What to Consider When Buying an Air Compressor

06 Jan.,2025

 

What to Consider When Buying an Air Compressor

Compressors are broadly categorized as Dynamic or Displacement type depending on the principal of compression.

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In dynamic compression technologies like axial or centrifugal are used.

For displacement compression, technologies widely available are rotary or reciprocating type.

Dynamic compressors can be energy efficiently when used for generating large volume of compressed air at stable pressure.

Axial compressors are comprised of multiple stages of rotating and is used to handle very high flowrates at low discharge pressure.

Centrifugal or radial flow compressors are used in applications that entail long duty cycles with high compressed air volume. In this technology impellers are used to accelerate air at high speeds and convert this to pressure energy. This technology is also referred to as TURBO compression and is highly cost effective per m3 of compressed air generation for large flow requirements at constant pressure. 

On the other hand, we have Displacement technology for variable pressure and constant volume needs. This can be usually either rotary or reciprocating. Rotary is used for stable volumes and is well-known for its efficiency on medium pressure applications and longer lifetime, while the Reciprocating is found more suitable for high discharge pressure needs, 20 bar and above.

It is important to know the type of application and requirement to have a best match on technology for an overall optimized compressed air installation.

Another prerequisite to look at while choosing a compressor for your facility is the right compressor size. On one hand, choosing a compressor smaller than your need will get no job done; on the other hand, selecting a compressor greater than your need would lead to energy wastage.

Measured in bars or pounds per square inch (psi), pressure is an important factor to consider when installing a compressor system of the right size. You must install an air compressor that provides enough pressure with some margin to account for pressure drop in the pipeline or air treatment ancillaries to accomplish a particular task in your facility. For instance, rotary screw is efficient on medium pressure applications and piston or reciprocating compressors are a good choice for pressures above 20bar.

Next, the flow rate calculated in cubic meters per hour or cubic feet per minute, or litres per second, decides the volume of air moving through your compressor. Every technology has an optimum rage - while centrifugal compressors have low specific energy consumption for high flow rates, the rotary screw or tooth compressors can be an efficient choice for lesser compressed air flow demands. 

Is space crunch a problem in your industrial unit? In that case, we suggest you pick an air compressor that best fits into your space limitations while supporting industrial activities.

For an industrial plant, usually the need is for stationary electric motor driven compressors. Look at a wide range of plug & play compressor equipment, including the most compact footprint available on the market, integrating filtration, compression element, coolers, main drive mechanism, self-lubricating system, condensate drains, control panel and remote monitoring system like Smartlink mounted on an industrial skid, delivered for a direct start-up at site.

Atlas Copco manufactures technologically advanced air compressor systems that stand out for leading-edge features such as Variable Speed Drive Technology and SMARTLINK 2.0 remote monitoring program. To decide which compressor would fit your requirements, you should get in touch with our expert for a discussion. 

10 things you need to know when buying a reciprocating ...

Purchasing a reciprocating compressor demands a humongous investment from you. So, you should have adequate knowledge about reciprocating compressors and the different models and options. If you are planning to purchase a reciprocating compressor from a reputed compressor manufacturer in India, you should consider certain points before making your final decision. Because buying the wrong purchaser will not only hamper your operations but also you will end up with huge maintenance bills in the future.

Here, we are going to mention the 10 most imperative things you should know when buying a reciprocating air compressor.

Compressor type

Commonly, three types (single-stage compressors, two-stage compressors, and twin compressors) of reciprocating compressors are in the market. Single-stage units compress the air in one stroke, from ambient to end pressure. They typically go up to 20 CFM at a pressure of 125 psi. For more power, you should go for a two-stage compressor. A two-stage compressor uses two stages to compress the air to the end pressure. Two-stage air compressors go up to about 81 CFM capacity (Free Air Delivery) at about 175 psi. Depending on the amount of capacity and pressure you need, you can choose either a single-stage compressor or a two-stage compressor.

Capacity and pressure

The capacity (CFM) and the pressure of the air compressor are the two most imperative specifications of an air compressor. To figure out the capacity that you need, just add up the air consumption of all the air tools that you will use. You should check again the specifications of the air tools to find out the pressure that you need. It would be a prudent decision to purchase a compressor that can deliver more than you need. Because in future, you may need to add more tools.

Horsepower

Don&#;t concentrate on horsepower because this is the result of the required pressure and capacity that you need. So, always look at capacity (CFM) and pressure (psi).

Electrical connections

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Don&#;t purchase an air compressor without knowing the voltage at your utility. Do you have single phase or 3 phase powers? Because installing extra electrical wiring can be more expensive than the air compressor itself.

Noise

Since a reciprocating compressor produces a lot of noise, thus, always check the noise level before purchasing one. Don&#;t forget to add enough ventilation holes at your facility. Moreover, a reciprocating air compressor generates a lot of heat, so adequate cooling is required.

Tank size

Most reciprocating compressors come with a 100 to 500 litre tank. A larger tank size is always a good choice. A bigger tank means that there is a bigger compressed air buffer.

A bigger compressed air buffer is beneficial when you need to use big tools that grasp more air than the capacity of your compressor.

Compressed air filter

How are you planning to clean your compressed air?

Compressed air is hot, wet and dirty. Based on your application, you need to filter it and eliminate water and oil. There are filters available to abolish water (droplets), oil, and dust. For even dryer compressed air, you need to get a compressed air dryer.

Other options

There are other options that you should think about.

·        Pressure regulators to regulate the tank pressure back to a stable

·        Size and number of air connections

·        Vertical or horizontal tank

·        Manual or automatic drains

Weight

Your new air compressor comes on a wooden pallet. Depending on your need, you can keep the pallet or remove it. Always think about how you are going to plan your air compressor before buying it.

Duty cycles

The duty cycle refers to the percentage of time your compressor can run.

Most single-stage compressors have a duty cycle of only 50%. So, when you run your compressor for 5 minutes, it needs 5 minutes to cool down. If a compressor has a 100% duty cycle, it can run 24 hours. So, always purchase a compressor that has a 100% duty cycle.

These are 10 things that you should consider before buying a reciprocating air compressor for your utility.

Indoair is a reputed compressor manufacturer in India. The company offers a plethora of air compressors including screw compressors, booster air compressors, reciprocating air compressors, rotary drum air compressors, and many more.

To know more about the company and its products, please visit the official website of Indoair.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit rotary vane compressors..