ound in the Nitrogen/Compressed
Air cylinders commonly used in paintball.
Advantages
Cost savings of renting 2200 PSI cylinders versus 6000 PSI cylinders (source
cylinders) giving the owner a more economical and efficient use of money spent on
Nitrogen.
Allows fields and stores to fill 3000 and 4500 PSI paintball cylinders without having
to maintain a high pressure (HP) air compressor. The megabooster works with pre-
charge air from source cylinders and will boost pressures from as low as 900 PSI up
to 3000 or 4500 PSI. Compared to a HP cascade fill station, gives a higher percentage of usable air per
source (cascade) cylinder.
The Megabooster is an easy to use, low maintenance* device
Low maintenance means we recommend rebuilding the Megabooster once a
year, the cost of the rebuild kit runs $56.
Can be used with more than one source cylinder, thereby eliminating the need for
cylinder changes during busy times.
6) Allows room for future upgrades to the system, including the addition of a High
Pressure (HP) air compressor, allowing the owner to refill the source cylinders
7) WGP now makes custom length Parker� hoses and carries a full line of HP fittings
and hoses.
Configurations
The Megabooster currently is available in two configurations:
Single-ended booster- This booster has one LP piston and one HP piston. This
model was introduced in response to the need for a lower cost Booster system for
fields and stores who do not have the need for the more expensive double-ended
system. This configuration requires a drive air source of 130 to 140 PSI @minimum 6
CFM.
Double-ended booster This booster has one LP piston and two HP pistons, which
means that it pumps twice on every stroke, and therefore pumps faster than the single-
ended booster. This configuration requires a drive air source of 100 to 130 PSI
@minimum 6 CFM.
Both systems are shipped as a turn-key system, meaning you can simply
unpack, set up, and if you already have your source cylinders, a Low Pressure (LP)
100 to 140 PSI @ 6 CFM air compressor, and required hoses (available from us),
immediately begin using the Megabooster.
Booster Theory
The Megabooster takes High Pressure Air (HPA)/Nitrogen (900-3500 PSI) and
boosts the pressure into the small cylinders commonly used in paintball. The
Megabooster does this by using a low pressure air source (100-140 PSI) against a
large Piston (LP piston), which pushes a valve, thereby compressing the
HPA/Nitrogen. Both the single and double-ended Megabooster use a piston ratio. The
100-140 PSI air is known as the drive air and is typically delivered operator to
throttle the speed of the Megabooster. This drive air pushes against the LP piston,
which then pushes the smaller piston and compresses the HP air from the source
cylinders through a one-way valve and into the output line. A gauge on the output line
tells the operator the pressure in the output line to the receiving cylinder. DriveAir Requirements
The Minimum requirements for this compressor are at least 6 Cubic Feet per
Minute (CFM) at 90 PSI. When purchasing a compressor, take care to look at the
rating, since most compressors are rated at Both 45 PSI and 90 PSI. A good
compressor should also have a tank of at least 30 to 60 gallon capacity. The larger
standup models with tanks of 80 gallons are a better choice. Typically, these
compressors will cost around $400. Another important requirement for the drive air
(LP) is an air drier.
When compressing atmospheric air, condensation (moisture) is formed. This
moisture can cause problems in the Megabooster. Higher end compressors will
include a moisture trap, but these moisture traps usually will not provide a high
enough level of moisture removal or flow. Industrial moisture traps are available from
WGP and are highly recommended. We also recommend when you install the new air
compressor, you bypass the standard pressure regulator on the unit and draw your LPl
air directly from the cylinder. We are happy to provide further help in accomplishing
this.
For remote locations that do not have access to power, commercial compressors
that run off of a small gas powered engine are also available. The same CFM
requirements listed above apply.
Remote locations can also use a Nitrogen cylinder with a high-flow regulator
(available from WGP) as drive air (LP). This is a unique setup and we are happy to
assist you in setting up this type of system, although due to the high CFM
requirements of this type of setup, we do not recommend it. We have found the use of
Nitrogen for drive air be costly and inefficient.
Source Air
Your source/cascade air can come from a couple of sources, mostly either pre-filled
nitrogen cylinders or High Pressure Air (HPA) from an industrial HP air compressor.
Either way, the source air is stored in one or more cylinders typically called your
source bank of cylinders. Nitrogen cylinders are available in several different
pressures, including 2200, 3000, 3600, and 6000 PSI. If you use the 3600 or 6000 PSI
cylinders, you can fill through the booster until the pressure drops to the point that a
boost is required.
Air Hoses
Two types of air hoses are required for the Megabooster: LP and HP. The LP hose
connects the LP air compressor to the Megabooster and supplies the drive air. These
hoses are available from auto supply and hardware stores, but are not made to handle
the workload required in paintball use. LP hoses from Wal-Mart and automotive
supply places are too small and restrict the flow too much, regardless of what CFM
your air compressor is capable of. LP hose and fittings from WGP are from Parker�,
come with a 1-year warranty, and are made to custom lengths from the factory.
HP hose and fittings are also Parker�, also come with a limited 1 year warranty,
and is also custom made at the factory. Including multiple source cylinder cascade
setups, HP hose and fittings can be made to specific applications. CGA Fittings
The Compressed Gas Association (CGA), National Gas Outlet (NGO), and
Transportation Canada (TC) sets the standards for valves on most cylinders that
involve compressed air and other gases. For example, the CGA fitting on a CO2
cylinder is CGA 320, and can be found stamped into the valve body. The most
common CGA fitting for Nitrogen cylinders is the CGA 580 connector. The CGA
580 connector is found on 2200 PSI cylinders; which we highly recommend for use
the Megabooster system. We have found the 2200 PSI cylinders cost work on
Nitrogen cylinders up to 6000 PSI. For us to build your system, you must first decide
on what types of cylinders you are planning on using , and getting the CGA fitting
number to WGP. Your Nitrogen provider should be able to provide that information.
This will enable WGP to properly set up your system for your specific needs.
Caution
OSHA requirements are that all a compressed air cylinders be secured in position.
Using a strap or chain that holds the tanks against the wall or a support will satisfy
their requirement.
Training
WGP staff is always ready to assist you with any type of support you may need;
anything from a simple to a question to personally coming out, setting the system up, and
trainings your staff is available. For more information on on-site setup and training,
please contact Bud or Jerry at (562) 802-9533.
Air Volume Theory
How many fills can I get out of a cylinder? To figure out this question, we must first
understand how cylinders are rated. The small fiber-wrapped cylinders used in paintball
are commonly referred to as 68 cubic inch and 114 cubic inch cylinders. These numbers
refer to the water volume, or true volume, of these cylinders. Using this water volume
figure, we can figure out the air volume of the cylinder. To do this, we will follow 3
steps:
Step 1 Convert cubic inches to cubic feet (water volume)
Step 2 Determine pressure constant numbers
Step 3 Multiply cubic feet by pressure constant
This will give you Standard Cubic Feet (SCF)
Step One Convert cubic inches to cubic feet
Dividing our water volume size (in cubic inches) by 1728, which will give us the
water volume in cubic feet of the cylinder.
Example: a 68 cubic inch cylinder divided by 1728 equals .039 cubic feet
Step Two Find the constant
Find the constant that will allow you to calculate the amount of air in a given
water volume amount of a cylinder. The constants are:
Air 1800 PSI = 124.57
3000 PSI = 198.95
4500 PSI = 274.64
Nitrogen
1800 PSI = 122.25
3000 PSI = 193.82
4500 PSI = 266.61
As you can see, the numbers for Air and Nitrogen are a little different, this is
because Air is 78% Nitrogen and 21% Oxygen, while Nitrogen is pure and has no
oxygen. That 21% Oxygen makes a difference.
Step Three Multiply cubic feet by the constant
A 68 cubic inch cylinder, which is .039 cubic feet true volume, is multiplied by
the pressure constant of the cylinder (3000 PSI). We are filling with pure nitrogen.
.039 multiplied by 193.82 equals 7.56 Standard cubic Feet (SCF). This means that our 68
cubic inch, 3000 PSI cylinder when filled with Nitrogen will use 7.56 cubic feet of air
from the source cylinder. (Note: This is only if the paintball cylinder is completely
empty)
Or, for you lazier folks like myself, a cheat sheet is attached in the rear as
appendix A:
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How any Nitrogen cylinders will I need for my tournament players this
weekend?
A: To find this, we need to keep in mind that the Mega booster system can boost air
pressure from your source cylinders until the pressure drops to around 900 PSI. You can
continue