in the loop. These “secondary” lines optimize the efficiency of getting air to the individual drops. Typically, the grid introduces a run of pipe into the middle of your loop. This middle section of pipe will then branch off from the center to rejoin the exterior loop. These branches create smaller loops inside the main one, ensuring identical flow at all points of the compressed air network. By implementing more pathways for the air, you can limit the overall size of your compressed air pipe. Before You Buy Before you build a compressed air piping layout, ensure that you are covering all of your bases. Check that you are using the best material for your operation, achieving the desired airflow at the desired pressure, and that your compressor can fulfill the demand.  Get a Air Piping Layout Created For FREE by Warthog Air Compressor Store If you are hesitant to build your own compressed air piping layout, you’re in the right place. Warthog offers complimentary piping layouts and quotes for your compressed air system. In order to get a layout done for your compressed air piping, our technicians require some information about your operation. Facility layout Dimensions are needed for accurate quoting Total Drops Provide ideal locations if possible Pipe Diameter Pipe size gives us a reference point for your system Additional Considerations Compressor is outside, unique requests, anything that the design technician should be aware of.   With the right information on your compressed air system, our design technicians can build you a layout with highlights on key installation areas. Alongside the piping layout, you will receive a quote with all the necessary components to bring the diagram to life. Use the below form to submit a request for your compressed air piping layout. If you have a preference from the layouts we discussed prior, feel free to include it on the form. Hand made drawings and notes can also be included for additional reference points.