Compressor Air and Abrasive Consumption

Pressure at the Nozzle (psi) Air (In cfm)

Nozzle Abrasive
Orifice 50 60 70 80 90 100 125 150 & HP requirements
11 13 15 17 18.5 20 25 30 Air (cfm)
No. 2 .57 .77 .88 1.01 1.12 1.23 1.52 1.82 Abrasive (cu.ft./hr
(1/8") 67 77 88 101 112 123 152 182 & Lbs/hr)
2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6.6 Compressor hp
26 30 33 38 41 45 55 62 Air (cfm)
No. 3 1.5 1.71 1.96 2.16 2.38 2.64 3.19 3.83 Abrasive (cu.ft./hr
(3/16") 150 171 196 216 238 264 319 383 & Lbs/hr)
6 7 8 9 10 10 12 14 Compressor hp
47 54 61 68 74 81 98 118 Air (cfm)
No. 4 2.68 3.12 3.54 4.08 4.48 4.94 6.08 7.30 Abrasive (cu.ft./hr
(1/4") 268 312 354 408 448 494 608 730 & Lbs/hr)
11 12 14 16 17 18 22 26 Compressor hp
77 89 101 113 126 137 168 202 Air (cfm)
No. 5 4.68 5.34 6.04 6.72 7.40 8.12 9.82 1.178 Abrasive (cu.ft./hr
(5/16") 468 534 604 672 740 812 982 1178 & Lbs/hr)
18 20 23 26 28 31 37 44 Compressor hp
108 126 143 161 173 196 237 284 Air (cfm)
No. 6 6.68 7.64 8.64 9.60 10.52 11.52 13.93 1.672 Abrasive (cu.ft./hr
(3/8") 668 764 864 960 1052 1152 1393 1672 & Lbs/hr)
24 28 32 36 39 44 52 62 Compressor hp
147 170 194 217 240 254 314 377 Air (cfm)
No. 7 8.96 10.32 11.76 13.12 14.48 15.84 19.31 2.317 Abrasive (cu.ft./hr
(7/16") 896 1032 1176 1312 1448 1584 1931 2317 & Lbs/hr)
33 38 44 49 54 57 69 83 Compressor hp
195 224 252 280 309 338 409 491 Air (cfm)
No. 8 11.60 13.36 15.12 16.80 18.56 20.24 24.59 2.951 Abrasive (cu.ft./hr
(1/2") 1160 1336 1512 1680 1856 2024 2459 2951 & Lbs/hr)
44 50 56 63 69 75 90 108 Compressor hp

Pressure Loss in Compressor Air Line

ID Pressure Loss Production Loss

3/4" 11.1 psi 16.6%
1" 2.4 psi 3.6%
1-1/4" 0.7 psi 1.0%
1-1/2" 0.2 psi 0.3%
Based on 150 cfm @ 100 psi through 50 feet of compressor air hose

For maximum efficiency, provide large air lines from the compressor to the blast machine. Place
the compressor as near as possible to the blast operation. Use the largest air hose available.

Minimum Compressor Air Line Diameter

Nozzle No. Nozzle Orifice Size Minimum Air Line ID

No. 3 3/16" (5.0mm) 1" (25.0mm)
No. 4 1/4" (6.5mm) 1" (25.0mm)
No. 5 5/16" (8.0mm) 1-1/4" (32.0mm)
No. 6 3/8" (9.5mm) 1-1/2" (38.0mm)
No. 7 7/16" (11.0mm) 2" (50.0mm)
No. 8 1/2" (12.5mm) 2" (50.0mm)
No. 10 5/8" (16.0mm) 2-1/2" (64.0mm)
No. 12 3/4" (19.0) 3" (76.0mm)
 Blast Media Characteristics Comparison

Per
Mesh Density Init. No. of Typical
Material Shape Mohs Friability use Source
Size lbs/ft3 Cost Cycles Applications
Cost

5.0-
Sil. Sand• 6-270 100 high low 1 med. nat. Outdoor blast cleaning
6.0

7.0-
Min. Slag 8-80 85-112 high med. 1-2 med. b-p Outdoor blast cleaning
7.5

130- Cleaning, finishing,

Garnet 8-300 7.0 med. med. 2-2.5 med. nat..
145 deburring, etching

Steel Grit 10-325 230 8.0 low high 200+ med. mfd. Removing heavy scale

Steel Shot 8-200 280 8.0 - high 200+ low mfd. Cleaning, peening

Cleaning, finishing,
Al. Oxide 12-325 125 9.0 med. high 6-8 med. mfd.
deburring, etching

Silicon Surface preparation on

12-325 110 9.5 med. high 5-6 med. mfd.
Carbide extremely hard substrates

5.5-
Glass Bead 10-400 85-90 med. med. 8-10 low mfd. Cleaning, finishing
6.0

3.0- Paint stripping,

Plastic 12-80 45-60 low/med. high 8-10 med. mfd.
4.0 deflashing, cleaning

Bicarbonate
60-170 60 2.5 high high 1 high mfd. Cleaning, paint removal
of Soda

Wheat Paint, adhesive removal;

12-80 45 3.0 med. med. 12-15 high mfd.
Starch composites

XL Corn
Composite paint removal,
Hybrid 16-60 45 3.0 low high 14-17 med. mfd.
adhesive deflash
Polymer

2.0- Removing paint from

Corn Cob 8-40 35-45 med. low 4-5 low b-p
4.5 delicate surfaces

=Angular = Spherical nat.=Natural b-p=By-product mfd.=Manufactured

•Consult OSHA regulations before using silica sand as a blast abrasive.

Effects of Nozzle Wear on Air Consumption

Nozzle No. Orifice Size Air Flow Increase in Air Consumption

in CFM

No. 4 1/4" (6.5mm) 81 cfm

No. 5 5/16" (8.0mm) 137 cfm 69% more than No.4

No. 6 3/8" (9.5mm) 196 cfm 43% more than No.5

No. 7 7/16" (11.0mm) 254 cfm 29% more than No.6

No. 8 1/2" (12.5mm) 338 cfm 33% more than No.7

Blast System Air Volume Estimates

Nozzle Size of Volume Plus Plus 50% Minimum Air

Orifice of Air Helmet (reserve) Required
No. 4 1/4" 81 20 50 151 cfm
6.5mm 2.3 0.5 1.4 4.2 m3/min
No. 5 5/16" 137 20 79 236 cfm
8.0mm 3.9 0.5 2.2 6.6m3/min
No.6 3/8" 196 20 108 324 cfm
9.5mm 5.5 0.5 3.0 9.0 m3/min
No. 7 7/16" 254 20 137 411 cfm
11.0mm 7.2 0.5 3.9 11.6 m3/min
No. 8 1/2" 338 20 179 537 cfm
12.5mm 9.6 0.5 5.0 16.1 m3/min

Blasting Media Comparison Chart

Aluminum Crushed Glass Plastic
Glass Beads Silicon Carbide
Oxide Grit Abrasives
Sharp, long lasting Silica-free, 100% Round, soda-lime Very hard, Abrasive, soft
media for fast recycled glass; glass to produce a aggressive cutting media designed
etching & Efficient, bright, satin media; Ideal for for automotive &
Description profiling; economical finish; Minimizes stone, glass and aerospace
Brown/black or stripping stress on part hard surfaces applications
White

Medium-high No etch, satin No etch,

Surface Profile High etch Very high etch
etch finish stripping
Medium-
Working Speed Fast Fast Very fast Medium
fast
None;
Recyclability High High High High
consumable
Surface
Yes Slight Slight Yes Slight
Removal
Hardness, Moh 8-9 5-6 5-6 9 - 9.5 3-4
Bulk Density 110 lbs/ft³ 100 lbs/ft³ 95 lbs/ft³ 90 lbs/ft³ 50 lbs/ft³
Steel Shot Steel Grit Corn Cob Walnut Shells
Carbon steel, Angular, carbon Organic, soft Angular, organic
round spheres steel for fast media ideal for grit for mildly
designed for stripping & soft surfaces such aggressive
Description polishing and aggressive as wood stripping w/out
peening cleaning damage to surface
applications
Surface
No etch High etch None Low etch
Profile
Working Medium- Medium-
Medium Slow
Speed fast slow
Recyclability Very high Very high Low Low
Surface
No Moderate No Very slight
Removal
Hardness,
40-51 HRC 40-65 HRC 4 - 4.5 4.5 – 5
Moh
Bulk Density 230 lbs/ft³ 260 lbs/ft³ 40 lbs/ft³ 50 lbs/ft³