Specifying compressed air for a new factory is easier and cheaper than fixing a badly sized system later. With no legacy equipment to work around, you can design the compressor room, pipework and treatment to match the real production demand from day one.
Build the load profile
List every machine that uses compressed air, its CFM and pressure, and the hours it runs. Group machines by shift to find the simultaneous peak demand and the average load. This profile, not the total of nameplate ratings, determines the compressor size.
Choose the architecture
- Base-load and trim compressors for fluctuating demand
- Variable speed machines where load varies widely
- N+1 redundancy for processes that cannot stop
- Separate instrument air where very dry air is required
Plan for growth
Size the pipework and the compressor room for the future, even if the first compressor is smaller. Leave space for an additional machine, add receiver capacity and use a looped header so expansion does not mean a new network. Document the system so future changes stay consistent.