Compressed air, as a utility, dates back to ancient Egypt, where metal alloy production was enhanced by using bellows devices to force air into furnaces in order to generate the extremely high temperatures needed to meld iron ores. Major industrial use began in the mid-19th century, as pneumatic drills became popular for tunneling and mining operations. With the development and large scale production of the modern air compressor in the 20th century, many other uses for compressed air were discovered.
Among the most prevalent of these additional applications is cleaning & blow off. Mechanical or chemical methods such as washing, scrubbing, brushing, wiping, etc. often take time and considerable effort, when a quick blast of high velocity air from a pressurized source can make quick work of debris and/or moisture removal. Thing is, unfettered discharge of high pressure air without concern for safety or efficiency has consequences:
- Open end blow offs without a relief path for the air in case the device is dead ended, can have enough energy to break the skin, causing a dangerous and potentially fatal condition known as an air embolism. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) specifically addresses this danger in 29 CFR 1910.242(b).
- They’re also incredibly loud, usually higher than 100 decibels, which exceeds OSHA’s noise exposure limits per 29 CFR 1910.95(a).
- As if that wasn’t enough, they can waste an awful lot of compressed air too. The U.S. Department of Energy even goes so far as to classify it as an Inappropriate Use of Compressed Air.
Given these drawbacks, you might wonder why ANYONE would do such a thing! Well, that’s the nature of our business at EXAIR Corporation: manufacturing quiet, safe, and efficient compressed air products for industry. Among these are the first engineered products developed by EXAIR: Air Nozzles and Jets. No matter what your blow off needs are, we’ve got a solution. Consider:
- Performance. With 73 distinct models to choose from, EXAIR can provide blow off solutions from the pin-pointed precision of our Atto Super Air Nozzle (uses 2.5 SCFM, generates 2 oz of force) to our High Force 1-1/4 NPT Super Air Nozzle (uses 460 SCFM, generates 23 lbs of force.)
- Durability. Some environments where blow off is required are downright aggressive: high heat, exposure to corrosive chemicals, etc. With these situations in mind, we offer Air Nozzles & Jets in a variety of materials of construction, as shown to the right:
- Zinc Aluminum alloy
- Types 303 and 316 Stainless Steel
- PEEK (polyether ether ketone) thermoplastic
- Range of operation. Any blow off device’s performance can be varied by regulating the compressed air supply pressure. EXAIR offers several products with even greater ability for change:
- The Model 1009 (Aluminum) and 1009SS (303SS) Adjustable Air Nozzles have a micrometer-like dial that allows you to very precisely set the flow & force to exact requirements.
- Adjustable Air Jet Models 6019 (brass) and 6019SS (303SS) feature similar operation with a micrometer-like gap adjuster/indicator.
- Our 1″ and 2″ Flat Super Air Nozzles (available in Zinc Aluminum or 316SS) have a replaceable shim. The standard models have a 0.015″ thick shim installed, and the High Power models have 0.025″ thick shims. We also offer individual shims, and sets, ranging from 0.005″ to 0.030″ thicknesses.
- High Velocity Air Jets come in brass or 303SS, and also have replaceable shims. The one that comes installed is 0.015″ thick. The Shim Set gives you a 0.006″ and 0.009″ shim.
- Function. Most of our Air Nozzles generate a high velocity air stream coming straight from its end. We’ve also engineered some nozzles for specific applications:
- Model 1144 2″ Super Air Scraper is our popular 2″ Flat Super Air Nozzle with a corrosion resistant scraper blade, making quick work of removing stubborn materials like tape, gaskets, labels, grease, paint, or sealant. It’s particularly handy when installed on a Soft Grip Safety Air Gun with an appropriate length of pipe extension.
- Back Blow Air Nozzles are made to clean out inside diameters or blind holes. Three sizes are available for ID’s of 1/4″ to 16″.
If you’d like to find out more about how EXAIR Intelligent Compressed Air Products can help you get the most out of your compressed air system, give me a call.