Choose the Right Air Knife System for Your Application

An air knife or air nozzle application involves directing a stationary air source onto a product surface as it moves along a conveyor. With sufficient air volume or velocity produced by a fan, blower, or compressor, almost any intended objective for an air knife or air nozzle can eventually be achieved. 

In the early days, air knives were brute force tools: simple air streams aimed at surfaces with little consideration for energy efficiency or precision. After air knife systems emerged as their own industry in the 1990s due to the worldwide implementation of the Montreal Protocol, the evolution shifted to more efficient and ROI-driven designs, driving the engineering and purchase decisions for which type of air knives, air nozzles, and air sources were best to power them.

Today, the number of companies offering these products, both compressed air and pressure blower-driven systems, has expanded significantly to meet those demands. 

Applications of Air Knives

With thousands of geometric shapes and sizes to which air can be applied, and with so many technical variables that must be considered for the thousands of applications in hundreds of industries, air knife engineering requires an in-depth knowledge of all the contributing factors that come into play for almost every air knife application listed below.  

• Liquid Blow-Off
• Surface Drying
• Solid Debris Blow-Off
• Solid Debris Blow-Off with Static Neutralization
• Solid Debris Separation
• Liquid Coating Thickness Control

• Surface Coating Drying
• Product Heating and Curing
• Product Cooling
• Air Curtains for Heat or Cold Containment
• Air Effects for Dynamic Simulation
• Special First-of-Their-Kind Blow-Off Applications

After an application has been categorized, then the material handling aspects of the target parts/surfaces need to be factored into the air knife or air nozzle design for the appropriate impact air velocity based on the specific product(s) requiring air blow-off. It is often easy to achieve 75-90% of any application objective while the remaining 10-25%, if meeting 100% of the objective is the goal, is what requires experience to deliver the greatest success in a full system design.

Product Considerations for Blow-Off Design

• Geometry, size, and weight
• Entering temperature
• Throughput speed
• Conveyance details
• Distance from the air knife or nozzle discharge to the product surface
• Specifications of substances or condition of the product to be addressed
• Method for determining blow-off success (subjective or quantitative)
• Existing methods for addressing the blow-off problem and effectiveness thereof

How Sonic Air Can Help Select an Air Knife That Fits Your Requirements

Air knives are indispensable tools in a wide range of industrial applications, from simple liquid blow-off to sophisticated coating control. Their effectiveness depends not just on the air knife and blow-off sizing but also on the slot design and how well they are matched to your specific needs. Knowing what factors to consider when choosing an air knife system, such as environmental conditions and design considerations, helps you find the right equipment that aligns with your intended implementation. 

With air knives being used for hundreds of applications across industries, there’s no universal design that suits every need. While catalog air knives may address basic requirements, they often fail to optimize performance for specific objectives. This is why working with a knowledgeable supplier is critical.

At Sonic Air Systems, we have the air knife engineering experience, expertise, and capabilities to design, customize, and manufacture drying and blow-off systems tailored to your operational needs. 

Talk to our experts today, and we’ll help you choose an air knife that’s perfect for your business.