Q. What is Air Intakes?

Air is drawn from the atmosphere for a variety of process and equipment uses, including:

• Combustion air (fired heaters, boilers, gas turbines, internal combustion engines, etc.).

• Pressurization, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning (HVAC) of buildings, and cooling of large electric motors.

• Air for oxidation, sweetening and regeneration of reactors (catalytic cracking, sulfur recovery, asphalt and decoking processes).

• Intakes to air separation plants.

• Utility systems (instrument air, starting air, utility air, breathing air, etc.).

Air intakes need to be located in safe areas so that they do not introduce air contaminated with flammable, toxic or odorous materials. Location of air intakes should consider adjacent equipment such as vents and exhausts with the prevailing wind direction and probable dispersion patterns.

Air intakes should also be located as high as practical to avoid intake or recirculation of hot exhaust air from air coolers as this will affect equipment performance.

For gas turbines, air compressors, internal combustion engines, inert gas generators, or other equipment located within buildings (or partially enclosed buildings), their air intakes should be located outside the building.