re: install an extra air tank?

by Ruel Hernandez
(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)

I am planning to buy an extra air tank but I'm not sure about the connection.
Is it in series or parallel, and what would be the difference between series and parallel air tanks?

I would like to thank you, your site is very interesting.

_________________
Bill says...

Ruel.. nice to hear from you.

An extra air tank always has benefits to an air system in that it provides readily available pre-compressed air for tool use, and it allows the hot compressed air coming from the compressor to naturally cool, reducing load on driers, and energy costs.

Lets look a bit at what I think you mean about series and parallel. Series and parallel are two basic ways of plumbing components.

The names refer to the method of attaching components. Either one after the other, or next to each other.

Lets consider a very simple air circuit consisting of two air tools and one compressor air line.

If the air line runs to one air tool, and then from that one tool to the next air tool, this is considered to be plumbed in series.

If, on the other hand, the air line tees, and one line goes to one air tool, and the other goes to the other air tool, this is a parallel air circuit.

In your case, your compressor will be supplying air to both tanks.

My thought is that you do a parallel installation, with the air line teeing from the compressor discharge. One line goes to the existing tank, and the other runs to the other end of your shop, where you install the other tank.

Then, both tanks are plumbed up into the air main, providing a source of compressed air entering the ring from two locations.

Cheers,

Bill