11510 Goldcoast Drive • Cincinnati, OH 45249-1621 • Phone (513) 671-3322 FAX (513) 671-3363 • E-mail: [email protected] • www.exair.com 53 Air Nozzles & Jets Air Nozzles and Jets Safe And Efficient Use Of Compressed Air The inefficient use of compressed air for blowoff applications may create problems due to the energy costs, noise level and potential danger to personnel who are exposed to high pressure air. Open air pipes, copper tubes and drilled pipes are a few of the common abusers. They consume tremendous amounts of energy and often produce noise levels over 100 dBA. Reduce Energy Costs The best way to cut energy costs is through proper maintenance and use of the compressed air system. Leaks and dirty filters require maintenance on a regular basis. Energy savings can also be realized when replacing outdated compressor motors and controls with high efficiency models that often pay for themselves in a short period of time. The most important factor to dramatically boost efficiency is proper use. Using engineered products like EXAIR's Super Air Nozzles can cut operating costs since they use only a fraction of the compressed air of typical blowoffs. In addition, all of the Air Nozzles and Jets shown in this catalog can be cycled on and off with an instantaneous response. EXAIR's EFC (shown on page 7) is an electronic flow control that limits compressed air use by turning on the air only when a part is present. Reduce Noise Levels High noise levels are a common problem for many plants. Compressed air noise often exceeds OSHA noise level exposure requirements, resulting in hearing loss to those working in close proximity. Noisy blowoffs at 80 PSIG (5.5 BAR) that produce noise levels of 100 dBA can be reduced to only 74 dBA when using a Super Air Nozzle. At that pressure, it is still possible to obtain hard-hitting force without the high noise. OSHA Maximum Allowable Noise Exposure Hours per day (constant noise) 8 7 4 3 2 1 0.5 Sound level dBA 90 91 95 97 100 105 110 OSHA Standard 29 CFR - 1910.95 (a) Turbulent compressed air blasts straight out of the pipe or tube. It not only wastes huge amounts of compressed air but also violates OSHA noise and dead end pressure requirements. Open Air Pipe or Copper Tube for One nozzle! Saving Money and Compressed Air The table above shows the air consumption for typical homemade blowoffs. The pages that follow give the air consumption and other data on EXAIR's Air Nozzles and Jets. Consider the following example where a Model 1102 Mini Super Air Nozzle replaces an 1/8" open pipe. The compressed air savings is easy to calculate and proves to be dramatic. Payout for Air Nozzles and Jets, including filter and installation cost is measured in weeks - not years, as is the case for other cost reduction equipment. Based on a 40 hour work week, 52 weeks a year. Example: 1. Existing blowoff is 1/8" open pipe at 80 PSIG (5.5 BAR) supply. Air consumption, from the table above, is 70 SCFM (1,981 SLPM). 2. Use a 1/8 FNPT Model 1102 Mini Super Air Nozzle also at 80 PSIG (5.5 BAR) supply. Air consumption, from the table on page 54, is 10 SCFM (283 SLPM). 3. Compressed air saved = 70 - 10 = 60 SCFM (1,981 - 283 =1,698 SLPM) 4. For this example, the blowoff is continuous. If the duty cycle was 20%, then air saved would be 60 x .2 = 12 SCFM (1,698 x .2 = 340 SLPM). 5. Most large plants know their cost per 1,000 standard cubic feet of compressed air (10,000 standard liters). If you don't know your actual cost per 1,000 SCF, $0.25 is a reasonable average to use. (Cost per 10,000 standard liters is approximately $0.089.) 6. Dollars saved per hour = SCFM saved x 60 minutes x cost/1,000 SCF (SLPM saved x 60 min x cost/10,000 SL) = 60 x 60 x $0.25/1,000 (= 1,698 x 60 x $0.089/10,000) = $0.90/hour = $0.90/hr. is $36.00/week and = $1,872.00/year savings Eliminate Harmful Dead End Pressures Air can be dangerous when the outlet pressure of a hole, hose or copper tube is higher than 30 PSIG (2 BAR). In the event the opening is blocked by a hand or other body part, air may enter the bloodstream through the skin, resulting in a serious injury. All of the Air Nozzles and Jets manufactured by EXAIR have been designed for safety. All are safe to be supplied with higher pressure compressed air and meet OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.242(b). Air Consumption of Open Tube And Pipe Pressure Supply Air Consumption of Homemade Blowoffs Copper Tube Open Pipe PSIG BAR 1/4" 5/16" 3/8" 1/8" 1/4" 3/8" 80 5.5 SCFM 33 58 87 70 140 240 SLPM 934 1,641 2,462 1,981 3,962 6,792
