Unlike air blower, air compressor has unique feature as shown in its name. Air Compressor is providing pressurized air by compressing the air to the pressure required for usage. Most of the time, air compressors are used for production lines, conveyor line in industrial application or commercial use such as car care or car maintenance shop, etc. Yet, it is also generally used in household sector such as inflating tires or blowing dust. There are so many types or types of air compressors. They can be divided into 7 major categories:
1. Piston Air Compressor or Reciprocating Air Compressor
It is a piston system air compressor that works like a piston of a car. The electric motor drives piston rod to move piston up and down. When piston moving up and down, it creates suction and pressurized air inside the piston cylinder with suction and release valves working in relation to the piston direction. Piston air compressors are available in either lubricated type or oil free (oil less) type. Piston air compressors have lowest price range among any other type of air compressors so it is quite popular. Plus, there are many brands to choose from as well. The disadvantage of piston type pumps is a loud noise during pump operation.
2. Diaphragm Air Compressor
This type of air pump has working principle similar to a piston air pump but instead of using metal piston to generate air directly, it put diaphragm rubber between the piston and the vacuum chamber separated. Using diaphragm rubber, advantages are oil free and silent. The air from diaphragm air compressor provide clean air without contamination of lubricating oil. It also operates silently. Diaphragm air pumps are very popular in pharmaceutical industry, food industry, chemical industry, laboratory and application that requires clean air supply.
3. Screw Air Compressor
We often see this type of pump comes in square cabinet. Inside the pump, there are two screw shafts. Basically, electric motor (in some cases pump equips with engine) drives two shafts to move. By the movement of the shaft will look to rotate together generating compressed air and releasing air out. This type of air pump does not need lubrication because there is no part touching each other. Advantages of screw air compressor are clean air and high pressurized air supply. In most cases, it can produce pressures up to 13 bar.
4. Sliding Vane Air Compressor/ Rotary Vane Air Compressor
The sliding vane air pump has no valves to open-close but applies 2 ports system. One is suction and other is discharge. When electric motor drives rotor with sliding vane, vanes that move pass suction port generate vacuum power sucking air in. Then, vanes pressurize air along the way and discharge air through discharge port. This working principle allows constant air supply. It is a distinctive feature that is quite different from other air compressors. Limitation of this pump is heat so it might not be suitable for limited space installation.
5. Redial and Axial flow Air Compressor
This type of air pump works like a typical wind turbine that we have seen. The main difference is the matter of the fan blade characteristics and the air supply rate. We all know that wind turbines have the function of sucking air from one side to the other through the openings of the blades, with the turbine type air pump can provide air supply rates up to 170-2,000 cubic meters/minute.
It is suitable for application required large air volume.
6. Roots Air Compressor
Root air pump has two rotor rotating into each other direction sucking and pressurizing the air from suction ports. There are separated chamber between gear and air. Gear chamber requires lubrication for operation yet there is oil seal preventing oil from gear chamber leaking into air chamber. Air chamber is oil free (oil less) so this compressor generate clean air. This type of air compressor is quite reliant on good cooling and temperature. It is necessary to install in an area where the air can be ventilated easily.
7. Scroll Air Compressor
Scroll type air compressors are characterized by quiet noise and low vibration but generating middle to high air pressure. The pump has horsepower and flow rate similar to a screw air compressor. The difference is quieter due to lower rotation speed in operation. Therefore, it is a very popular pump for lab applications that do not require oil mist and used in areas that require low noise including industries that need clean and oil-free air.
We, pumpular.com distribute air compressor. You can visit more product on https://www.pumpular.com/product-category/products/air-compressor/
Reference and end credit for:
(2022,Octorber 19). https://www.mechanika.co.th/air-compressor-type/
