Air Piping

Air piping is part of a process that uses compressed air, meaning air that has a pressure greater than 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi). These projects can include installing and repairing the piping itself as well as the joints and other fittings for an air piping system. WN Kirkland provides a full range of services for air piping systems, including air compressors, dryers and tanks.

Compressors

An air compressor uses power to compress air, generally for the purpose of storing potential energy. The compressed air can then perform various types of work when an operator releases it from the storage tank.

A low-pressure compressor has a discharge pressure of no more than 150 psi, and a medium-pressure compressor has a pressure between 150 and 1,000 psi. Compressors with a discharge pressure greater than 1,000 psi are classified as high-pressure air compressors. The process of compressing air generates heat, which an air piping system must dispose of, generally with air-cooling or water-cooling methods. We can install air compressors with a wide range of pressure ratings and cooling methods.

Air Piping: Dryers

The process of compressing air also increases the concentration of contaminants in the air such as water. Water in an air piping system can cause various operational problems, especially in outdoor lines where the water can freeze. WN Kirkland can install the following types of air dryers:

• Regenerative desiccant dryers
• Refrigerated dryers
• Deliquescent dryers
• Membrane dryers

A regenerative, or twin tower, dryer removes water by passing the air between two towers filled with a desiccant such as alumina or silica. A refrigerated dryer cools the air, which reduces the water produced during the compression cycle. A deliquescent dryer uses a hydroscopic to absorb water vapor, and a membrane dryer filters water through a membrane.

Tanks

Air tanks store the compressed air that air piping systems produce. Safety is a primary consideration for WN Kirkland when we design and build and install air tanks, due to the potentially lethal consequences of a containment failure. We install all pressure vessels according to the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC), which is required in the United States.

Air tanks have operating limits for pressure and temperature in addition to other operating and maintenance procedures designed to maximize safety. Many air tanks also have a relief valve to bleed off air when the pressure reaches a certain level. Some air tanks are also designed to leak before they fail catastrophically.

The experts at WN Kirkland have been helping residents and business owners in Spartanburg and surrounding areas with plumbing, utility and piping services since 1935. If you are in need of air piping services, contact the experts at WN Kirkland today!