Where is compressed air used?
The most common use for compressed air that springs to mind is manufacturing and in automotive applications - with tyre inflation likely top of the list.
As the global leader in the design and manufacture of the most advanced and comprehensive portfolio of tyre inflation and compressed air products on the market, PCL provides guidance on the best and most cost-effective equipment available and how to use it - even down to setting up your own mobile tyre fitting business.
However, according to Gov.uk, at least 80% of industrial applications use compressed air in one or more of their processes, and PCL offers compressed air product for these applications.
Compressed air’s many benefits make it ideal for an extensive range of applications – in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, aviation, on trains and for a variety of leisure activities.
But did you know that compressed air is used in golf clubs, on submarines and even for gadgets fitted to a BMW driven by 007 himself!
Here are just a few of the applications using compressed air that you may never have thought of before.
Agriculture
Compressed air has been used in agriculture for decades. As well as ensuring farms can operate efficiently with reliable equipment, it is vital in enabling the industry to advance.
It’s used in a variety of ways: to clear irrigation lines of excess water ready for winter; to inflate the wheels of farming equipment and vehicles, including tractors; to power conveyor systems; for the use of hand tools for maintenance and development and much more.
PDO600A Dropout Water Separtator installed at G H Chennells Ltd
Trains
Did you know that the brakes on a train rely on compressed air to work properly? It provides the force to closes pads on to discs, or blocks on to wheels, making the train slow down to a stop.
The ACCURA 5 High Pressure Tyre Inflator provides users with quick and precise inflation from 3 to 319 psi or 0.2 to 22 bar thanks to its reliable, exceptional-quality design.
Providing high levels of speed, accuracy and safety, the ACCURA 5 is a versatile piece of kit. Below we can see it testing freight train air brake reservoirs.
Alternatively, the ACCURA QUBE Series II unit is ideal if a pre-set inflator is preferred. The pre-set function enables the operator to carry out other tasks during the inflation/deflation process. Read the ultimate guide to the ACCURA QUBE to find out more.
ACCURA 5 [left] and ACCURA QUBE [right] used to test freight train air brake reservoirs
Leisure activities
It’s not all work and no play. Compressed air is used in leisure activities too, and not just for obvious tasks. You may not know this but it’s used to clean shoes and bags in golf clubs.
PCL is leading the way in the leisure market with game-changing products such as our Sports Ball Inflation Station. Initially developed for an international designer and manufacturer of sports gear, the self-contained digital inflation unit automates the inflation of sports balls quickly, safely and in large volumes.
PCL's Sports Ball Inflation Station - designed for professional and time-saving ball inflation
We’re no stranger to the fast line either – one of our Hose Reels - was spotted complete with a coupling from our XF-Euro Coupling range in the pit lane at TeamSport Indoor Go Karting in Sheffield.
We have also launched some exciting new products designed for the leisure market in 2023 including the Bicycle Inflation Station and SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) Inflation Station in collaboration with Red Paddle.
PCL Hose Reel and XF-Euro Coupling spotted at TeamSport Indoor Go Karting in Sheffield
Film
Compressed air products are often used in special effects for movies and PCL has had its fair share of the spotlight over the years.
One of our biggest claims to fame is that PCL Airflow Couplings were used on the tanks that powered the gadgets on James Bond’s 1997 BMW 750iL in Tomorrow Never Dies. You can see them in Supercar Blondie’s video at the 3-minute mark.
In 2020, PCL launched the latest generation of couplings featuring a distinctive blue band and 5-year warranty to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the invention of the first ever “Made in Sheffield” coupling, which has become an essential piece of kit in workshops all over the world. In 2023, PCL will mark 60 years of the 60 Series.
No wonder PCL’s couplings were selected to ensure reliability and performance for Bond’s Secret Service Missions.
PCL's Airflow Twin Couplings installed in James Bond's 1997 BMW 750iL as seen in Supercar Blondie’s video
Aviation
Compressed air is used for range of tasks in aviation, from paint and coatings application and fuel tank ventilation, to assembly and fastening and tyre inflation.
PCL has a long history of being used in aviation, meeting the needs of the aviation industry for 80 years.
In fact our vacuum was used on the Concorde in the 1970s.
Today we have a range of tyre inflators for the aviation market and we are continually expanding the range for aviation applications to include both digital and analogue products.
Snippet from PCL's 1970 catalogue
Woodworking
Compressed air is essential to ensure better air quality and easier clean-up of wood shavings and particles such as paint and glue in woodworking.
Plus it will give you access to a wider, more powerful and reliable range of tools – and with multiple hoses you can run several tools at once.
Check out PCL’s comprehensive range of air blowguns and air tools for your woodworking applications.
PCL's new Ergo Extreme Blowgun can be used for cleaning wood shavings and particles
3D printing
When oxygen is allowed to permeate the 3D printing process, it can cause oxidation and discolouration, which negatively impacts the finished product. However, with the help of Nitrogen from an on-site generator, you can eliminate oxygen and improve the overall quality of your product
The below is an example of how our Nitrogen generator has been used in an application.
PCL's Nitrogen generator used in 3D printing
Submarines
Compressed air is necessary in order to surface, submerge, attack, and cruise – in short, nearly every part of a submarine’s operation.
Its ballast tanks are vented by releasing the air to submerge. To surface, the ballast tanks are blown with high pressure air to drive water out and increase the volume of the submarine.
Compressed air is also used to discharge torpedoes and start the main propulsion engines. One of PCL's partner engineers discovered original PCL couplings on Britain’s only remaining A Class Submarine HMS Alliance, from WWII 1945 in Gosport, when he visited the Royal Navy Submarine Museum.
Original PCL couplings on Britain’s only remaining A Class Submarine HMS Alliance
This is just a handful of the extended marketplaces we work in.
Please get in touch with us to find out how PCL can help your business with solutions for the applications you currently deal with - and support to branch out into new ones.
If you have an interesting application, we’d love to hear about it, and even publish it here on our website if you’re happy to share the details.
