Cylinder flow rates are expressed in which terms?

Cylinder flow rates are typically expressed in terms of free air. This refers to the volume of air that a pneumatic system can compress or move, based on the conditions of the air being at standard atmospheric pressure and temperature. By using free air as a reference, it provides a consistent basis for measuring and comparing the flow rates across different systems.

This terminology helps in understanding the actual operating capacity of pneumatic cylinders when they are subjected to ambient conditions. When engineers design or analyze pneumatic systems, they often need to consider how factors like pressure and temperature can affect the flow rate. Free air standardizes these variables, making calculations and comparisons more straightforward.

In contrast, using absolute pressure, gauge pressure, or standard conditions would not provide the same clarity regarding flow rates because those factors encompass different references or contexts, making them less suitable for expressing the flow rates of cylinders directly.