Types of Air Regulators

Air regulators are designed to control the pressure in systems where high pressure air is being used. A regulator reduces the high pressure of air to a desired level. This level depends on what the air is being used for, whether it's paintball systems, scuba equipment, or hospital air supplies.

  1. Diaphragm

    • A diaphragm-style regulator protects its moving parts with a diaphragm. They are more complex than simple piston regulator first stages but are considered more reliable. When used with scuba equipment, some diaphragm regulator first stages incorporate an environmental seal to prevent the regulator parts from freezing in very cold water and keep contaminants out of the regulator.

    Piston

    • A very simple form of regulator is the piston regulator. It has the fewest moving parts and service requirements. Piston regulators can generally create a stronger air flow than other regulators. However, they are not as reliable as other types of regulators in certain type of conditions, for example in cold water.

    Balanced

    • Balanced regulators provide air flows that are not influenced by the source's (for example, a compressed air tank or compressor) pressure. This makes the air flow more consistent. This type of regulator can be found in devices such as scuba regulators, where balanced second stages are typically easier to breath from, or airbrushes where a constant air flow is necessary.

    Unbalanced

    • As the pressure in the air source gets lower, an unbalanced regulator's air flow is reduced. With constant air sources, such as compressors, this is not a problem but when it is a limited air source, such as a tank, there will be increased resistance as the tank pressure gets lower. On the reverse side, there is less chance of free flows with unbalanced regulators, due to a stiffer spring lever opening the valve.

    Other Considerations

    • Other areas where regulators can differ relate to the adjustment of air pressure. On some regulator first stages, it is possible to adjust the air flow to a desired level, for example in life support systems where a flow rate is set. Scuba regulators have the ability to adjust air flow on their regulator second stages through venturi levers or air flow adjustment knobs. The adjustment lever's location depends on the regulator's function.