Nozzle Chart

Compressed Air and Abrasive Consumption

Nozzle Orifice	Pressure at the Nozzle (PSI)							Air (in CFM) Abrasive (lb/hr) HP Requirements
	50	60	70	80	90	100	125
#2 (1/8")	11 67 2.5	13 77 3	15 88 3.5	17 101 4	18.5 112 4.5	20 123 5	25 152 5.5	Air (CFM) Abrasive (lb/hr) HP Requirements
#3 (3/16")	26 150 6	30 171 7	33 196 8	38 216 9	41 238 10	45 264 10	55 319 12	Air (CFM) Abrasive (lb/hr) HP Requirements
#4 (1/4")	47 268 11	54 312 12	61 354 14	68 408 16	74 448 17	81* 494* 18	98 608 22	Air (CFM) Abrasive (lb/hr) HP Requirements
#5 (5/16")	77 469 18	89 534 20	101 604 23	113 672 26	126 740 28	137* 812* 31	168 982 37	Air (CFM) Abrasive (lb/hr) HP Requirements
#6 (3/8")	108 668 24	126 764 28	143 864 32	161 960 36	173 1052 39	196* 1152* 44	237 1393 52	Air (CFM) Abrasive (lb/hr) HP Requirements
#7 (7/16")	147 896 33	170 1032 38	194 1176 44	217 1312 49	240 1448 54	254 1584 57	314 1931 69	Air (CFM) Abrasive (lb/hr) HP Requirements
#8 (1/2")	195 1160 44	224 1336 50	252 1512 56	280 1680 63	309 1856 69	338 2024 75	409 2459 90	Air (CFM) Abrasive (lb/hr) HP Requirements

What it all means:

*Round off these numbers and for the sake of easy calculations figure using 5 lbs of media per square foot .

With the ¼” nozzle you will clean 100 square feet per hour.

With the 5/16” nozzle you will clean 160 square feet per hour.  (60% more than the ¼”)

With the 3/8” nozzle you will clean 230 square feet per hour.  (44% more than the 5/16”)

That’s an increase of 60% in production and a decrease of 60% in labor when you go from a ¼” nozzle to a 5/16” nozzle.

Natural Abrasives

Abrasive Name	Generic Type	Usual Shape	Hardness and Scale	Bulk Density wt/cu ft	Free Silica Content	Dust Factor	Mesh Sizes Available	Reuse Factor	Availability
Silica Sands	Silica	Rounded Irregular	5-6 Mohs	100	90+%	High	6-270	Poor	Good
Mineral Sands	Oxide	Irregular	7 Mohs	128	-5%	Moderate	55-90	Fair	Limited
Industrial Garnet	Oxide	Sub-Angular	7-8 Mohs	130-147	-1%	Moderate	8-300	Fair	Limited

By-Product Abrasives

Abrasive Name	Generic Type	Usual Shape	Hardness and Scale	Bulk Density wt/cu ft	Free Silica Content	Dust Factor	Mesh Sizes Available	Reuse Factor	Availability
Boiler Slags	Slag	Angular	7-7.5 Mohs	84-95	-1%	Moderate	10-100	Fair	Good
Nut Shells	Vegetable	Sub-Angular	3-3.5 Mohs	42-47	None	Low	6-100	Good	Limited
Corn Cobs	Vegetable	Angular	4-5 Mohs	28-32	None	Low	10-100	Good	Limited

Manufactured Abrasives

Abrasive Name	Generic Type	Usual Shape	Hardness and Scale	Bulk Density wt/cu ft	Free Silica Content	Dust Factor	Mesh Sizes Available	Reuse Factor	Availability
Aluminum Oxide	Oxide	Irregular	8 Mohs	120	None	Low	6-600	Good	Good
Silicon Carbide	Carbide	Angular	9 Mohs	100-110	None	Low	6-600	Good	Good
Glass Beads	Silica	Spherical	5-6 Mohs	100	60+%	Low	20-235	Good	Good
Plastic Grit	Polyurethane	Angular	3-4 Mohs	58-60	None	Low	12-80	Good	Good
Steel Grit	Metallic	Angular	40-68 Rc Rockwell C	250	None	Very Low	18-200	High	Good
Steel Shot	Metallic	Spherical	40-68 Rc Rockwell C	250	None	Very Low	7-200	High	Good

Mil Profile Guide

Abrasive Type and Hardness	1/2 Mil	1 Mil	1 1/2 Mil	2 Mils	2 1/2 Mils	3 Mils	4 Mils
Silica Sand 5-6 Mohs	80/120	30/50	20/40	16/30	12/25	10/20	8/16
Biasil 7 Mohs	90
Starblast 7 Mohs		80
Coarse Starblast 7 Mohs			55
Industrial Garnet 7-8 Mohs	100	80	60	40	36	24	16
Flint 6 1/2-7 Mohs		30/60	20/50	16/35	10/30	8/25	6/20
Boiler Slag 7 Mohs		50/100	40/70	30/60	20/40	16/30	12/20
Aluminum Oxide 8 Mohs	Due to the high cost, Aluminum Oxide should only be used in an enclosed Blast Room or Blast Cabinet where it can be contained recycled and reused.
	120	80	54	40	36	24	16
Silicon Carbide 8 Mohs	See Aluminum Oxide for reuse data.
	150	100	80	54	40	36	30
Nut Shells 3-3 1/2 Mohs	Nut Shells are generally used for cleaning or dedurring, not for ANCHOR PATTERNS. They should be used in Blast Rooms or Blast Cabinets so they can be contained, recycled and reused.
	35/60	14/30	6/10
Plastic Media 3-4 Mohs	Plastic Media is generally used to remove paint, etc. off delicate substrates such as Aircraft, Fiberglass, etc. with NO ANCHOR PATTERN. Sizes available: 10/12, 12/16, 16/20, 20/30, 30/40, 40/60, and 60/80 3-3 ½-4 MOHS
Corn Cobs 4 1/2 Mohs	Corn Cob Grit will develop Minor ANCHOR PATTERNS, but are generally used to clean delicate substrates like Electric Motors, Brick & Stone, Wood etc. Sizes available: 6/10, 8/12, 10/14, 12/20, 14/20, 20/40 and 40/60
Glass Beads 5-6 Mohs	Glass Beads should be used in a Blast Room or Blast Cabinet so they can be contained, recycled, and reused. These round balls of glass produce a Satine or Matte finish. Available in mesh sizes from coarse (20/30) to super fine (175/325)
Steel Grit 40-68 Rc	Steel Grit should only be used in enclosed Blast Rooms or Blast Cabinets so they can be contained, recycled and reused. The LEAST expensive abrasive available if the correct facilities can be provided.
	G200	G120	G80	G50	G40	G25	G16
Steel Shot 40-68 Rc	Steel Shot are round abrasives and generally used in automatic Blast Cleaning facilities using Centrifugal Wheels to propel them against a surface. Can be used in other types of facilities. Available in sizes from S-780 Coarse to S-70 Fine.

Abrasive mesh sizes required to produce theses mils of anchor pattern.

The above recommendations are based on using a Constant Air Pressure of 90-95 PSI nozzle pressure, using a Long Venturi Blast Nozzle held 18-24” from the substrate and at an 85-90 degree angle to the work piece on Mild Steel products.  The ANCHOR PATTERN produced on harder metals will be less unless Air Pressure and or Abrasive Mesh are adjusted.

Much of this information was gathered from the Abrasive Blast Cleaning Handbook compiled by A. B. Williams.