Everything you need to know about Air Reservoirs

“Congratulations, you’ve just bought your first air reservoir!”. If you’re reading this article, chances are you’ll have quite recently heard these words. Buying an air reservoir is the easy part, however, maintaining them and knowing how to get the best out of your air reservoir is the tricky bit. Alternatively, if you’ve not purchased an air reservoir yet but, debating whether it’s the right accessory for generating compressed air, you’ve come to the right place!

As seasoned manufacturers and suppliers of pneumatic equipment, we at API Pneumatic UK know a thing or two about air reservoirs. With this in mind, we’ve put together a useful guide for first time or prospective air reservoir buyers to help with understanding everything you need to know about air reservoirs. Read on and enhance your knowledge with API UK.

What is the function of an air reservoir?

Also known as a compressed air tank or air receiver, the primary function of an air reservoir is to act as temporary storage to accommodate peak demands of compressed air. By being able to to handle any sudden or unusually heavy demands in excess capacity r, air reservoirs can act as a buffer between your system and any fluctuation in pressure.
Air reservoirs can also serve to dampen pulsations from discharge lines of your compressed air system, resulting in steadier pressure. They can also help prevent frequent loading and unloading of compressed air systems, as well as precipitating any moisture or oil carryover within any compressed air generated.

Sizing an air reservoir

Air reservoirs are typically sized at 6 to 10 mines of the flow rates which is housed within your compressed air system. For example, if your business is operating a compressed air system with a rating of 25 SCFM at 100 psi, any air reservoir used should be at least 150 cubic feet. A good rule of thumb for first-time air reservoirs buyers is to allow 3 to 4 gallons for each SCFM of each second of compressed air generated, depending on the application that your air reservoir will be required for.
Additional factors for sizing air reservoirs should include minimising pressure fluctuations, meeting short term peak air demands, as well as both energy and safety considerations.

How to test an air reservoir?

Air reservoirs should be tested at regular intervals throughout its lifetime. As the wall of air reservoirs begin to wear down once exposed to fluctuating pressure. If left unchecked this could potentially lead to catastrophic failure. As air reservoirs are also at risk of internal corrosion due to moisture contained in compressed air, to avoid the risk of air reservoirs exploding, investing in routine air reservoir maintenance is essential.

Air reservoir maintenance checklist

Here at API UK, we advise seeking trained professionals when you need to perform maintenance on air reservoirs. However, if you wish to do this independently, there are a few things to look out for and address:

  • External inspection: This involves cleaning the exterior with warm water for any dust, dirt or grease and removing corrosion from the surface should there be any. Inspect threaded ports for damage and conclude by performing a visual examination of the exterior for any damages or signs of distortion.
  • Internal inspection: Remove pipework and connectors to the receiver in order to thoroughly clean the interior of the air reservoir. Investigate welded seams for corrosion or damages and conclude by cleaning the air reservoir from any foreign matters.

By consistently inspecting checking for damages or any signs of corrosion, this should help maintain the performance of your air receiver without needing to invest heavily in maintenance services provided they are done correctly.

Buy air reservoirs at competitive prices from API Pneumatic UK

API Pneumatic UK can provide high performance and high quality compressed air reservoirs at competitive prices. Our pneumatic reservoirs are manufactured from Steel Fe PO4 with a RAL 5015-110 epoxy coating to provide high visibility and long-life corrosion resistance. Capable of delivering working pressure of 11 bar and handling up to 100 litres of compressed air, our air reservoirs are compact in design and can be used within space-sensitive environments.

At API UK, we can offer a complimentary consultation service to help match an air reservoir to the precise needs of your business. To discuss your air reservoir requirements, contact API Pneumatic UK on 01782 206 995, email [email protected] or send your enquiry directly using our contact form.