×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Pneumatic Pipe Material selection
2

Pneumatic Pipe Material selection

Pneumatic Pipe Material selection

(OP)
Am designing an aluminium docking structure to be used by mechanics during aircraft maintenance. As they use compressed air for their pneumatic drills, one of the design requirements is to install distribution piping on the structure, which can later be connected to the main pipes (from the compressor) at the time of use.
Can someone advise me on what is the best material to use for this pipe (PVC, Steel or any other), considering that weight has to be minimal as the dock has to be pushed around the aircraft manually.

RE: Pneumatic Pipe Material selection

DO NOT use PVC for compressed air (or any gas) piping. If it fails, it turns into shrapnel. Just drills, or do they also use other tools impact guns? How big does the air piping need to be?

RE: Pneumatic Pipe Material selection

BTriple7;
My advice to you is to obtain a copy of ASME B31.1 Power Piping. Recognized materials, design formula and fabrication/inspection are all addressed. This is the best way to handle piping for compressed air. Compressed air contains stored energy that can harm personnel and equipment.

RE: Pneumatic Pipe Material selection

(OP)
TBP,
The main pipe from the compressor line has a diameter of approx 2". Compressed air is also used for filter cleaning among other purposes. Could rubber be feasible?

RE: Pneumatic Pipe Material selection

(OP)
Guys,
I also forgot to mention that the main line has about 200 psi

RE: Pneumatic Pipe Material selection

What's the safety valve setting on the compressed air system? They likely just string air hose now, right? How big - 1/2" maybe? I'd consider something like 1/2 or 5/8" 0.035" wall stainless steel tubing and compression fittings if weight is a big factor. If the length is short enough that there's not much pipe involved, just go screwed steel.

RE: Pneumatic Pipe Material selection

(OP)
TBP,

Thanks for your input so far.

The pipe length is about 100" vertical and about the same horizontally. I had not checked on the safety valve setting as i didnt think it was critical to the distribution pipe selection.

If am to go for stainless steel, I tend to think that I may have a problem threading the pipe for press-in-connectors.

What do you think?

RE: Pneumatic Pipe Material selection

Check the safety valve setting - it matters for safety & code considerations.

Check the operating pressure and max CFM required. These are required for sizing things so they work properly.

Outfits like Parker or Swagelok make just about every kind of adapter you can imagine. Very easy to go to NPT and screw on quick connectors.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources