How to assess power requirements
Pressure rating is usually in pounds per square inch or psi. The recommended pressure of the industrial air compressor depends on the air pressure delivered to the tool to achieve optimal performance. If you are using one air tool at a time, the tool that requires the highest psi will the basis of your choice. If there are several tools that run simultaneously, you will need to identify the requirements of all the tools including cfm. CFM is cubic feet per minute which is a measurement of the effectiveness of the compressor in different situations. The cfm demands of every tool can be found on the tool itself or on the owner’s manual. Knowing the psi and cfm requirements will serve as a guide in the choice for the air compressor. However, it is suggested to choose an air compressor that will exceed the psi and cfm demands of the highest rated air tool to ensure performance without over working the compressor and losing efficiency. There are also other factors aside from psi and cfm that should be taken into account like uncommon compressor usage, wear and tear and wastage.
The importance of air quality
A lot depends on the quality of compressed air that will satisfactorily meet the requirements. Different applications have varying levels of air quality requirements. For example, in the food industry, a low level of air quality might not be acceptable since it can result into contamination. Like most other machineries, the industrial air compressor requires lubrication for its moving parts. Since it is very likely that air will come into contact with the lubricated moving parts, small traces of oil are often present in air. If air is only needed to run mechanical air tools, quality is not a critical issue but if air is necessary to run air tools in food production, oil is not acceptable. It is for this reason why there is an alternative in oil-free air compressors. Although this type of air compressor is generally more expensive, it is more suitable for the requirements.
One of the issues faced in the industrial air compressor is the presence of moisture that comes from water vapor present in the environment. When ambient air is compressed, water vapor condenses into small droplets of moisture that can cause serious damage to the equipment. Manufacturers of industrial air compressors have introduced a solution to this dilemma through the air dryer. Air dryers are standard in most compressors and they can achieve varying levels of dryness.