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Decreasing air leaks in your plant can save thousands of dollars annually. Compressed air is one of the most expensive forms of power you can use in your plant, of program, it is one of the most versatile, rapid and powerful as well.

When it is "quiet time" in the plant, wander about the machinery and listen. You will typically hear the gentle (or maybe not so gentle) hissing of air escaping from the exhaust port of your air valves.

The sound of compressed air "chewing up your dollars" as it wafts to atmosphere can be muted if your air valves have mufflers in the exhaust ports, but nevertheless, it can be heard.

Also, there are commercially readily available ultra-sonic compressed air leak detectors on the industry. If your plant doesn't have a "quiet time", which would allow you to actually hear the leaks oneself, investing in an ultrasonic leak detector can bring significant payback in energy cost savings.

Normally you'll have 1 air valve connected to one particular air cylinder. Typically that cylinder will be double acting - which signifies that it will have two air lines running to it, and as the air valve shifts back and forth, air will alternatively flow to the cylinder by means of a single line or the other. When it really is flowing into a single line to the cylinder, the other line is allowing the air at the other finish of the cylinder to flow through the valve to exhaust.

While an air valve and cylinder are undertaking function of program there will be air getting exhausted continuously from the air valve exhaust ports.

It's when the machine is down, when it's doing no beneficial - and hopefully money producing function for you - that air really should not be escaping through the valve exhaust ports. At this point that loss of compressed air is just that loss - of earnings - of cash.

Inside, the two ends of the cylinder are separated by a piston. The piston is what drives the rod out and back as the cylinder cycles.

Around that piston will be an air seal that "crunches" in between the side of the piston and the inside of the cylinder barrel, efficiently stopping air from flowing by (bypassing) the piston.

In time that seal will put on, and air will start off bypassing into the other side. This indicates that this air now has an open path from the provide side down the other air line to the valve, and thence to the exhaust port. And a gentle (or not so gentle) hiss occurs as your compressed air dollars exhaust to environment.

Or....inside your air valve there is, as well, a series of seals that normally avoid air from getting from the air provide side into the exhaust side of the valve, and then out the exhaust port. And that air, as it gently (or not so....and so on. ) is pouring your compressed air dollars from the plant air provide.

So, which is it that's leaking the seal about the piston in the cylinder, or the seal inside the valve that stops the incoming air from getting across to the exhaust port with no going up to the cylinder?

Have a search at the cylinder. If the rod is out, air will be entering the air port at the rear of the cylinder. If the cylinder is in - retracted, the air will be coming into the cylinder at the rod finish.

Take the air line that is charged, that is, the air line that is supplying air to the cylinder, and crimp it. Numerous air lines are made of polyethylene or polypropylene, and it really is rather simple to make a bit of a bend in the air line, effectively shutting off air to the cylinder.

Listen at the valve. If the air has stopped escaping the valve's exhaust port, then it's the seal in the cylinder that's at fault.

If, after ensuring that the air to the cylinder is completely stopped, air continues to exhaust from the exhaust port of the valve, then it's the seal inside the air valve that is at fault.

Regardless of which is the culprit, the air valve or the cylinder, get it fixed....fast! Compressed air expenses a bundle. You do not want to waste it. california fords