By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge A grain products company was increasing their production capacity and needed a new compressor and dryer. The budget was tight, so the company searched and found some used equipment to meet the need. Rather than running the lubricated compressor in modulating mode like the previous compressor, the […]
Air Preparation
How costly is my desiccant dryer?
Desiccant units will consume about 2 to 3 kW of energy for every 100 cfm of dryer rating, compared to about 0.8 kW per 100 cfm for refrigerated dryersβalmost 4 times as much! But if you have a desiccant style air dryer in lightly loaded conditions, it may be costing you more than you think. […]
Why is my compressor room so hot?
The physics of compressed air dictates that heat must be generated if air is compressed. The amount of heat depends on the size of the compressor. For example, a fully loaded 25 hp compressor will produce more thanΒ 63,000 Btu/hr of heatβif you do the math, this is the equivalent to about 18 kW of power. […]
What size air compressor do I need?
Determining what size of compressor to buy is a very difficult problem. This is especially true if the compressor will be for a new system that hasnβt been built yet. If you answer this question wrong, you might end up with pressure problems if the compressor does not have enough output to feed peak air […]
How many horsepower should a 100 hp compressor consume?
CAGI Sheets tell the story! When you buy a 100 hpΒ compressor, how many horsepower do you think it should consume? Yes, this is a trick question. Compressor ratings are often confusing when it comes to checking the specifications of screw compressors. The 100 hp associated with the Compressed Air and Gas Institute (CAGI) compressor data […]
What’s more efficient, reciprocating compressor or screw air compressors?
Often, when it comes to choosing an air compressor for a service shop, there is a choice between types and sizes of compressors. Do you choose a standard reciprocating compressor or do you go with a more modern lubricated screw? But depending on the way you use your compressed air, and how the compressor is […]
What are air dryers?
In pneumatic systems, compressors draw in ambient air that always contains some amount of water vapor. The process of compressing air to around 100 psi raises the airβs temperature, but also dew point and water-holding capacity. Any subsequent cooling downstream will likely cause some water vapor to condense. Liquid water in pneumatic systems creates problems […]
Can water damage my compressed air system?
In a previous post, we discovered that air compressors will produce significant amounts of water, which is squeezed from the ambient air the compressor ingests through its intake. This water, if left in the system, can damage the air compressor and components connected to your compressed air system and possibly contaminate your product. Piping will […]
Compressed air fail: Relying on service technicians
By Ron Marshall for the Compressed Air Challenge An electronics component manufacturer was having trouble with their compressors.Β Despite having purchased a very expensive and sophisticated control system, they were experiencing problems with their automatic compressor control. The system is designed to control the four large air compressors in their compressor room by coordinating the […]
How do I compare air compressor efficiency?
When you are purchasing a compressor, it can be difficult to decide which one to buy. You should be aware that about 80% of the lifetime cost for an average air compressor is due to electricity, the remainder is purchase price and maintenance. Often, a compressor will consume its total purchase price in electricity in […]
