Looking to invest in your compressed air system? Choosing the right material for your piping is critical for longevity, performance, and system efficiency. In this article, we highlight the benefits of opting for stainless steel pipes in your compressed air piping system.
What is stainless steel?
The term stainless steel refers to an iron-based alloy containing at least 10.5% chromium. Known for its functionality and hygienic properties, it is widely used for piping applications in healthcare, food and beverage, industrial gas, and more. Stainless steel is widely used for its unique combination of strength, durability, high tensile strength, corrosion resistance, and temperature resistance.
Stainless steel is also recyclable and relatively low maintenance, making it an appealing option for many applications.
Benefits of stainless steel in compressed air piping systems
1. Energy efficiency
With a smooth inner surface and no tube shrinkage, stainless steel pipes ensure efficient transfer of compressed air. In addition, the special seal and non-corrosiveness of the pipeline mean the pipes are entirely free of leaks. These characteristics prevent problematic fluctuations in air pressure.
In stainless steel pipes, a smooth inner surface, full diameter, and internal diversion reduce the flow resistance of air and minimise the pressure drop of the pipeline. Altogether, this achieves the best flow rate and reduces operating costs.
2. Corrosion resistance
Stainless steel offers high corrosion resistance, due to its chromium content. This means it is more resistant to rust and moisture, which is critical in a compressed air system. Stainless steel pipes can also be coated with special treatments to reduce corrosion even further. This can be especially helpful in locations exposed to the elements.
3. Clean
Stainless steel is smooth and non-porous, making it clean and resistant to bacterial growth. Therefore, when compressed air passes through stainless steel pipes, the quality of the compressed air will be unaffected. As such, stainless steel is one of the most hygienic materials for compressed air systems, especially in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and healthcare industries.
Maintaining high-quality air also protects your equipment against moisture, contaminants, and corrosion over time.
In comparison, traditional steel pipelines are prone to dirt and contaminants accumulating and causing corrosion over time. This pollutes the quality of the compressed air and increases the rejection rate of the product.
4. Durability and longevity
Stainless steel is extremely durable and able to withstand high temperatures and pressure fluctuations. In comparison to other piping materials, like galvanised or PVC, stainless steel is also resistant to cracks, leaks, and fractures.
5. Easy to disassemble and install
Stainless steel pipe can be reused countless times and is very easy to disassemble and install. This does not change the product characteristics and reduces product waste. In case of product transformations, the stainless production line can be quickly transformed to accommodate it. This way there are no wasted materials.
In contrast, traditional galvanised steel pipes have high installation costs and time costs in the technical renovation.
6. Convenient installation and repairs
Stainless steel pipes are plug and play so there’s no need for welding and hot works. This means it is far safer and faster to install, and all pipe joints can be adjusted, disassembled, and reused. This speeds up your operations but also ensures the scalability of the piping system.
Pneupress press fit piping system
Designed to simplify and reduce installation time, Pneupress stainless is a leak-free modular piping system. It’s easy to install with a battery-powered tool meaning it does not require any hot works or welding. Instead, the tool uses hydraulic force to create a mechanical interlock of the two components.
- Leak-free
- Secure
- Permanent
- Suitable for high-pressure applications
- Suitable for high-temperature applications
- No hot work required
- Faster installation times
Pneupress is a reliable and innovative press-fit stainless piping system that is up to 10 times faster to install than conventional steel piping systems. This can result in savings of up to 30% on any given project!
If you think press-fit piping sounds like a good option, contact our team today, browse our Pneupress range, or download the free brochure. Inside, you’ll find everything you need to know about stainless steel press-fit and how to upgrade your compressed air piping system.
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