Air Compressor Basics

The other type of air compressor is the rotary screw.

Air compressor basics.

Before tackling air compressor troubleshooting or maintenance you need to first understand the air compressor basics in this tutorial. An air compressor increases the pressure of inlet air by reducing its volume. Also be sure to see m. A fourth type is a combination of any of the above with a variable speed motor.

Choke and surge occur at the extreme ends of the performance curve and should be avoided. The centrifugal air compressor is a dynamic compressor that depends on transfer of energy from a rotating impeller to the air. A reciprocating compressor uses the piston movement inside a cylinder to compress air. As the piston moves downward the exhaust valve closes and a vacuum is created inside the cylinder forcing the intake valve to open and suck air into the cylinder.

The rotor accomplishes this by changing the momentum and pressure of the air. The choice depends on several factors including the speed requirement of the compressor airend and the manufacturer s preference. It is an oil free compressor by design. The majority of air compressors have at their core either centrifugal impellers or rotary screws figure 1 that compress the air.

Centrifugal air compressor basics key concepts centrifugal compressors are most effective when running at full capacity. These are designed for continuous use and are often used with tools that run for several seconds or minutes at a time such as impact wrenches and jackhammers and in industrial applications. An air compressoris a device that converts power using an electric motor diesel or gasoline engine etc into potential energystored in pressurized air i e compressed air. By one of several methods an air compressor forces more and more air into a storage tank increasing the pressure.

Most of the compressors you ll run across do this job with a reciprocating piston. Single stage tops out at about 150 psi. Compressor capacity should be stated at plant conditions which are actual cubic feet per minute acfm. Here air pressure is increased by reducing the size of the space that contains the air.

This momentum is converted to useful pressure by slowing the air down in a stationary diffuser. Like a small internal. V belt direct and gear. There are three basic types of drives for air compressors.