Compressors differ in their capacities and technologies. It is essential to choose the appropriate air compressor for the job.
Fremont, CA: Compressors are utilized across all industries to give shop or instrument air, power air tools, paint sprayers, abrasive blast equipment, phase shift refrigerants for air conditioning and refrigeration, and propel gas through pipelines. Similar to pumps, compressors are split into centrifugal and positive-displacement types; however, although centrifugal pumps predominate, positive-displacement compressors are more prevalent.
Selecting the right compressor machine in an industrial setting
A piston compressor or a helical-screw compressor is typically the best option when selecting air compressors for regular shop applications. In general, piston compressors are less expensive than screw compressors, need less complex maintenance, and perform well in unclean operating environments. However, they are significantly noisier than screw compressors and more vulnerable to "carryover," the passage of oil into the compressed air supply. Because piston compressors generate a considerable volume of heat during operation, they must be scaled in accordance with a duty cycle; a rule of thumb specifies a ratio of 25 percent rest to 75 percent run. Radial-screw compressors can operate continuously and almost prefer to do so. As they are not ideally suited for frequent starting and stopping, oversizing a screw compressor to expand beyond its capacity might be problematic. To maintain effective compression, the compressor must remain at operating temperature due to the close tolerance between rotors. One requires more attention to air utilization while sizing, whereas an oversized piston compressor is not a concern.
An autobody shop that uses air continuously for painting could benefit from a radial-screw compressor's lower carryover rate and desire to run continuously. In contrast, a general auto-repair business with less frequent air use and a lower concern for the cleanliness of the supplied air could be better served by a piston compressor.
Before being delivered through pipes, compressed air is typically chilled, dried, and filtered, regardless of the compressor type. Specifiers of plant-air systems must choose these components according to the size of the system they design. Moreover, they must consider putting filter-regulator-lubricators at the supply drops.
