Blower Standards

When selecting the right oil for Positive Displacement (PD) blowers or vacuum boosters, it’s important to consider the three primary components the oil is formulated to protect: bearings, seals and gears. Oftentimes, the best option for one of these is not the same as the best option for the others, so a choice needs to be made for the most critical component, while also accounting for the secondary ones.

Finally, a test code has been created that will provide accurate performance comparisons for both positive displacement and dynamic (centrifugal) blowers. ASME PTC 13 provides procedures for determining the required total operating electrical power of a packaged blower system, termed the “wire-to-air” performance. Here’s a review of PTC 13 and considerations related to this important standard.

Great news! The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), which is a world renowned and recognized standards organization, has released ASME PTC 13, Blowers; a new power test code providing complete technology neutral performance test specifications for blowers. Here are some of the reasons behind the creation of PTC 13 and how it benefits all.

In 2010, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) established the PTC 13 Committee to establish a power test code for all blower technologies. Blower & Vacuum Best Practices Magazine interviewed Committee Chair Jacque Shultz, HRO-Turbo Product Technical Leader, Howden North America, Inc., for an update on the new code.

Hoffman & Lamson has been manufacturing multi-stage centrifugal blowers for a long time. Lamson was founded in 1880, and Hoffman was established in 1905. Now a single entity under the Gardner Denver Nash Division, the company has some serious resources to complement its 100-plus years of blower expertise.

Industrial standards provide a common means of understanding and communicating performance. This article examines the rationale and applications of the Compressed Air & Gas Institute’s standards for determining the energy efficiency of low-pressure blower packages.

In the absence of official third party specifications on energy efficiency, it is difficult to evaluate and compare blower technologies fairly and effectively. The lack of readily available evaluation tools leads to misinformation and unfair comparisons between technologies. Further, the performance verification process is difficult to prove.

Blower & Vacuum Best Practices® Magazine interviewed Ms. Julie Gass P.E., Lead Process Mechanical Engineer, from Black & Veatch on trends in the wastewater treatment industry especially pertaining to new technology aeration blowers and energy efficiency.

Most readers of this magazine are familiar with the ISO 9000 and 14000 families of standards.  The 9000 family pertains to quality management systems and the 14000 family deals with environmental management.