Fluid Power World

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Cylinders
    • Fittings and Couplings
    • Gauges and Sensors
    • Pumps and Motors
    • Seals
    • Hose and Tubing
    • Valves
  • Videos
  • Suppliers
  • Resources
    • Subscribe to Fluid Power World Print Magazine
    • Digital Issues
    • Distributor Search
    • Webinars
    • Virtual Classroom
    • Podcasts
    • White Papers
  • Events
    • Fluid Power Tech Conference
    • IFPE
  • Subscribe
  • Leadership
    • 2020 Leadership in Fluid Power Winners
    • Leadership in Engineering
      • 2020 LEAP Awards
  • Women in Engineering
    • Women in Fluid Power
    • Women in Engineering

How can you achieve cylinder flow reduction?

By Paul Heney | January 8, 2021

Share

Looking for ways to further reduce your compressed air demand?  Consider investigating air cylinder actuation.

Often times, air cylinders in production machinery only require significant force during a single power stroke, but still use full line pressure to return the cylinder to resting position.  Let’s compare the air consumption for double acting versus a spring return cylinder.

Figure 1. Using spring return eliminates the compressed air required for cylinder retract stroke. (Source: Parker Hannifin Corp.)

Consider an example double acting air cylinder with an internal swept volume of one cubic foot. To move the cylinder from resting position (at 0 psig) to the end of the stroke and fill it to 100 psi would consume about 6.9 cubic feet of compressed air.  To move it back to resting position the compressed air for the power stroke is blown off through an exhaust, and the other side of the cylinder pressurized to 100 psi to return it, consuming another 6.9 cubic feet of compressed air (minus the volume of the rod).

Use of the same volume cylinder with spring return would reduce the compressed air consumption by about 50% because no compressed air would be required for the retract stroke.

Some other ways to reduce cylinder consumption:

  • Reduce power stroke pressure – Often, the power stroke will not need 100 psi. Every 14.5 psi reduction reduces one volume of compressed air for the stroke, so using a reduced regulated pressure can save compressed air.
  • Use reduced retract pressure – If spring return is not possible, reducing the retract stroke pressure will reduce the compressed air consumption per stroke by one volume for every 14.5 psi. Often very little force is required to retract cylinders.
  • Use gravity – Sometimes cylinders lift against gravity, the force of gravity can sometimes be used to provide the force for the retract stroke.

 

 

You may also like:


  • Compact cylinder reduces downtime, maintenance for building materials manufacturer

  • Aluminum pneumatic cylinder boosts machine speeds and cuts downtime

  • What’s the difference between honing and roller-burnishing?

About The Author

Paul Heney

Stay up to date with Fluid Power World

Videos Linked In Webinars Digital Issue

Fluid Power World 2020 Handbook

Fluid Power World Digital Editions

Fluid Power World Digital EditionBrowse the most current issue of Fluid Power World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading fluid power magazine today.

RSS Featured White Papers

  • Quick Connect Couplings: A Critical Component in Hydraulic Systems
  • Electronic cards in mobile proportional technology
  • Pressure regulators – what you must know to specify

Follow Paul on Twitter

Tweets by @wtwh_paulheney

Follow Mary on Twitter

Tweets by @DW_MaryGannon

Design Guides

Pneumatic Actuators Design Guide

Hydraulic Cylinders Design Guide
Fluid Power World
  • Hose Assembly Tips
  • Mobile Hydraulic Tips
  • Pneumatic Tips
  • Sealing & Contamination Control Tips
  • Advertise
  • About us
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2021 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS

Search Fluid Power World

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Cylinders
    • Fittings and Couplings
    • Gauges and Sensors
    • Pumps and Motors
    • Seals
    • Hose and Tubing
    • Valves
  • Videos
  • Suppliers
  • Resources
    • Subscribe to Fluid Power World Print Magazine
    • Digital Issues
    • Distributor Search
    • Webinars
    • Virtual Classroom
    • Podcasts
    • White Papers
  • Events
    • Fluid Power Tech Conference
    • IFPE
  • Subscribe
  • Leadership
    • 2020 Leadership in Fluid Power Winners
    • Leadership in Engineering
      • 2020 LEAP Awards
  • Women in Engineering
    • Women in Fluid Power
    • Women in Engineering