Unit No.

2 - The basic pneumatic system

UNITS IN THIS COURSE

UNIT 1 UNIT 2 UNIT 3 UNIT 4 UNIT 5 UNIT 6 UNIT 7 UNIT 8 UNIT 9 UNIT 10 UNIT 11 UNIT 12 BASIC PRINCIPLES OF PNEUMATICS THE BASIC PNEUMATIC SYSTEM HOW THE AIR COMPRESSOR DOES ITS JOB PRESSURE SUPPLY COMPONENTS CONTROLS AND END DEVICES HOW TO READ PNEUMATIC SCHEMATICS BASIC PRINCIPLES OF HYDRAULICS THE HYDRAULIC POWER SUPPLY HYDRAULIC SYSTEM OPERATION HYDRAULIC SYSTEM COMPONENTS HYDRAULIC CONTROLS AND END DEVICES HOW TO READ HYDRAULIC SCHEMATICS

Module No. 8 : Pneumatics and hydraulics

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Unit No. 2 - The basic2pneumatic system Unit No. - The basic pneumatic system
Para Page 2.0 2.1 2.2 OBJECTIVES INTRODUCTION WHAT IS IN THE BASIC COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM? 2.2.1 2.3 2.4 Some Things You Need to Know 3 4 4 4 5 8 `11 11 12 12

HOW COMPRESSED AIR IS MADE HOW DOES COMPRESSED AIR FLOW THROUGH THE SYSTEM? 2.4.1 2.4.2 2.4.3 2.4.4 Service Units Pressure Relief Valves Pressure Indicator-Transmitter and Pressure Switch End Devices

2.0

OBJECTIVES At the conclusion of this unit the trainee will be able to explain: the basic layout of an air compression and distribution system and the air flow through its components; the general function and use of each major component in the air compression and distribution system.

Module No. 8 : Pneumatics Pneumatics and hydraulics Module No. 8 : and hydraulics

2.1

INTRODUCTION In this Unit 2, The Basic Pneumatic System, you will learn what the various parts of a pneumatic system are and what they do. You will also learn how compressed air is used and the meanings of some basic words we use in talking about pneumatics.

2.2

WHAT IS IN THE BASIC COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM? The compressed air system must make compressed air from the air around us. It must then make sure that the air it has compressed is: clean, dry, at the correct pressure to be used to do work,

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at the correct temperature to be used, enough for the devices it will operate to do the work. 2.2.1 Some Things You Need to Know

Unit No. 2 - The basic pneumatic system

Air pressure is the force of air pushing against an object. When air is only at sea level it presses against everything around it at a pressure of 14.7 pounds per square inch (written as psi). When the air is compressed (as in figure 1 -10 you saw in Unit 1) its pressure increases to MORE than 14.7 psi. When air (or any other gas) is compressed, its temperature increases and its volume decreases. When air (or any other gas) is allowed to expand its temperature decreases and its volume increases. Flow rate is a measurement of the amount of liquid that goes through the system or pipe per unit of time (a second or minute). Remember: Air is a gas and gas is a fluid. Humidity is the amount of water vapour in the air. Dew point is the temperature at which vapour in the air begins to condense out of the air. When air is compressed it gets warmer. When air is expanded (decompressed) it gets cooler. Therefore, when air is expanded the water vapour in it condenses to water. Water in a pneumatic system will cause corrosion and erosion of the pipe and other components. 2.3 HOW COMPRESSED AIR IS MADE The compressor and its air intake are at the starting point of the pneumatic system. They take in a large volume of air at low pressure (atmospheric) and squeeze it into a smaller volume at higher pressure. Generally that pressure is typically 100 psi. That pressure is later reduced in the pneumatic distribution system to the pressure required by an end device. (Refer to Unit 5.) From the compressor the air goes into the air receiver for storage and holding. Later it goes to the distribution system (header) for use by the cylinders, actuators, and other end devices. As you learned in Unit 1, Basic Principles of Pneumatics, air (a gas) is easily compressed. We take a small amount of air at one time, compress it, put it into temporary storage, then take another small amount of air and do the same thing again. That way, a large amount of air can be compressed by squeezing it in very small quantities until a large volume of compressed air is made. All air compressors use this same basic way of compressing air. They are different only in the way they do it. A simple example of an air compressor is the common tyre pump shown in figure 2-1. With each downward push of the handle it compresses and releases a very small amount of air. However, when it pumps up the tyre (which is the air storage area) it makes a large amount of compressed air that pushes out the walls of the tyre. Then the tyre can support the weight of the vehicle.

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Unit No. 2 - The basic pneumatic system

Figure 2-1. The Tyre Pump is a Simple Compressor

Compression of any material must work against the natural resistance of all matter to having its shape and volume altered. To overcome that resistance takes work. For that reason, compressors of all types do their job in very small steps that add up to make a large amount of compressed air (see figure 2-2).

Module No. 8 : Pneumatics and hydraulics

Figure 2-2. Single-Stage Compressor Installation The simple tyre pump compresses air in exactly the same way as the single-stage reciprocating compressor shown in figure 2-2. The compressor section has a piston that moves and sucks air in through the intake valve on the first stroke (the intake Page 4/12

stroke). Then it pushes it out on the second (discharge) stroke. The difference between the two compressors is that the large compressor is motor driven. It makes many strokes a minute but the hand-powered tyre pump can make only a few. However, both compressors do the same job, which is to compress air. The large compressor looks complicated, but actually its operation is simple. It has two spring-loaded valves (see figure 2-3) to open the air intake and the air discharge ports at different times. Only one of these two valves can be open at any time. The springs keep both valves closed until they are pushed open by air pressure.

Unit No. 2 - The basic pneumatic system

Figure 2-3. Compression Cylinder and Valves When the piston moves down the cylinder on the backstroke it makes a vacuum (space with no air in it) inside the cylinder chamber. Then the atmospheric pressure outside the cylinder pushes the valve spring down and air is drawn into the cylinder (see figure 2-4).

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Unit No. 2 - The basic pneumatic system

Figure 2-4. Air is Drawn in on the Backstroke

When the piston has reached its full stroke, it starts back again. This is called the compression/discharge stroke. The intake valve closes. The air is compressed by the piston pushing it into a smaller space. The increased air pressure pushes on the discharge valve. The spring allows the valve to open and the air goes out through the discharge port to the air receiver (see figure 2-5).

Module No. 8 : Pneumatics and hydraulics

Figure 2-5. Air is Compressed on the Compression/Discharge Stroke The air being discharged is at a higher pressure than it was when it came into the cylinder through the intake valves. After it leaves the compressor the air is held in an air receiver. It stays there until it is needed to operate an end device.

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2.4

HOW DOES COMPRESSED AIR FLOW THROUGH THE SYSTEM? Remember, the compressed air system must make cool, dry, clean compressed air under a constant pressure and in the amount needed (volume and air flow) to operate the various devices doing the work. Follow the air as it moves through the basic compressed air system (see figure 2-6).

Unit No. 2 - The basic pneumatic system

Figure 2-6. Basic Compressed Air System Start at the upper far left corner of the drawing. You see the intake manifold with filter. This is the place where the air in the room goes into the system to be compressed. The filter removes any dirt, sand, or other particles from the air to make sure it is as clean as possible. Just to the right and above the intake manifold and filter you will see the square marked drive motor. The compressor drive motor is usually powered by electricity, but it could also be powered by steam or gas. In figure 2-7 you see a large electric motor driving a two stage compressor like the one you have on the left side of figure 2-6. It takes a lot of power to drive the compressors because compressing air takes a lot of work. Much of that work is recovered for use when the energy stored in the compressed air is used later on by the pneumatic cylinders and other end devices. In figure 2-7 you see that there are two compressor sections, not just one. In the system we are looking at there are two compressor sections because it is easier to compress air in two stages than in only one. Each stage does a part of the work needed to compress the air to the final pressure. The first stage compresses the air to a pressure higher than the pressure of the air coming in. Then it passes the air on to the second stage compressor.

Module No. 8 : Pneumatics and hydraulics

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Unit No. 2 Unit No. 2 - The basic pneumatic system - The basic pneumatic system

The second stage compressor finishes the job by taking the air pressure up to the pressure needed by the components which need air to do work. In many of our plants this operating air pressure (sometimes called utility air) is 75 to 100 pounds per square inch (psi). Air at that pressure is used to open and close some valves and to operate the Emergency Shutdown (ESD) system. Some of that 75100 psi air pressure is reduced by a pressure controller to 20 psi for use in the instrument and signal air equipment that controls and monitors many components in the plant. You will see how the compressors do their jobs in Unit 3.

Figure 2-7. Two Stage Compressor with Inter-cooler

Module No. 8 : Pneumatics and hydraulics Module No. 8 : Pneumatics and hydraulics

Between the first and second stage air compressors is the inter-cooler (see figures 2-6 and 2-7). Remember that when air is compressed its temperature increases. Also remember that warm air holds more water vapour than cool air. Therefore we want to cool the air each time it is compressed. This cooling is done by sending the air through a box containing pipes that have cold water in them. These boxes are the inter-cooler and the after-cooler (see figure 2-6) and they take much of the heat out of the air and carry it away in the water. (Remember: heat always wants to go to the coolest place it can find, so it travels through the pipe walls and joins the water where it goes out of the system).

From the after-cooler the compressed air goes to the separator (at the bottom left of the drawing). The separator removes most of the water carried by the air. Water leaves the system by the water drain at the bottom. Page 8/12

From the separator the compressed air is split into two streams and goes into the air dryers where the remaining water droplets are removed and the dew point of the air is lowered to -401C. From the lower right of the air dryers you see a line entering named hot regeneration air. The hot air is used to remove adsorbed water from the air dryers. The process of adsorption will be described in detail in Unit 4, Pneumatic System Components.

Unit No. 2 - The basic pneumatic system

The compressed air now has to be stored until it is used. Storage of compressed air is done by the air receiver, a large vessel for the storage of clean, dry air. The air receiver holds the air at a constant (unchanging) air pressure. This is the main supply source for air provided by the compressed air system. From the air receiver the compressed air goes into an air line (pipe) called a 'header. The header goes out of the compressor area into the plant where it is routed around to the locations where the air is to be used. 2.4.1 Service Units At many of the locations where the compressed air is used there are service units. These units have two main components:
An air filter to clean any remaining dirt or debris from the air. A pressure regulator to make sure the pressure of the compressed air is

correct for the unit to be operated by the air. 2.4.2 Pressure Relief Valves

Pressure Relief Valves (marked PRV on figure 2-6) are located in several places in the air line and on the air receiver. This is to provide a way for the air line to vent (release) air in case the system pressure should get too high and damage the lines or components. 2.4.3 Pressure Indicator-Transmitter and Pressure Switch Finally, we see in figure 2-6 a dashed line running across the diagram near the top. This is an electrical or pneumatic signal line connecting the pressure indicator and transmitter on top of the air receiver to the pressure switch on the first stage compressor motor. These components are set to shut off the compressors when the air receiver is filled and will take no more compressed air. When set, this signal operates automatically. 2.4.4 End Devices The end devices (actuators, valve operators, and other components) are not shown on figure 2-6. They connect to the header where they are used. End devices are described in detail in Unit 5, Controls and End Devices.

Module No. 8 : Pneumatics and hydraulics

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