Throughout many industries, compressed air is an essential resource, as ubiquitous as water and electricity. Many industrial sites, manufacturing or otherwise, have many uses for a compressed air system Jacksonville FL, if not more than one. Here are just a few ways that compressed air helps get things done.
Transporting Items and Materials
Pneumatic conveying uses air pressure differentials to move products through tubes. These conveyor systems find use through many industrial plants for both discrete items and bulk materials, the latter often being dry powders that can’t be feasibly moved by belts. Pneumatic tubes benefit from flexibility in design, easily routed around other equipment in a non-intrusive way. They also involve fewer moving parts, making maintenance more cost-effective, and are useful for transporting fragile materials.
Mixing, Spraying and Cleaning
Compressed air is an effective option for mixing and aerating fine powders and fluids. Pneumatic mixers use nozzles to release high-pressure airflow into materials, agitating them for thorough blending. Alternatively, they can be used to oxygenate liquids. Both are valuable in processing food, beverages and chemicals.
Energy Storage
Besides being used to perform work, compressed air can also function as a medium for energy storage. Energy is introduced by way of compressing the air, which builds up heat and pressure; the compressed air can then be used to drive a turbine and generate power. Sometimes the excess heat is also stored, then used in the expansion of the stored air for additional power. Compressed air energy storage (CAES) systems draw excess energy from the grid at utility-scale during periods of low demand so that it can be tapped during peak hours when more energy is required.
Compressed air has been a reliable way to power tools and equipment for many years, and pneumatic systems still see use today, especially when conventional electric or mechanical power is infeasible or unsafe.…