Right after the compressor it is recommended to install an aftercooler, which can be water or air cooled, depending on whether you have water available or not. This is called the primary air drying.
Does your compressor have a storage tank? If not, after the aftercooler you should install one.
Depending on the application the compressed air will be used for, a secondary air dryer should be installed after the storage tank. A refrigeration air dryer will produce an air dew point of 3 °C (roughly 38 °F). An adsorption air dryer will produce an air dew point ranging from 0 to minus 40 °C (32 to minus 40 °F).
20 feet x 20 feet is a small workshop (nothing to laugh about), so you can design your compressed air piping based on velocity. A suitable air velocity at the beginning of the piping is 6 meters per second (20 feet per second).
You'll find plenty of information on www.spiraxsarco.com and www.atlascopco.us
Giovanni S. Crisi
Sao Paulo - Brazil
Hahaha!! 20 x 20!! Welcome to the club! That's what I've been sufferin..I mean working in for years. You can cram A LOT of stuff in something that small, believe me!!!! If I ever get the shop built that I want I will feel like I've moved into the Taj Mahal!!!
As far as air dryer, I've got a 3 stage Sharpe with desiccant and I've also got a small simple thing off the tank. Mine is in an area where there is low air flow however so cooling is an issue. On the new shop I plan on an outside area, 20'x60', covered where I can have the compressor outside in the shade with good air flow to assist in cooling. Good air drying equipment is expensive. You can pick up good filters and such. If you plan on painting cars and doing automotive finish work on things a high quality air drying system is key. For me, the Sharpe set up is great for the occasional painted handrail or stuff like that shooting industrial type paints. running air tools I don't even run the compressor thru the dryer, waste of money. Now I know some guys on here will say that the moisture will damage, kill your air tools. I've been using the same air tools for around 15-20 years, oil them before use and never had a day of trouble out of my Ingersols. Drain your tank before use, everyday and all is good. Air tools are a lot more durable than you would think. As a mechanic I have abused them beyond anything that the manufacturer would have imagined.
My daily set up is a hose off the tank(60 gallon), thru the primary water seperator, then back to the hose. On the other end, whatever air tool I need. As I said though, if I need dry air I'll hook up to the Sharpe for special needs but other than that it's not really needed in my opinion.
I don't know enough about getting really dry air from your compressor but I have no issues painting with just a couple of separators on a line no longer then your shop....I call them separators because they really are not in the same league as like what Shawn has got. But I paint quite regularly and have had no problems with moisture invading my paint jobs. It is very hot and humid here. I am running a 80gal tank and just a single stage twin. I agree with the air tool comments....if you oil your tools as a regimen before use you will not have any problems.
My two tin pennies
Thanks for the replies. My plasma cutter is what gets used the most on the shop air, but I do have a painting job coming up (90' of elaborate iron fence panels) and the folks at the paint shop had some good input. Air tools don't get used much at all, but that's only because my little asian Porter cable 30 gal couldn't keep up, I've got a second hand dynafile that will be getting dusted off and used real soon.
Cumminsguy71 thanks for that. I've seen your work and I am years away from a skill set like yours, but thanks to the new Boy Scout Camp being built nearby, I've already surpassed last years gross sales, and should easily double what I did last year.
Devo, I've always liked this chart TP has in their tech tips section on using iron pipe to help with cooling and shows how to run your pipe for drains. I've got drains on end of pipes like that in my small shop and it has helped a lot. You can make the end run drop pipe larger with bell reducers and then reduce back down to a 1/4" ball valve on the end. I run small to big air tools 1" impact and paint guns using water separators on each run at the end before regulator & outlet. If your compressor tank doesn't have easy access to tank drain valve make it easier to get to with extra pipe & fittings put a small ball valve on the end so you have no excuses for not draining it.
http://www.tptools.com/tech-metal-piping.dlp
Lots of good air dryer filters to consider there. Knew if I ever shot some of the more expensive paint I would need a dessicant type filter that is what paint companies recommend now too. I'm still using some Binks driers have had for years with old cotton string wound elements inside but they work for now since has been so dry here last 3 years. When running a lot of air to sand blast, sanders, & paint I have to change the cotton elements out a lot so they will dry out and can be reused another time or two but just not good as dessicant type. Still have to use another small one on my air hose if gets humid but high humidity is as rare as hens teeth here right now yet. Wondering how those new push together plastic air line systems are for keeping moisture out that is when would need another air dryer setup by the compressor I bet.
Plumb in some vertical drops with ball valves and blast them out each morning. You can also insulate the tank if temps are the problem, but it's usually wet intake air causing the water.
Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / what's a small shop to do about keeping air dry?
