Recycling Pneumatic System

[FireAmpersand]

Hey First Members, Our team is planing on using pneumatics for our robot this year. But they use a lot of air to lift. Does anyone have a design/ idea for a air recycle system thats first legal. I was thinking of just using a one way valve off the exhaust to the storage system. Thanks in advance ^_^

[orangemoore]

The simple answer is I don't think you can.

R68 Compressed air on the ROBOT must be provided by one and only one compressor. Compressor specifications may not
exceed nominal 12VDC, 1.05 cfm flow rate.

R68 seems to make it impossible for the compressed air to come from any place other than the compressor.

[tStano]

I believe the physics of this doesn't work. As I understand it, you're lifting with the difference between venting pressure and pressure in the system. In the usual system, your venting pressure is 0(gauge pressure), and working pressure is 60. If you were to put your 60 working pressure back into your 120 storage pressure, your cylinder would be forced the other direction, and if you put a one way valve on it, the exhaust air wouldn't be able to push into the 120 psi air.

You can also think about it in terms of the second law of thermodynamics, roughly paraphrased: "you can't make a perpetual motion machine".
All the energy in your pneumatics system comes from your compressor. If you somehow manage to use your air that has already done work to do the same amount of work again(which seems to be what you're describing), you've created a perpetual motion machine, and should be a very rich man now.

[FireAmpersand]

Ok, Thanks for the replies. I will work on a better pneumatic system then.

[JamesCH95]

Don't be afraid to use more than one regulator to set each circuit to the pressure it needs. I've even plumbed the return on a cylinder to be lower than the main actuation pressure. You may also consider using gravity or springs to return cylinders, almost halving air consumption for that mechanism.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Fire,
Up to this point one way valves have not been legal on FRC robots. You can ask the question on the Q&A though. One way valves or "check valves" may not allow all air to be vented to atmosphere when the ball valve is opened.

[cougarbot]

We are trying to wire a bimba MRS-.087-B. The wire coming from the roboCRIO has 3 wires (red,white,black) but the bimba MRS switch has a black and red wire. Can someone help us wire it?

[Mark McLeod]

The Bimba MRS-.087-B is a magnetic reed switch that wires to the signal and ground pins on the DIO of the roboRIO.

[cougarbot]

Thanks