A weaving shed with 10 air-jet looms generally needs several m³/min continuously, from 3.5 to 12 m³/min depending on loom width and speed. At that level, a single 22 kW compressor is not enough: you need several screw compressors or a larger machine from the S Series, up to 132 kW on request. The right choice starts with measuring what your looms actually use.
Why an air-jet loom uses so much air
On an air-jet loom, compressed air carries the weft yarn across the shed. A main nozzle launches it, then relay nozzles spread across the width carry it to the far side. This blowing is repeated on every pick, hundreds of times a minute.
So it is a continuous use, 100% of the time while the loom runs. There is no simultaneity factor: if 10 looms run, all 10 consume. Our page on compressors for textiles and laundries covers the other uses in the mill. Air-jet weaving is by far the most demanding.
Step by step calculation
As an indication, an air-jet loom uses 300 to 1,000 L/min depending on its width, speed, yarn and weave. The loom maker gives a value for each configuration. The most reliable figure is a measurement on a loom in production.
Example: 10 looms at 600 L/min.
- Loom consumption: 10 × 600 = 6,000 L/min.
- No simultaneity factor: the looms run together.
- 20% margin for leaks and worn nozzles: 6,000 × 1.2 = 7,200 L/min.
- That is 7.2 m³/min, at the pressure the looms require.
Air-jet looms often work at around 6 to 7 bar at the loom. Check the exact value in the manual: every unnecessary bar raises the energy bill.
Which compressor setup?
The S 220 PM is the largest model in our standard range. It delivers 3.8 m³/min at 7 bar and 3.6 m³/min at 8 bar. Three cases come up.
| Shed | Indicative need with margin | Possible setup |
|---|---|---|
| 4 looms at 600 L/min | 2.9 m³/min | 1 S 220 PM |
| 10 looms at 600 L/min | 7.2 m³/min | 2 S 220 PM, or more depending on the measurement |
| 10 wide, fast looms | Above 8 m³/min | S Series compressor up to 132 kW on request |
For 10 looms at 600 L/min, two S 220 PM units set to 8 bar give 7.2 m³/min: just enough. With no reserve, a worn nozzle or one more loom makes the pressure drop. A shed like this is an industrial project: our technicians work out the number of compressors, their power and their control from your measurements.
For a small shed of three or four narrow looms, an S 150 (2.2 m³/min at 8 bar) may be enough. Run the calculation with your own values.
Pitfalls in a weaving shed
- Energy. A compressor running continuously in a weaving shed costs mainly in electricity. Estimate it with our compressor electricity cost calculator. On an existing installation, a compressed air audit shows where the energy goes.
- Pressure set too high. Compressors are often set higher "to be safe". In a shed that uses several m³/min around the clock, that habit is expensive. Aim for the pressure in the manual, plus the network pressure drop.
- Water and oil on the yarn. The air touches the weft directly. A drop of water or an oil aerosol can mark the fabric. Plan for a refrigerated dryer and cascade fine filters. Our compressors are oil-lubricated: the filtration captures oil aerosols, and the air class is defined with our technicians from the loom manual. Our article on fine filters explains the cascade.
- Humidity and fibres in the shed. A weaving shed is often humidified and full of fibres. Install the compressors in a separate, ventilated room and check the intake filter and the cooler often.
- Leaks. Dozens of nozzles, fittings and hoses per loom: one leak per loom, multiplied by 10, becomes a real cost.
Send us the number of looms, their width, their speed and the measured consumption in a quote request: we will size the compressor room with you.
For your trade: Compressor for the textile industry and laundries.