In pneumatic booster systems, the VBA series booster regulators can boost and stabilize pressure with no require of power supply, then are widely used in applications including pneumatic clamping, stamping forming, air tightness testing, auxiliary air supply for laser equipment, and high-pressure pneumatic actuation. Nevertheless, booster regulators generally have inherent limitations: limited continuous supplementary air flow, insufficient instantaneous peak air supply, and prone pressure fluctuation.Without a properly sized air reservoir, a series of malfunctions will likely occur, such as sluggish equipment operation, excessive pressure drops, frequent booster cycling, substandard leak testing accuracy, and increased energy consumption .
To eliminate potential operational risks, we have compiled standards for matching air reservoir volumes to specific VBA booster regulators and operating conditions; these guidelines are intended to assist customers with system design, equipment selection, on-site system optimization etc.
Recommended Air Tank Volume by Operating Condition
1）Short-duration pulsed air usage (single-cylinder clamping, stamping, single action <3s, sufficient intervals)
Booster regulator has enough time to replenish air; pressure drop of 1–2 bar allowed; minimum baseline configuration
1. VBA10A
· Single-station small cylinder: 5L
· Multi-station / High-frequency operation: 10L
2. VBA20A
· Standard single-station: 10L
· Synchronous operation of dual cylinders：20L
3. VBA40A/VBA43A
· Single large cylinder / Single-station high thrust：20L
· Synchronous stamping with multiple cylinders：40L
2）Medium continuous air consumption (leak testing, continuous cycling of pneumatic clamps, single usage duration 5–30s, pressure drop of 0.5–1 bar allowed)
Precision equipment, requiring strict pressure stability; increase volume by 1.5x
1. VBA10A: 10L；
2. VBA20A: 20L
3. VBA40A/VBA43A: 40L
3）Long-duration continuous high-flow air demand (laser auxiliary air blowing, multi-station synchronous operation, long-duration pressure holding leak test, pressure drop ≤ 0.3 bar)
Sustained peak demand exceeds booster regulator replenishment rate; increase volume by 2 times to prevent frequent start-stop cycling
1. VBA10A：20L
2. VBA20A：40L
3. VBA40A/VBA43A：If a single 40L tank is insufficient, connect two 40L tanks in parallel (total 80L)
Capacity Expansion Rules for Special Operating Conditions
1. Air tightness test benches & precision pressure control
Regardless of model, add an extra 50% volume margin to the basic recommended capacity to maintain minimal pressure drop.
2. Simultaneous actuation of multiple cylinders
Calculate the total peak air flow of all cylinders combined; do not size the tank based on a single cylinder. Double the receiver volume.
3. Thin, long pipelines with the booster regulator far from air consumption points
Add an extra 30% tank volume to compensate for pipeline pressure drop.
4. Nitrogen / high-purity rare gas boosting
To reduce frequent loading wear of the booster regulator, upgrade the receiver volume by one size grade directly.
General Technical Requirements for Matched Air Receivers
1. The design pressure shall be no less than the maximum output pressure of the booster regulator, with a safety factor above 1.25.
2. The tank shall be equipped with standard safety valve, pressure gauge and manual drain valve, complying with air tightness requirements for CE/PED pressure equipment.
3. The nominal diameter of tank connections shall not be smaller than the air outlet of the booster regulator, to reduce throttling loss.
4. Install the air receiver as close as possible to the air consumption terminal to shorten the length of high-pressure hoses.
The optimal approach is to select an air receiver volume that is sufficient while allowing for a reasonable margin. An excessively large tank unnecessarily increases costs associated with procurement, installation, energy consumption, and safety management, while also slowing down pressure buildup and short-term response times. Conversely, a tank that is too small leads to severe pressure fluctuations and accelerated wear on the booster regulator, failing to meet process stability requirements. Matching the volume to the specific booster regulator model, air usage duration, and pressure precision requirements is the key to achieving the best balance between cost-effectiveness and performance.
