Filling Robot Pneumatic Systems

[Nate Laverdure]

You can use the attached formulas to calculate the stored energy in your tank farm, and thus evaluate the risks involved with your design. These formulas assume that the stored pressurized gas expands isentropically and instantaneously to atmosphere.

For example, say you have a 1 cubic foot container of air pressurized to 120 psig. If a catastrophic failure occurred to the container, the rapid expansion of the pressurized air could release 31 kJ to the atmosphere. There could be physiological effects (eardrum rupture, low-velocity impact from shrapnel) within a 7.5 ft radius around the container.