When air at 15 psi is applied to an 8" pneumatic actuator, what is the net pressure?

To determine the net pressure acting on an 8" pneumatic actuator with air at 15 psi, it is essential to understand how to calculate the net force exerted by the pressure on the actuator's area.

The area of a circle can be calculated using the formula A = πr², where r is the radius. For an 8" actuator, the diameter is 8 inches, so the radius is 4 inches. First, convert the radius from inches to feet, as standard measurements in many pneumatic applications are often expressed in square feet. There are 12 inches in a foot, thus:

Radius in feet = 4 inches / 12 = 0.3333 feet

Now calculate the area:

A = π(0.3333)² ≈ π(0.1111) ≈ 0.349 ft² (approximately).

Now, we can find the force exerted by the pneumatic pressure of 15 psi. Pressure is defined as force per unit area, so the force can be calculated using the formula:

Force = Pressure × Area.

In this case:

Pressure = 15 psi

Area = 0.349 ft².

To convert psi to pounds per square foot (psf), remember