Would anyone like an Air Flow program.

[Altair]

Hey everyone,
I'm working up a stand-alone program for calculating airflows in ductwork. Currently I'm looking at ACFM, SCFM, NM(3) (normal meters cubed), as well as average velocity in fpm/mpm. For standard/S-Type pitot tubes, and round/rectangular ductwork.
Even thinking about making it so that the readings can be stored and retrieved later to compare to new readings.
Anyone interested in this? Anything you'd like to see added to it?



Regards,
Russ

 

[Tom Jenkins]

I'm probably interested, but I'm not sure what this does. Is it a PLC program for taking the square root and calculating flow based on a DP reading? May I have a little more info, please?

 

[Altair]

Sorry Tom I should have been more specific...
What I currently have is a spreadsheet written for excel that needs excel to use to calculate air flows. The only way to store a flow is to actually save the entire file *via save as* with a new name (there are other bulky possibilities, but all would still rely on using excel). The air flow is the amount of air going through a ductwork (ACFM actual cubic feet per minute, SCFM standard cubic feet per minute, NM(3) normal cubic meters per minute). Most duct flows are designed using ACFM or SCFM, though European companies seem to use NM(3). Fans seem to use ACFM, while baghouses and incinerators tend to lean torwards the SCFM.
The program would be a stand alone executable that would work on a laptop or desktop computer. No need for another program like excel or access. The stored files would be quite small (less than 10K). In fact the entire program (once compiled) will probably be well under 50K. I'd also include the source code as well. Making it open source for anyone. I don't get paid to write vb or c++ software, so anything I write in those languages I will give away. Because someone else could use it too.
Writing it for a processor would be tough, because it would be processor specific. Plus accuracy would be an issue. I guess that would depend on how accurate the float is...



Regards,
Russ

 

[randylud]

Flow calcs

I would be interested in a copy once you are ready to publish. I suppose it will run under Windows? Keep me on your list.
Thanks
Randy

 

[tomneth]

I'd be interested in a copy, even just a spreadsheet would be fine.
In fact I have a situation where we're using a blower to supply an air flow to edges of a sheet lifter, the purpose of which is to prevent more than one sheet from being lifted at a time. My feeling is we can eliminate this motor/blower and replace it with a valve and regulator and use the building's compressed air for this purpose. I'm told that the building's compressed air would cost more per scfm than the existing motor/blower. So how would I calculate which is more expensive?

 

[rsdoran]

Can you get who told you to explain WHY?

Producing SCFM should cost the same BUT implementing another method to do the WORK that is now performed by the blower motor may be more expensive.

Sounds like a good project to work on to provide the use of in house air in case of blower motor failure.

 

[Altair]

The first version will be written in VB, with a follow-up version in C++.
With the VB version Windows or a good windows emulator will be able to run the program (ie it should work with Mac as well). With C++ it should be compilable onto any system (ANSI/ISO Standard). So Windows/Mac/Unix/Linux/etc.... should be fine.



Regard,
Russ

 

[Tom Jenkins]

Tomneth, you asked "I'm told that the building's compressed air would cost more per scfm than the existing motor/blower. So how would I calculate which is more expensive?"

The cost to produce compresssed air has two components: equipment, and energy.

Equipment is straight forward. In one case you need a regulating valve, filters and oil removal equipment and maybe coolers or driers, piping.

In the other, you need a blower, motor, starter, piping, and maybe a rigulating valve.

The energy gets more complicated. Energy to pump a fluid or compress air has three components - the flow rate in SCFM, the pressure required, and the efficiency of the blower or compressor.

Shop air is usually 80 psig to 120 psig. It takes a lot of energy to get that much pressure. An air knife usually takes just a few inches of water or a couple of psig - lots of flow, but little restriction to the flow means low pressure needs.

As a quick check, look at some compressor data for motor power required to get 100 psi, and divide by flow rate to get hp per SCFM. Then look at your blower and divide by its flow rate to get hp per SCFM. Then convert to kw, and multiply by the hours used per day to get kwh per day. Use 6 cents per kwh for each, and you will see the energy trade-off in dollars per day. Multiply by 365 and you have the energy difference in dollars per year.

Take the equipment savings, in dollars, and divide by the energy penalty in dollars per year, and you have the simple payback period - how many years it will take for the energy savings to offset the capital cost savings for equipment.

 

[Unregistered]

From Argentina

Hi Russ, We are having a hard time trying to find a basic program to caculate Air flow..... Would you mind sending me the excel file with the program?

Best Regards
Thanks

Hey everyone,
I'm working up a stand-alone program for calculating airflows in ductwork. Currently I'm looking at ACFM, SCFM, NM(3) (normal meters cubed), as well as average velocity in fpm/mpm. For standard/S-Type pitot tubes, and round/rectangular ductwork.
Even thinking about making it so that the readings can be stored and retrieved later to compare to new readings.
Anyone interested in this? Anything you'd like to see added to it?



Regards,
Russ

 

[mordred]

I would be interested in a copy as well