How to Calculate Flow for an Air Compressor

Read the tank's pressure using the pressure gauge.

Fluid dynamics, which is the study of the properties of fluids in motion, is useful to calculate the flow for an air compressor. Specifically, Bernoulli's equation provides information about a non-viscous, incompressible fluid with a steady flow. The pressure of air inside the air compressor is proportional to the pressure and velocity of the air exiting the compressor. Taking the air compressor's internal pressure reading, you calculate the velocity using a simplified version of Bernoulli's equation; P1(internal pressure) x V1 = p2 x v2 where V1 is never below 1.

Instructions

1. Read the air compressor's internal pressure from the pressure valve attached to the tank.

2. Divide the internal pressure by the pressure outside of the tank (14.7 psi is normal air pressure at sea level).

3. Round the resulting figure to the nearest 10th, as dictated by the significant figures rules, to arrive at the final approximation of the velocity at which the air leaves the air compressor in terms of feet per second.

References

• "Physics Principles with Applications, 6th Edition"; Douglas C. Giancoli; 2005
• Boston University: Fluid Dynamics and Bernoulli's Equation