Compressed Air Distribution System

Compressed air piping system designers face many challenges to designing systems without pressure losses and contaminants. This paper will review piping material selections, distribution and compressor discharge piping guidelines, and the basic causes of pressure losses in compressed air piping systems.

The objective of compressed air piping is to deliver compressed air to the end uses without pressure loss and the introduction of contaminants. Proper piping material selection and following guidelines for both distribution and compressor discharge piping can help system designers accomplish this goal. If readers take one thing from this paper remember that larger diameter pipe sizes reduce air velocities (and therefore turbulence) resulting in minimized pressure losses