What Do Air Compressors Do?
What do air compressors do? And where are air compressors used in? Actually, air compressors are widely used and play an important role in various industries and fields.
The following are some common types and applications of air compressors as well as how do air compressors work.
What do air compressors do?
Air power
Air compressor can be the power supply of pneumatic machinery and tools, such as pneumatic picks, pneumatic wrenches, sandblaster. In some modern mechanical equipment and control systems, compressed air is required as the energy or operating elements.
Air compressors can provide high-pressure air to drive hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems and various mechanical transmission devices, so the mechanical movement, control and operation can be achieved, thereby completing various engineering tasks.
Such as vehicle braking, door and window opening and closing, weapon systems, torpedo launch, as well as precision instrument control and automation engineering, such as instrument control and automation devices, knife replacement in machining centers, etc.
Material conveying
Air compressors can also do works like pipeline transportation and bottling of various materials, such as long-distance coal gas and natural gas transportation, cement transportation in cement plants, sewage transportation in sewage treatment plants, as well as bottling of chlorine and carbon dioxide, blowing of PET bottles and glass.
This method of transportation with compressed air can effectively reduce the friction and loss of materials, and can quickly transfer materials between different locations.
Gas synthesis and polymerization
In the chemical industry, some gases are conducive to synthesis and polymerization after being compressed by compressor, such as the synthesis of helium from chlorine and hydrogen, the synthesis of methanol from hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and the synthesis of urea from carbon dioxide and ammonia. Polyethylene is produced under high pressure gas polymerization.
Gas separation and refrigeration
Different types of gases have different boiling points. When cooled and compressed to a certain temperature and pressure, they will change from gas to liquid, so that we can successfully separate different gases from a gas mixture.
For example, the separation of petroleum cracking gas is compressed and then the various fossil components are separated separately at different temperatures. Also, the air after being compressed, cooled, expanded and liquefied by air compressor can be used for artificial refrigeration. This type of air compressor is usually called an ice maker or ice machine.
Medical and pharmaceutical use
In the medical industry, the air compressors are most used in ventilators and oxygen supply systems. Air compressors in ventilators can pressurize air and deliver it to the patient’s respiratory tract to help patients with respiratory insufficiency breathe normally or easily.
Air compressors can also help produce oxygen, supplying necessary pure oxygen and high-pressure gas for operating rooms, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and treatment of burn patients. Air compressors are also needed in medical experiments to inflate and evacuate test objects.
In addition, air compressors are also needed in the pharmaceutical industry for raw material transportation, mixing and packaging.
Fermentation and stir
After being compressed and filtered to remove impurities and biological particles, the air can be used for fermentation in the food industry, bacterial culture, liquid mixing in textile factories, etc. In some fermentation industries, gas needs to be sprayed into fermentation tanks or culture media to supply microorganisms for growth and fermentation.
Air compressors can provide high-pressure air for stirring and increasing dissolved oxygen, promoting the reproduction and activity of microorganisms. Using air stirring does not require cleaning of stirring tools, does not cause waste of raw materials, and has no risk of pollution.
Cleaning and maintenance
Air compressor can generate compressed air to help clean and blow away dust and impurities in equipment and pipes. Air compressor can also do works and operations such as inflating tires, cleaning and spraying car bodies, driving pneumatic tools and pneumatic jacks.
Construction and mining
High-pressure air blasting for coal mining, water well drilling, ventilation of mines, road and building construction, etc. Compressed air is widely used in mines. For example, pneumatic picks, rock drills, pneumatic rock loaders, concrete jet machines, pneumatic vehicle operating equipment used at the wellhead and well bottom, forging machines, air hammers, etc. used on the ground are all powered by compressed air. More importantly, the mine is deep from the ground, the air is thin, and there is a certain amount of coal gas and gas, which may endanger the lives of underground workers at any time. For this reason, the mine must be equipped with a compressed air system to supply compressed air to underground pneumatic tools and working mines.
Metal smelting
In the production of iron, iron ore, coke and limestone are mixed in a blast furnace. To reach melting temperatures, hot air is injected into the furnace. To produce coke as a byproduct, bituminous coal is heated to 1000 to 2000ยฐC(From: Smelting(Wikipedia). Once fired, the coke plant requires a continuous supply of air and must not be depleted for at least 3 months. In the production of steel, iron, steel scrap and flux are mixed in an oxygen furnace. 99% pure oxygen is then blown into the vessel using an oxygen lance.
This raises the temperature to melt the scrap, forming liquid steel. Nitrogen has a wide range of applications in metallurgy. It is used to accelerate carbon absorption in the metal being processed, to prevent oxidation during the cooling phase of the steel, and in the annealing process to prevent exothermic reactions and dangerous furnace overheating.
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What is an air compressor used for?
Pneumatic drills, pneumatic screwdrivers, spray guns, pneumatic hydraulics, drilling equipment, punching machines, spraying equipment, cleaning equipment.
Laser cutting, lithium battery raw material delivery, pneumatic punching machine, pneumatic tool changer, pneumatic wrench, pneumatic valve, pneumatic rivet gun, air hammer, pneumatic pick, various automated execution cylinders.
Pneumatic tools in operating rooms, dental treatment equipment, oxygen supply systems in hospitals.
Gas control and processing systems in energy facilities such as gas power plants, nuclear power plants, and refineries.
Aeration systems for high-density agricultural breeding, deep water pool aeration systems in the environmental protection industry, diving gas, etc.
Refrigerator compressors, air conditioning compressors, refrigerator compressors. Air compressors can also be used to inflate tires of vehicles such as cars and bicycles.
These are just some common practical applications. In fact, air compressors also play an important role in many other industries and fields. As an important form of energy generation, air compressors can of course be used in many industrial fields such as food, mining, textiles, transportation, machinery, metallurgy, electronic electricity, medicine, packaging, chemicals, food, mining, textiles, transportation, etc. Therefore, air compressors are also called “general machinery”.
How does the air compressor work?
Whatโs the air compressor working principle?
Rotary screw air compressor: The rotary screw air compressor consists of a pair of parallel female and male rotors (screws), which keep rotating in the cylinder(air end), so that the volume of air between the rotor teeth continuously changes, thus the air is pressurized and pushed from the suction side to the output side along the rotor axis, realizing the whole process of air suction, air compression and compressed air exhaust of the screw air compressor.
Reciprocating piston air compressor: The electric motor drive the crankshaft to rotate, and the crankshaft drives the piston to reciprocate through the connecting rod, so that the cylinder volume changes, thereby pressurize the air in the cylinder.
Centrifugal air compressor: The rotating blades or turbine suck air in and drive it to rotate at high speed in the air end, converting electrical energy into kinetic energy of the air, with the operation of the air compressor, the high-speed rotating air continuously gathers in the closed cylinder, then the diffuser with reduces the air flow rate to realize the conversion of kinetic energy into pressure, achieves the purpose of compressing the air.
Whatโs the air compressor work procedure?
- The air enters the cylinder through the air filter and the intake valve.
- As the screw rotor rotates in the housing that precisely matches it, the gas between the rotor teeth continuously produces periodic volume changes and is pushed from the suction side to the discharge side along the rotor axis, and then the three major working processes of suction, compression, and exhaustare completed.
- During the whole process, the density and pressure of the air increase as the volume of the air decreases, thereby achieving the purpose of compressing the air.
- When the air pressure in the cylinder reaches the set value, the pressure switch will automatically control the intake valve to close and the exhaust valve to open.
- The compressed air enters the air tank or post-processing equipment through the exhaust valve, exhaust pipe and the check valve for use.
- When the pressure sensor in the air tank detects that the pressure inside it drops to a certain level, the pressure switch automatically starts and a new round of air compression begins.
FAQ
What is an air compressor?
Air compressor is a device that compresses air and stores it as energy, it is very important for various industrial applications because high-pressure air can store and transmit more energy. Air compressors can compress air to a high-pressure state, making it have a higher energy density, and release it when needed. It converts the original mechanical energy into air pressure energy and is a compressed air generator.
Air compressors are widely used in various industrial and commercial occasions, including factories, workshops, construction sites, etc.
What are the most common types of air compressor?
Most common air compressors can be divided into two types: positive displacement air compressors and speed type air compressors.
Positive displacement air compressors rely on the change of the volume of the working chamber to compress gas or steam, so it has a working chamber with a periodic volume change. The law of volume change of the working chamber depends only on the size of the mechanism, so the machine pressure has little to do with the flow rate, and the working stability is better. Positive displacement air compressors mainly include reciprocating piston air compressors and rotary screw air compressors.
Speed type compressors refer to their working principles that rely on the blades to work on the gas, and first greatly increase the flow rate of the gas, and then convert the kinetic energy into pressure energy. Common speed type air compressors include centrifugal air compressors and scroll air compressors.
What is the benefit of compressor?
The compressors that increase the productivity, precision and speed of the devices used have become an integral part of the production processes in many entities. The compressors can increase the speed of movement of products along assembly lines in manufacturer companies, while powering the electrical appliances used in the construction industry. The use of compressors is important for do-it-yourself projects as well as for mass production.
Is an air compressor worth buying?
Yes, it is, once you experience the power of air compressors and pneumatic tools, you may never want to use hand tools again. They can do in minutes what would take hand tools hours to do. And almost all repair and construction tools come in pneumatic form. Air compressors can assist with everything from painting to running industrial facilities.
What does air compressor do in car?
The air compressor is the heart of your vehicle’s air conditioning system. Without an air compressor, your air conditioning system would rely on a simple fan to draw outside air and its atmospheric temperature into your vehicle, which would not provide a cooling effect.
Air compressor in car pumps refrigerant through your AC compressor system to provide your vehicle with cool, comfortable air. The air compressor senses the temperature inside your vehicle and makes the required changes when the vehicle is started.
What should you not do with an air compressor?
The air compressor should be parked away from gasoline, gas, paint and flammable materials, as well as dust environment.
Always keep the outside of the air compressor clean. Do not perform welding or hot work near the air compressor.
Donโt allow cords or hoses to be exposed in floors, aisles or low-hanging areas. This could cause a trip hazard or injury if a hose whips.
Never apply compressed air to your skin or directly at another person. Even air pressure as low as 15 PSI can cause serious injury.
Do not use air directly from a compressor for breathing purposes unless the system has been designed specifically for breathing air.
How long does air compressor last?
Centrifugal air compressor: Lasts more than 200,000 hours (around 25 years)
Rotary screw air compressor: Lasts more than 100,000 hours (more than 10 years)
Oil-free rotary screw air compressor: Lasts 70,000 hours (8 years)
Reciprocating air compressor: Lasts 50,000 hours (6 years)
Portable air compressor: Lasts about 40,000 hours (5 years)
>>How long does air compressor last
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