PRACTICAL GUIDE TO PLANNING A

COMPRESSED AIR NETWORK PROJECT:

6 POINTS TO CONSIDER

TOPRING
Compressed air solutions
 INTRODUCTION
Breakdown of costs associated to
Compressed air is an important source of energy. It is used in many compressed air system over 10 years
different industries. A properly planned compressed air network will Maintenance Initial
ensure energy efficiency, reduce the costs associated with producing and
33 % investment
11 %
distributing compressed air.
Energy
That is why selecting quality materials and adapted components is so 56  % ___________________
Source: approximate costs,
important to limit maintenance costs and improve energy efficiency over Hydro-Québec

the years of service.

Why is compressed air an advantageous source of energy ?

Lower operating costs than electricity

Compressed air
Clean energy - does not create dust
accounts for about 10%
Precision - ability of regulating volume and pressure

Compact installation - requires less space

of electricity consumption
Reduced fire hazards - no sparks. in industry
Centralized maintenance - directly at the compressor .

Practical guide to planning a compressed air network TOPRING •2

PRIORITIES AND CHALLENGES
ASSOCIATED WITH AIR NETWORKS
Each compressed air network project is unique because of the
varying needs of users and multiple configuration possibilities.
A good network design will ensure optimal results.

The main priorities

Ensure user safety The biggest challenges

VOLUME: Produce enough air to service all points

CLEAN: Eliminate the presence of water and

Improve efficiency to reduce operating costs
other contaminants in the system

AIR TIGHT: Eliminate air leaks

Optimize the performance of

pneumatic equipment and tools

Practical guide to planning a compressed air network TOPRING •3

6 POINTS TO CONSIDER BEFORE STARTING YOUR PROJECT
To help you to carry out a safe, efficient and performing compressed air network project,
here are 6 of the most important points to consider:

1 In what context will the compressed air be used?

2 What volume of air do I need to power all pneumatic equipment and tools?

3 Where are the pneumatic equipment and tools located?

4 Which network configuration is best?

5 What air quality do I need?

6 Who will do the installation?

«The safety, efficiency and performance of the compressed air network are based on each element of the specific needs of
the company, such as the application, the frequency of use, the needs for air (volume), the infrastructure of the plant, type of
equipment, etc.»
Philip Le Moyne, Technical Advisor at Topring for 22 years

Practical guide to planning a compressed air network TOPRING •4

 1 IN WHAT CONTEXT WILL COMPRESSED AIR BE USED?
Before starting a project, the type of application must be determined, because each application requires different
specifications (air volume, air quality).

Questions to be considered:
What will be the applications?

Which pneumatic equipment or tools will be used?

How often will it be used?

What are the conditions of the work environment?

Examples of applications by industry:

General industry Body shop Garage Tire workshop Machine shop

Machinery and Paint application Use of tools requiring Use of nitrogen Use of blow guns
equipment, requiring clean, a large volume of air for inflation for cleaning parts
pneumatic tools high quality air (impact tools)

Practical guide to planning a compressed air network TOPRING •5

 2 WHAT TOTAL AIR VOLUME DO I NEED?
The total airflow required to supply all pneumatic equipment and tools must be calculated. The more workstations and equipment
there will be, the higher the amount of air required. Therefore, the diameter of the air network should be large enough to deliver a
sufficient quantity of air, at the required pressure for all points of use.

Questions to be considered:
What are my needs for compressed air?

How many pneumatic equipment and tools will be used?

What volume of air (SCFM) do they need to operate efficiently?

What is the required frequency of use (daily vs occasional)?

What will be the duration of use (continuous vs. fixed periods)?

Practical guide to planning a compressed air network TOPRING •6

 3 WHERE IS THE EQUIPMENT LOCATED?
It is important to know the layout and workflow location where the air network will be installed. This will have an important influence
on the type of configuration to choose. The location of the compressor, the distance to be covered and all the required drops must
be taken into account. The total length of the network, in linear feet, will dictate the diameter of the piping required for the network
and its configuration.

Questions to be considered:
What is the layout of the plant?

What are the locations and layouts of each of the workstations (tools and equipment)?

Where will the compressor be located?

How far should the air network go (total distance / workshop dimensions)?

How many drops (descents) do I need?

Examples of workstation layouts:

600 ft 600 ft

Workstation Linear
Compressor
in several layout
420 ft

420 ft
Workstation places

Practical guide to planning a compressed air network TOPRING •7

 4 WHICH NETWORK CONFIGURATION IS BEST?
The optimal configuration of the compressed air network will depend on the layout of the plant or workshop. Closed loop networks
are considered to be the most efficient configurations because they ensure optimal consistency at all points of use. The goal is to
achieve a balance between the demand for air volume (flow measured in SCFM) and the required pressure (in PSI). This factor will
determine the optimal pipe diameter of the main line.

Questions to be considered:
Which network configuration is best for my situation?

Am I able to predict my future needs (plant expansion)?

Configuration options:

Closed loop Linear

Compressed air flows through several lines simultaneously. It is better to opt for a linear network when a closed
loop configuration is not possible. To power the air in
Pressure and airflow are balanced throughout the network.
both directions, the compressor must be located in
The air drops (descents) are powered by two sources. the center of the network (from the compressor to the
furthest point of use).
Extensions can be easily added to extend the network.

Practical guide to planning a compressed air network TOPRING •8

 Air consumption of various pneumatic tools
SANDERS Flow SCFM IMPACT TOOLS Flow SCFM DRILLS Flow SCFM
Sanders 9.6 Miniature 1/4" ratchet 12.5 3/8" air drill 17.3
4-1/2" angle grinder 18.4 1/4" impact gun 14.0 3/8" reversible air drill 23.8
10 mm belt sander 18.9 3/8" ratchet 19.2 1/2" reversible air drill 26.4
7" angle sander 29.6 Zip gun 21.9
OTHER TOOLS Flow SCFM
1/2" impact gun 28.6
NAILERS/STAPLERS Flow SCFM Riveter 0.08 SCF/cycle
3/4" impact gun 34.7
18 gauge nailer/stapler 0.02 SCF/cycle Grease gun 0.8 SCF/cycle
1" impact gun 87.5
22-18 gauge stapler 0.03 SCF/cycle Caulking gun 0.1
Finishing nailer 0.03 SCF/cycle POLISHING TOOLS Flow SCFM HVLP paint gun 9.5
Roofing nailer 0.05 SCF/cycle Orbital polisher 16.6 Screw driver 9.6
Framing nailer 0.09 SCF/cycle Oscillating sander 23.0 Gravity fed sand blaster 12.0

Indicative data according to continuous use

Guide to determine the pipe diameter (mm) required for a compressed air system
TOTAL LENGTH OF THE NETWORK (FEET)
100' 150' 200' 250' 300' 400' 500' 600' 700' 800' 900' 1000' 1250' 1500' 2000'
5 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
10 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 20
15 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 20 20 20 20 20 20
TOTAL FLOW REQUIRED (SCFM)

20 16 16 16 16 16 16 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 25
30 16 16 16 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 25 25 25 25 25
40 16 20 20 20 20 20 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 32 The total airflow is the
60 20 20 20 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 32 32 32 32 32
80
100
20
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
40
32
40
40
40
sum of each requirement
125
150
25
25
25
32
25
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
32
40
32
40
32
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
50
of all pneumatic tools
and equipment used
200 32 32 32 32 32 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 50 50 50
300 32 32 40 40 40 40 40 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 63

on the network
400 40 40 40 40 40 50 50 50 50 50 50 63 63 63 63
500 40 40 40 50 50 50 50 50 63 63 63 63 63 63 63
750 50 50 50 50 63 63 63 63 63 63 63 63 80 80 80
1000 50 50 63 63 63 63 63 63 80 80 80 80 80 80 80
1500 63 63 63 63 80 80 80 80 80 80 80

Data based on a closed loop network

Practical guide to planning a compressed air network TOPRING •9

 5 WHAT QUALITY OF AIR DO I NEED?
To ensure that compressed air is clean and dry, choose materials that will not corrode and treat the air properly. Untreated air will
damage tools and equipment by the presence of water and condensate.

Questions to be considered:
What type of pipe material to choose?

What air quality is required for my application or industry?

The benefits of aluminium piping (versus steel pipes):

Aluminium pipes resist

corrosion and do not
7 Traditional pipes
rust and accumulate
deteriorate. contaminants.

Aluminium pipes allow air

to circulate freely without
any friction.
7 Rust causes friction
and consequently an air
turbulence contributing to
pressure drops.

Practical guide to planning a compressed air network TOPRING • 10

The importance of condensate treatment
Compressed air produced by the compressor contains water and
impurities such as oil and dust. Effective condensate treatment provides
clean and dry compressed air.

This is possible by adding filters, air dryers and drains at the compressor
outlet. To allow for proper and lawful disposal of these condensates
water/oil separators must be installed. Separators also reduce risks of
poor air quality at the access points.

Air treatment at the application

Since the air requirements vary between different tools or equipment,
filters, regulators and lubricators must be added to the
different service points.

Certain types of tools or equipment require lubrication.

Certain applications like paint will require extremely clean and dry air.

Practical guide to planning a compressed air network TOPRING • 11

 6 WHO WILL DO THE INSTALLATION?
It is important that the compressed air network is installed by an expert who understands the rules of installation and safety.

Questions to be considered :
Who will install the network? Is the installer qualified?

Have I read the “Design and Installation Guide” for compressed air?

The advantages of installing an aluminium network:

Using lightweight aluminium pipes, Compression fittings are easy Easier and faster to mount than
reduce assembly time and effort to install conventional pipe
(reduced installation costs)

Practical guide to planning a compressed air network TOPRING • 12

SIMULATION
Here is a simulation using the 6 points to consider before starting an air network project.

Step 1 – In what context will the compressed air be used? Step 5 – What air quality do I need?
The owner of a furniture manufacturing plant wants to build a new To ensure the quality of finished products, the
compressed air system. installation will require:

An aluminium piping system for compressed air

Step 2 – What volume of air do I need ? that does not corrode;
The plan is to install 10 workstations and they have estimated that 25 pneumatic
tools will be used continuously (nailers, sandblasters and spray guns). A water separator and a refrigerant air dryer at the
compressor outlet;
Step 3 – What is the location of my pneumatic equipment ?
The plant is 50 feet x 50 feet. Below, the diagram of its layout. A water/oil separator at the compressor outlet
that recovers contaminants and complies with the
condensate treatment legislation;

Compressor Air treatment units for each application (desiccation

Workstation filtration for the paint booth).
50 ft

Paint booth
Step 6 – Who will execute the installation?
50 ft The air network will be installed by a firm of experts with
relevant experience in compressed air networks and that
Step 4 – Which network configuration is best? are familiar with safety instructions.
A closed-loop compressed air network is the most optimal solution.
According to the calculations, 40 mm outside diameter pipes will
be required for the main network. The network will require 10 drops
(descents) to feed each workstation.
Final plan of the
Calculation 25 pneumatic tools = ± 450 SCFM closed-loop network
of needs 50 feet x 4 walls = 200 feet linear network
Outside pipe diameter = 40 mm (see table p.9)

Practical guide to planning a compressed air network TOPRING • 13

 WE CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR PROJECT!
Topring can help you with your compressed air piping system project. We offer customized solutions, including consulting
services to guide you through each step of your project. Ask our technical team for an evaluation, for more information, or
simply to tell us about your project.

We also offer advanced technical resources for engineers and installers (product drawings, layout plans, evaluation tools,
calculators, technical training, etc.)

Contact us:
1 800 263-8677
[email protected]
TOPRING.com

TOPRING Compressed air solutions

© March 2019