Compressed air is air which is kept under a certain pressure, usually greater than that of the atmosphere. In Europe 10 % of all electricity used by industry is used to produce compressed air. This amounts to 80 terawatt hours per year.^[1]

Contents 1 Dangers 2 Uses 3 See also 4 Notes 5 External links

[edit] Dangers

• A blast of air under 40 psi (pounds per square inch) from 4 inches away can rupture an eardrum or cause brain damage.^{[citation needed]}
• Directed at the mouth, compressed air can rupture the lungs.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Uses

Compressed air can be used in or for:

• pneumatics, the use of pressurized gases to do work. See compressed air energy storage.
• vehicular transportation using a compressed air vehicle
• scuba diving, to inflate buoyancy devices. See also: Breathing gas
• cooling using a vortex tube.
• gas dusters for cleaning electronic components that cannot be cleaned with water. These are also called "canned air", however this is a misnomer because the propellant is not air, but rather a hydrofluorocarbon which poses a health risk if inhaled.
• air brake (rail) systems
• air brake (road vehicle) systems
• compressed air breathers (such as Suisse Air)^{[citation needed]}
• paintball ammunition propulsion
• airsoft ammunition propulsion

[edit] See also

• Cabin pressurization
• Gas compressor
• Air dryer

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• World's largest glossary of terms relating to compressed air
• A source of original articles and information related to compressed air and pneumatics
• Compressed Air Australasia: Your Expert Source of Information on Compressed Air

This diving-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e