Compressed air is an important medium for transfer of energy in industrial processes, and is used for power tools such as air hammers, drills, wrenches and others, as well as to atomize paint, to operate air cylinders for automation, and can also be used to propel vehicles. Industrial use of piped compressed air for power transmission was developed in the mid 19th century; unlike steam, compressed air could be piped for long distances without losing pressure due to condensation. Compressed air dryer – Filter systems to reduce humidity of compressed air.
Air compressors work by forcing air into a container and pressurizing it. Positive displacement air compressors force air in a chamber where the volume is decreased to compress the air. No two air compressors are the same, and finding out how they work allows you to make informed decisions for the project you’re working on.
It’s based on the energy stored in air that’s under pressure, and the heart of the system is the air compressor. While there are small models that are comprised of just the pump and motor, most compressors have an air tank to hold a quantity of air within a preset pressure range. The compressed air in the tank drives the air tools, and the motor cycles on and off to automatically maintain pressure in the tank.
Dynamic air compressors generate horsepower by bringing in the air with rapidly rotating blades and then restricting the air to create pressure. Air compressors have many uses, including supplying high-pressure clean air to fill gas cylinders, supplying moderate-pressure clean air to a submerged surface supplied diver, supplying moderate-pressure clean air for driving some office and school building pneumatic HVAC control system valves. Supplying a large amount of moderate-pressure air to power pneumatic tools, such as jackhammers, filling high-pressure air tanks, for filling tires, and to produce large volumes of moderate-pressure air for large-scale industrial processes.
Positive displacement compressors take in air and mechanically reduce the space occupied by the air to increase pressure. Oil-free rotary screw air compressors use specially designed air ends to compress air without oil in the compression chamber yielding true oil-free air. Oil-free rotary screw air compressors are available as air cooled and water cooled and provide the same flexibility as oil flooded rotaries when oil-free air is required.
By understanding how an air compressor works, you can better determine the right air compressor for the job. Whilst there is oil in an oil-free air compressor, the difference is that it’s separated from the compressed air side, making applications oil-free. The compressor uses one piston to compress air in a single stroke, before moving that compressed air to a smaller cylinder for a second stroke from a second piston, doubling the air pressure stored in the tank.
