Application for Pressure Blower or not?

[TexasCHe]

I need to over come 12 feet of water column and deliver 200 CFM (Texas ambient T&P conditions) to a fluidizing/backwash process for 3 minutes once every several days. Having trouble finding a pressure blower to deliver the 5 pisg without a relatively big motor. The 200 CFM for 3 minutes means all I need is 600 cubic feet or 4,500 gallons of 5 psig air. I could go with a 150 psig compressor and tank arrangement and I am thinking I could almost get there as long as I could get 200 CFM out of the tank.

- Would the compressor and say 200 gallon tank have a chance of working?

- Is this an application for a pressure blower and I need to keep looking?

- Are there options I'm overlooking?

A reasonable budget for this project would be less than two grand. Unfortunately the piping (and under-sized blow) is in place from someone else's attempt so the plumbing, cabling, etc are in place and the two grand just needs to cover the motor and blower/compressor. Any ideas would be appreciated!

Thanks,

TexasChE

 

[Latexman]

You are on the right track, but a bigger pressure vessel is needed. About 600 gallons. Ratio using absolute pressures, not gage.

Good luck,
Latexman

Technically, the glass is always full - 1/2 air and 1/2 water.

 

[bimr]

How do you propose to throttle the 150 psig pressure down to 5 psig? The valve and controller to accomplish the pressure reduction will set you back hundreds of dollars.

You will be better served if you go with a standard 5 psig positive displacement blower.

If it was feasible to do what you are considering, then people would already be doing it that manner.

 

[TexasCHe]

Hi Bimr, I switched over to absolute pressures like Latexman reminded me of and a standard shop compressor will deliver the necessary air. I assume regulators exist to drop to 5 psi but have not looked. I am just not finding 5 psi blowers on the market. Please let me know if I'm missing some that would be a solution and thanks for the response.

 

[Latexman]

Google "Roots Blower". They have them. There are probably others; blowers usually go up to about 20-25 psig from small to huge in size.

Good luck,
Latexman

Technically, the glass is always full - 1/2 air and 1/2 water.

 

[TexasCHe]

Latexman and bimr,

This has been very helpful. The roots blowers look perfect for the application and the compressed air route looks like it has potential but not a desireable route.

Thanks Again,

TexasChE