Air Compressor Tank: A Comprehensive Guide

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Air Compressor Tank

Air compressor tanks are critical components of any compressed air system since they not only provide temporary storage; however, they also help your system operate more smoothly. From rotary screw air compressors to two-stage compressors, a tank can be helpful.

They must be made to be extremely robust and powerful because of the huge pressure they have and the significance they play in a system.

It is critical to make your purchase from renowned manufacturers and brands to ensure that you are going to last for many years and are able to withstand the stresses of everyday use.

Air Compressor Tanks

Air compressor tanks are critical components of compressed air systems because they allow the system to function properly. They can also be used as a means of temporary storage. When the air compressors are turned off, the air tanks allow you to use air. Aside from that, they help supplement the system’s air supply during moments of excessive usage.

Compressor tanks are crucial in establishing the type and position of tanks required. The major tanks serve as a storage reservoir and are positioned near the air compressor systems. Furthermore, the secondary tanks are further away from the air compressor systems, but they are still close enough to equipment that requires a lot of air.

Because of the high pressure they carry, these tanks are intended to be extremely sturdy and enduring. Many applications necessitate the use of air receiver tanks. These are some of them:

  • Storage to guard against pressure changes
  • Speed or torque improvements
  • Storage in order to measure a high flow rate application in the system

The size of a compressor tank must be tailored to the application’s requirements. These tanks come in sizes ranging from 30 to 8,000 gallons.

A tank’s size is determined by:

  • Dimensions of the system
  • The output of the compressor
  • Cycles of air demand
Air Compressor Tanks1

What Are the Advantages of Air Compressor Tanks

A few of the benefits include:

  • Air tanks eliminate the need to turn on compressed air systems when only a few seconds of air is required. The cost of using a compressor is reduced as a result of this. The amount of electricity used and the expense of maintenance are both lowered.

  • Air is stored in the tank. When there is a rise in usage, the stored air can be used.

  • The start or stop switch is utilized to regulate the pressure variance. Your compressor’s sequence can also be changed.

  • Condensation is eliminated from the air that has been stored. This increases the amount of moisture removed from the air system. A drain is connected to the moisture trap, which aids in the removal of moisture from the compressed air system.

Can You Add a Tank to Air Compressors?

Can you add a tank to air compressors? Yes, you can. One approach to improve the function of a tiny air compressor is to install another tank, which creates a larger reservoir of compressed air for you to pull on when you need to use an air tool that exceeds the capacity of the compressor.

What Is the Use of a Tank in an Air Compressor?

The main advantage of connecting or connecting an air receiver tank to your air compressor is the ability to store more air! This enables the air compressor engine to continue for a much longer time before hitting its cut-out pressure, preventing you from using your pneumatic tools during that time. You now have more CFM available since you’ve allowed the compressor pump to supply a larger air volume.

This is, without a doubt, the best way to boost the CFM of the compressed air system. Moreover, adding a second tank increases the cooling time of the air compressor. That is, assuming you aren’t pulling more CFM from the air system than the pump is capable of producing.

Additionally, the extended cooling time is because of the larger volume of air, which allows your air tool to operate for longer before the pressure cutoff is hit and the air compressor restarts.

This is also a wonderful approach for decreasing the pressure on the air compressor, because if the compressor has a 50% duty cycle and spends 10 minutes working (when on) and four minutes recuperating (when turned off), you are over-using it!

Air Compressor Tanks2

Why Is it Important to Use a Tank with an Air Compressor?

A compressed air system’s air tank is a critical component. The tank is designed to hold six to 10 times the compressor system’s flow rate. When it comes to compressors rated at 25 CFM at 100 pressure, the air tank is normally 150 cubic feet (at minimum).

Furthermore, the tank is a compressed air storage tank that can be used when demand is high. It cools the air to remove water from the air compressor system. The tank dampens the system’s pulse. A reciprocating compressor or cyclic process downstream are the most common causes of pulsation.

Peak demand is compensated by the tank, which regulates the air compressor system’s supply with the increased demand.

Air tanks are used for a variety of purposes, including enhancing speed or torque, storing to guard against pressure variations, metering a high flow-rate application into a system, etc.

It’s critical to adapt it to your demands, regardless of the application. The compressor output, air demand cycles, and system size are used to size a tank. This formula can be used to estimate the tank size:

V = (Q x Pa) / (P1 + Pa)

Where:

  • V = The size of the receiver in cubic feet
  • Q = The output of the compressor in CFM
  • Pa = Standard atmospheric pressure in PSIA
  • P1 = Compressed pressure in PSIG

How to Attach a Tank to an Air Compressor

Let’s get started with the procedure. You can attach the tank by following the instructions below:

  • Disconnect the compressor
  • Choose a location
  • Set up the tank (using tees, couplers, and a hose)

Disconnect the Compressor

To begin, disconnect the compressor and release the compressed air in the tank to the environment by opening the drain valve on the tank and allowing it to drain.

Choose a Location

What are you going to do with the tank? Is it better to put it right next to the current compressor tank or on the opposite side of the workspace?

It doesn’t matter for the vast majority of DIY projects, just keep in mind that a pipe or hose long enough to go from one tank to the next is required.

Based on the capacity of the compressor motor and pump, a tank can be any size or shape.

Set up the Tank

You might “hard plumb” the tank, but the simplest and most recommended method is to connect the tank with a pipe.

On your current tank, use the current coupler. This coupler enables you to hook a connector to it, and air is going to flow into the hose or the airline once the connector is plugged in.

You are going to need an airline length long enough to extend from the primary tank’s coupler to the tank’s intake connector. On one end, there is a coupler, and on the other, there is a connector.

Thread a tee into the tank’s inlet side, then a coupler to one of the tee’s sides.

You can now connect the tank by pushing the coupler from the extended air hose onto the join.

Furthermore, you may add an air filter and another verified coupler on the other end of the Tee. This permits air to be filtered before it passes through the secondary tank and into the air tool.

You may not need an air filter, so simply attach a coupler to the Tee and attach the airline or hose to the air tool!

Between compressor cycles, whenever the compressor level switch requests air, the compressor starts and runs until the air tanks are filled to the high-pressure cutoff level, offering you the extra tank volume of air for the requirements!

The coupler you’ve connected to the Tee on the tank is going to keep the air in the tanks until you’re ready to insert the airline connection to it, just like the connector on the compressor tank has a verified coupling to keep the air in the tank when there’s no connector attached to it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can You Add Two Tanks to the Air Compressor?

Yes, you can connect two compressors to create a larger air reserve. You may extend the life of your air tools by joining them with the proper connections; but, it takes air compressors longer to build up pressure in two tanks instead of one.

Does Adding a Tank Increase the CFM?

The compressed air system’s CFM grows with the addition of a second tank; however, not the air compressor pump’s CFM. This is crucial to note since the actual CFM available at the tank outflow differs from the CFM accessible at the compressor pump.

The Bottom Line

It’s vital to note that adding a tank to the air compressor boosts the compressed air system’s CFM rather than the air compressor pump’s CFM. The actual CFM supplied at the tank outflow differs from the CFM obtainable at the air compressor’s pump. If you would like more information on these products, for example, maintenance costs or portable air, feel free to contact us!