Difference between revisions of "Pneumatic air sources"
(New page: This page lists some of the common sources of air pressure to power a pneumatic, and the advantages and disadvantages of each: ==Gases== '''Air''' Advantages: * It's price (completely f...) |
Pilgrimman (talk | contribs) (→Gases) |
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==Gases== | ==Gases== | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Acetylene''' | ||
| + | Advantages: | ||
| + | * Very powerful combustion pressure spikes | ||
| + | |||
| + | Disadvantages: | ||
| + | * Extremely unstable, will auto-ignite at pressues over 15 psi | ||
| + | * Pressure spikes are very rapid, and therefore can cause fatigue much more readily | ||
'''Air''' | '''Air''' | ||
| Line 8: | Line 16: | ||
* It's price (completely free of course) | * It's price (completely free of course) | ||
* Global availability. | * Global availability. | ||
| + | * Inert | ||
Disadvantages: | Disadvantages: | ||
| Line 20: | Line 29: | ||
* Exceptional performance | * Exceptional performance | ||
* High speed of sound and particle speed | * High speed of sound and particle speed | ||
| + | * Inert | ||
Disadvantages: | Disadvantages: | ||
| Line 34: | Line 44: | ||
* Performance slightly better than air. | * Performance slightly better than air. | ||
* Option for high pressures. | * Option for high pressures. | ||
| + | * Inert | ||
Disadvantages: | Disadvantages: | ||
| − | * Costly | + | * Costly |
| + | * Particle speed is not significantly more than that of air | ||
Nitrogen is slightly more powerful than air for a given pressure, but nitrogen regulators are capable of very high pressures. | Nitrogen is slightly more powerful than air for a given pressure, but nitrogen regulators are capable of very high pressures. | ||
| Line 44: | Line 56: | ||
Advantages: | Advantages: | ||
| − | * Highest performance gas | + | * Highest performance gas, in terms of perticle speed |
Disadvantages: | Disadvantages: | ||
| Line 52: | Line 64: | ||
Hydrogen is the most powerful gas that can be used in a pneumatic, but it has numerous risks associated with it. | Hydrogen is the most powerful gas that can be used in a pneumatic, but it has numerous risks associated with it. | ||
| − | Sources: Unless you have an on-site extraction plant, the only option is [[gas bottle]]s | + | Sources: Unless you have an on-site extraction plant, the only option is [[gas bottle]]s or electrolysis |
'''Carbon Dioxide''' | '''Carbon Dioxide''' | ||
Advantages: | Advantages: | ||
| − | * Reasonably cheap | + | * Reasonably cheap |
| − | * High pressure | + | * High pressure |
* Highest gas volume to bottle volume ratio | * Highest gas volume to bottle volume ratio | ||
| + | * Inert | ||
Disadvantages: | Disadvantages: | ||
| − | * Low power | + | * Low power due to high molar mass and high density |
* Very heavy cooling on decompression (can cause problems with PVC launchers) | * Very heavy cooling on decompression (can cause problems with PVC launchers) | ||
| Line 71: | Line 84: | ||
Advantages: | Advantages: | ||
| − | * Reasonably cheap | + | * Reasonably cheap |
* High gas volume to bottle volume ratio | * High gas volume to bottle volume ratio | ||
| − | * | + | * Readily available |
Disadvantages: | Disadvantages: | ||
Revision as of 05:55, 9 March 2008
This page lists some of the common sources of air pressure to power a pneumatic, and the advantages and disadvantages of each:
Gases
Acetylene Advantages:
- Very powerful combustion pressure spikes
Disadvantages:
- Extremely unstable, will auto-ignite at pressues over 15 psi
- Pressure spikes are very rapid, and therefore can cause fatigue much more readily
Air
Advantages:
- It's price (completely free of course)
- Global availability.
- Inert
Disadvantages:
- Limited performance approaching the sound barrier.
Performance of air is moderate. It is very uncommon for a air powered launcher to exceed the sound barrier, but not completely impossible. Most gases are compared against air as a benchmark Sources: If you want to use air, you'll either need a compressor, hand/foot pump or a High Pressure Air (HPA) tank
Helium
Advantages:
- Exceptional performance
- High speed of sound and particle speed
- Inert
Disadvantages:
- Costly
- Will leak faster than any other gas
- Helium regulators typically limited to 200 psi.
Performance is second only to Hydrogen. Sources: Unless you have an on-site extraction plant, the only option is gas bottles
Nitrogen
Advantages:
- Performance slightly better than air.
- Option for high pressures.
- Inert
Disadvantages:
- Costly
- Particle speed is not significantly more than that of air
Nitrogen is slightly more powerful than air for a given pressure, but nitrogen regulators are capable of very high pressures. Sources: Unless you have an on-site extraction plant, the only option is gas bottles
Hydrogen
Advantages:
- Highest performance gas, in terms of perticle speed
Disadvantages:
- Costly.
- Potential explosive risk.
- Will leak fast.
Hydrogen is the most powerful gas that can be used in a pneumatic, but it has numerous risks associated with it. Sources: Unless you have an on-site extraction plant, the only option is gas bottles or electrolysis
Carbon Dioxide
Advantages:
- Reasonably cheap
- High pressure
- Highest gas volume to bottle volume ratio
- Inert
Disadvantages:
- Low power due to high molar mass and high density
- Very heavy cooling on decompression (can cause problems with PVC launchers)
CO2 is a very common bottled gas, but it's power is limited by it's high density. Sources: Gas bottles, Gas bulbs
Propane
Advantages:
- Reasonably cheap
- High gas volume to bottle volume ratio
- Readily available
Disadvantages:
- Low power
- Low pressure
- Possible (if unlikely) fire risk
Propane is better known as a combustion cannon power source, but some pneumatics have used it as a gas. It's performance is low, because of it's high density and low pressures, but it is cheap and easily found. Sources: Gas bottles, either in large bulk tanks of several kilograms, or in small tanks of 0.5 - 1 lb.
