Skip to content
Air Receiver Maintenance Checklist
It is important to ensure your air reservoir is properly maintained to maintain a high level of efficiency and extend the lifespan of your unit. To do this, it is recommended to make regular external and internal inspections.
During an external inspection, it is necessary to clean the external surface of the air reservoir for dust, dirt or grease as well as remove any corrosion that may have occurred. It is also important to check for damages on all threaded ports before making a final visual examination for signs of distortion.
Internally, all piping and connectors should be removed from the receiver and thoroughly cleaned from any foreign materials. Welded seams must also be inspected for corrosion or any signs of damage before putting back together. Following these guidelines will help you keep your air reservoir functioning at its best and avoid serious malfunctions down the track.
Draining your air reservoir frequently is an important task to remember. The air that enters your air receiver typically contains water vapour. During the process of compressing air, water vapour condenses and accumulates as moisture in the receiver. Moisture accumulation can cause damage to your air receiver in the form of rust, so it should be removed periodically to prevent weakening.
All receivers will have a drain valve or an isolation valve situated on the underside of the air receiver. To release moisture retained in the air receiver, unscrew or open the valve. It is recommended to wear protective gloves when draining the air receiver due to potential contamination from moisture, particulate matter, and oil. Additionally, it is advised to collect the water in a container to prevent any mess on the workshop floor.
After draining the air receiver, it may be beneficial to keep the drain valve open to allow for the evaporation of any remaining moisture in the receiver. Ensure that the drain valve is completely closed before using your air compressor again to avoid it running continuously without generating any air pressure.
How to Test an Air Receiver?
The safety and performance of air reservoirs depend heavily on regular maintenance. This involves testing their structural integrity at regular intervals throughout their lifespan.
Pressure fluctuations can lead to wear and tear on the walls of air reservoirs over extended periods, eventually leading to a breakdown in performance and even catastrophic failure if left unchecked. It is therefore paramount that effective testing protocols are followed to ensure that all air reservoirs function as expected.
In addition to the mechanical issues that can arise due to turbulence caused by fluctuating air pressure in air reservoirs, they are also susceptible to corrosion due to moisture contained in compressed air. If this is left undetected it puts the surrounding environment at risk of an explosion as corrosion gradually weakens crucial components of the reservoir chamber over time.
To avoid this threat, organisations should invest in routine maintenance such as frequent visual inspections and tests on the internal conditions of the reservoirs by trained personnel using reliable instruments adapted for pressurized containers. Such measures will help ensure compliance with relevant safety regulations while ensuring optimal performance from air reservoirs in the long run.
Preventative Maintenance for Air Receiver Tanks
Preventative maintenance for air receiver tanks is an essential step in compressed air system safety. The first step to ensure overall safety is to make sure that only ASME-certified air receiver tanks are used.
This certification guarantees a quality build and construction of the tank, as well as measuring points and safety standards specific per type! Additionally, users should never over-pressurize the tank; they must always follow the given instructions for the operation’s maximum pressure capacity.
Furthermore, all operating systems will almost certainly have a pressure gauge, to show the user’s current pressure levels and monitor accuracy within acceptable limits. Regular inspections must be performed to check for deformities or accumulated damage like corrosion, thinning of vessel walls, or signs of crack or fatigue on weld seams.
Any of these defects could be potentially hazardous if left unaddressed, so keeping track of them is important. Keeping up with regular maintenance checks needs to be a priority for anyone using compressed air systems, as it can reduce incidents dramatically!
Common Causes of Air Receiver Tank Failure
Due to the critical role air receiver tanks play in ensuring the reliable operation of the system, any failure of an air receiver tank can result in costly downtime, repair costs and potential safety hazards.
The most common causes of air receiver tank failure are faulty design or use of non-code tanks, over-pressurization (operation above maximum allowable working pressure), improper installation and corrosion or cracking due to age and wear. Faulty design or usage of non-code tanks can cause stress failures due to high operating pressures while improper installation can include inadequate relief valve settings or poor welding techniques.
Over-pressurization will increase stress on the vessel walls leading to excessive fatigue and rupture. Corrosion over time will degrade metal components as more surface area is exposed due to linear expansion resulting from increases in internal pressure. Finally, impact damage such as chips, dents or gouges can lead to cracks causing at least partial failure of the air receiver tank itself.
To prevent these types of problems proper maintenance and periodic inspections must be done on the air receiver tank. This includes regular visual inspections, checking pressure gauges for accuracy, verifying relief valve settings and checking for signs of corrosion or damage. By taking these proactive steps to ensure that an air receiver tank is working correctly it can help to minimize the risk of failure and reduce potential safety hazards.
