Compressed Air - Pressurized Air for Industry

Compressed air is in major use in industry. It is often referred to as another utility along with electricity, natural gas, and water. In the general public the most common uses are in gas cylinders, scuba diving, and pneumatic tools. Other places you might see pressurized air are the dentist, vehicles with air brakes, airplane engines and cabins, and in almost all manufacturing. Air compressors force air into a tank at a greater pressure than the atmosphere. The result is a burst of air that delivers power where it is needed. To produce pressurized air, electricity or gasoline is needed. 

The machines that compress air use one of two methods, positive displacement or non positive displacement. Positive displacement uses a physical mechanism such as a piston, screw, or vane to force air in. Piston models use unidirectional valves that let the air in but not out, thus enabling air to be forced in beyond atmospheric pressures. The screw and vane models also force air in by movement of the screw but pressurized the air by decreasing the volume of the tank as the screw or vane enters the tank. Non positive displacement machines that produce compressed air work by centrifugal forces, pressurizing the air. 

The air around us contains moisture. When this air is compressed you end up with condensed moisture also. Most compressors have a valve to let the water out, which collects at the bottom of the chamber. Some compressors have additional devices to dry the air before it is stored. Others cool the compressed air. Depending on the industry, the air needs to have certain qualities. Moisture can get in the way of many manufacturing methods. In industries that require sterile environments, compressors function with components that will not contaminate foods or drugs. 

Compressed air has many uses. There is a compressor for every need. It takes energy to create pressurized air, but the result is another form of energy that functions cleanly and simply. Air tools and machines deliver a powerful punch but are quite simple in their design. No extra engineering of parts is required. Air power is simply electricity or gasoline turned into kinetic energy. Air power effectively skips a step in the process of manufacturing. It is not only simple to use, but safe as well, unless your chamber is overfilled. The pressurized air market is indispensible to the way manufacturing works today.