Pneumatic Systems: Principles and Maintenance by S. R. Majumdar - A Book Review
Pneumatic Systems: Principles and Maintenance by S. R. Majumdar - A Book Review
Pneumatic systems are widely used in various industries for applications such as work clamping, component pressing and forming, ejecting of parts, robotics and pick-n-place devices. They use compressed air or gas as the working fluid to transmit power and control motion. Pneumatic systems have many advantages such as simplicity, reliability, safety, low cost and easy maintenance.
However, designing and servicing pneumatic systems require a good understanding of the basic principles, components, symbols and circuits involved. This is where the book Pneumatic Systems: Principles and Maintenance by S. R. Majumdar comes in handy. This book is a comprehensive guide for anyone who wants to learn about pneumatic systems from the ground up.
pneumatic systems sr majumdar pdf download
The book covers the following topics:
The fundamentals of pneumatics, such as properties of air, units and standards, laws of gases, air compressors and dryers.
The components of pneumatic systems, such as filters, regulators, lubricators, valves, cylinders, motors, actuators and sensors.
The symbols and diagrams of pneumatic systems, such as ISO 1219-1 and ANSI Y32.10 standards, graphical representation of components and circuits.
The design and analysis of pneumatic systems, such as logic functions, signal flow, sequencing, cascading, time delay, speed control and force control.
The maintenance and troubleshooting of pneumatic systems, such as common faults, causes and remedies, preventive measures and safety precautions.
The book is written in a clear and concise manner, with numerous examples, illustrations, tables and charts to aid the reader's comprehension. The book also includes review questions and problems at the end of each chapter to test the reader's knowledge and skills. The book is suitable for students, engineers, technicians and operators who are involved in pneumatic systems.
The book is available in both print and digital formats. The print version can be purchased from McGraw-Hill Education or Amazon.com. The digital version can be downloaded as a PDF file from various websites such as Academia.edu or Bitbucket.org[^1^] [^2^] [^3^]. However, the reader should be aware that downloading or sharing copyrighted content without permission may violate the law.
In this section, we will review some of the key concepts and features of pneumatic systems that are covered in the book by S. R. Majumdar.
Properties of Air
Air is a mixture of gases, mainly nitrogen and oxygen, that surrounds the earth. Air has mass, weight and volume, and it exerts pressure on any surface it contacts. The pressure of air depends on its temperature, density and altitude. The standard atmospheric pressure at sea level is 101.325 kPa or 14.7 psi.
Air can be compressed and expanded by applying or releasing pressure. When air is compressed, its volume decreases and its temperature increases. When air is expanded, its volume increases and its temperature decreases. The relationship between pressure, volume and temperature of air can be described by the ideal gas law: PV = nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is number of moles, R is gas constant and T is temperature.
Air Compressors and Dryers
Air compressors are devices that increase the pressure of air by reducing its volume. They are the main source of compressed air for pneumatic systems. There are two types of air compressors: positive displacement and dynamic. Positive displacement compressors work by trapping a fixed amount of air in a chamber and reducing its volume by a piston or a rotor. Dynamic compressors work by accelerating the air through an impeller or a nozzle and then decelerating it in a diffuser or a volute.
Air dryers are devices that remove moisture from compressed air. Moisture in compressed air can cause corrosion, freezing, contamination and malfunction of pneumatic components. There are three types of air dryers: refrigerant, desiccant and membrane. Refrigerant dryers cool the compressed air to condense the moisture and then reheat it to prevent freezing. Desiccant dryers pass the compressed air through a bed of absorbent material that attracts the moisture and then regenerate it by heating or purging. Membrane dryers use a semi-permeable membrane that allows water vapor to pass through but not air.
Filters, Regulators and Lubricators
Filters, regulators and lubricators are devices that condition the compressed air before it enters the pneumatic system. They are also known as FRL units or air preparation units.
Filters are devices that remove solid particles, oil droplets and water droplets from compressed air. They protect the pneumatic components from wear, damage and clogging. There are different types of filters based on their filtration efficiency, such as coarse filters, fine filters and micro filters.
Regulators are devices that maintain a constant output pressure of compressed air regardless of the input pressure and flow rate variations. They control the force and speed of pneumatic actuators. There are different types of regulators based on their operation principle, such as self-relieving regulators, non-relieving regulators and pilot-operated regulators.
Lubricators are devices that add a fine mist of oil to compressed air to reduce friction and wear of pneumatic components. They extend the life span and performance of pneumatic actuators. There are different types of lubricators based on their oil delivery method, such as mist lubricators, micro-fog lubricators and proportional lubricators. 0efd9a6b88