A common questions asked is why do I need an air dryer for my compressor? Typically, air compressors produce water, and although the water
can be drained, there can still be aerosol and vapour droplets that are present. This is because water cannot be compressed. Water can
damage your compressor by corroding the valves, pipes and machinery controls, which will cost you time and money to resolve. In
the long run, the cost of a new compressor is a small price to pay compared to the loss of production that could potentially arise due to
water damage in your compressor.
How do I know my compressor needs an air dryer?
Pay attention to the manufacturer's labels on the compressor - it may say that dry air is needed
Rusting, corroding, mould, vapour is present in your compressor
Your air tools are showing water droplets
The tool exhaust sprays our water vapour
Why is it important to know the size of my dryer needs?
When sizing an air dryer that keeps up with your application needs; it is important to get the right fit. A dryer that is too large will
cause harmful wear and tear long before normal, opposed to having an undersized dryer can lead to poor air quality
downstream.
What questions do I need to think about when sizing a dryer for my compressor?
What is the desired dew point (how dry compressed air needs to be – this will determine whether it is a refrigerated or desiccant style
dryer)?
•  How much CFM will your compressor be sending through the dryer, and at what pressure?
•  What are the ambient conditions of the dryer (ambient temperature, elevation, etc.)?
•  What is the inlet temperature of the air going into the dryer?
Answering these few questions will give you a good start on selecting the right dryer technology and the appropriate size for your
compressor.
Remember, a desiccant dryer consumes 2% -20% of your CFM as purge air during the regeneration cycle of the vessels. With that in mind, you
will need to make sure you make the necessary arrangements. If it is a new install, the compressor will need to be sized appropriately to
compensate for the CFM loss during the purge cycle. If it is an existing install, you may have to upgrade the compressor. Ambient conditions
and correction factors also come into play.
Another thing to think about is the upfront costs of purchasing the air dryer and its installation aren’t the only costs that are incurred
in total. There are other costs that also need to be considered here, such as additional energy consumption and, the way the dryer is
regenerated (in case of desiccant air dryers).
The bottom line
Air compressors are a significant investment, crucial for many businesses operations through New Zealand, and the world, and sometime
they need to power some very important tools.That being said, keeping your compressor in tip top shape, regular services, having an air
dryer etc, ensures a longer lifetime of your compressor and will increase your production levels by reducing equipment failure issues
due to corrision of components. In conclusion, air dryers are worth every penny spent.
How we can help you - yes we have air dryers!
At Ash Air we stock top quality compressed refrigerated air dryers, desiccant air dryers. air receivers, and in-line filtration to give the
best possible air quality your compressor can supply. Ash Air has a range of quality cycling and non-cycling Pneumatech refrigerated dryers
for your air compressors.
Our innovative desiccant dryers give customers efficient protection against the presence of any humidity in the air, which often is the
source of pipe corrosion and decreased efficiency of equipment and tools. We sell all the connections and plumbing components commonly
used in New Zealand, and our comprehensive selection of compressed air filters is based on a unique, enhanced media to efficiently reduce
all types of contamination.
Here at Ash Air, we offer BA 15-310 HE Breathing Air Purifiers. The Pneumatech solution for Industrial Breathing Air applications, build to
exceed standards. The Breathing Air Dryer range assures safe working environment in a wide range of applications. Built to exceed standards,
Breathing Air Dryers provide certified breathing air, even in situations with polluted intake air to ensure personnel safety at all times.
The Ash Air range of advanced technology 360-1080 m3/hr and 1188-10800 m3/hr adsorption air dryers are for customers who have a focus on
energy efficiency and low operating costs, while maintaining the highest standards in air purity. Our Pneumatech blower purge air dryers use
heated blower purge air to remove moisture from the desiccant material, which means no purge loss during regeneration.
Ash Air has a range of quality cycling and non-cycling Pneumatech refrigerated dryers for your air compressors.Our non-cycling Pneumatech
refrigerated dryers offer a reliable and economic solution for removing moisture from your compressed air system. These refrigerated dryers
for air compressors are easy to install, offer energy savings, prevent pressure losses, are equipped with rotary compressors and R410A
refrigerant, and have improved connectivity features.
Do you have an idea for our #expertcorner? Let
us know!
Who we are and how Ash Air can help your business!
Ash Air has been around in New Zealand since 1979, and we’ve grown into a nationwide company with international support and a
reputation for quality and reliability.We look after all things compressed air for your business!
Reciprocating, Screw, air compressors
Vacuum pumps
Nitrogen
An extensive line of air treatment components
Ash Air's range of Chicago Pneumatic, Alup, Pneumatech, and Quincy compressors are used extensively around the world in industries
ranging from oil and gas to food, automotive and farming, and we bring you these world class compressors here in the land of the long white
cloud.Our technicians are compressed air equipment experts and are dedicated to addressing customer needs. Supported by a 13 locations
nationwide, Ash Air offers one of the widest selections of compressed air equipment and parts available today in New Zealand.
Reliability and Efficiency
With Ash Air compressors, you can count on reliability and high performance for even the most demanding applications. We focus our
efforts on the following:
Air compressors come in many types, rotary screw, piston, scroll, reciprocating, some are oil-free and other air compressors require oil
lubrication. Like many businesses, an efficient air compressor is at the heart of their operations. So, which type of compressor should you
choose? What makes a compressor, like a rotary screw, unique? Here are some clear cut benefits of equipping your business with a rotary
screw compressor. Â
Read More…
In the world of compressors, there are often significant and unutilized energy-saving possibilities including energy recovery, pressure
reduction, leakage reduction and optimization of operations through correct choice of a control and regulation system as well as the choice
of compressor size.We are going to take a look at some of the opportunities for minimizing the compressor’s operating costs.Â
Read More…
Many installations that produce compressed air offer significant and frequently unutilized energy
saving possibilities in
the form of waste energy recovery. In large industries, energy costs can amount to 80% of the total cost of compressed
air production.
However, a lot of this energy can be recovered, which in turn will save you a lot of money.Â
Read More…
Liquid water in compressed-air systems can lead to rusted equipment and unresponsive controls. Anyone who uses compressed air will, at some
point, find liquid water in the air distribution system. This can be anything from a nuisance to a serious problem, depending on the
application. If water might corrode equipment or introduce bacteria, removing it is critical.Â
Read More…
Liquid water in compressed-air systems can lead to rusted equipment and unresponsive controls. Anyone who uses compressed air will, at some
point, find liquid water in the air distribution system. This can be anything from a nuisance to a serious problem, depending on the
application. If water might corrode equipment or introduce bacteria, removing it is critical.Â
Read More…
Whenever most people think about a compressor, they probably have a piston compressor in mind. You might already know there are two basic
principles of air compression. One of those is the principle of displacement compression. There are a lot of compressor types that classify
as a displacement compressor. The piston compressor is one of them, oil-lubricated or oil-free.Â
Read More…
Once you have the size and type of
compressor figured out, one last question remains, should I go with an oil lubricated or oil-free air compressor. To not overcomplicate the
answer, your choice should be based on the application and process that the compressed air will be utilized in.
Read More…
Like all compressor types, rotary screw models do require periodic maintenance. Thanks to the simplicity of the internal components,
maintenance is relatively easy on most rotary air compressors. As long as you stick to a rotary screw compressor maintenance schedule, you
will likely be rewarded with many, many years of optimal productivity from your machine.Â
Read More…
Did you know, the biggest part of the air we breathe is nitrogen? Everyone needs oxygen to survive, however air is made up of 78% nitrogen,
only 21% oxygen and tiny amounts of other gases. Although, the human body does not use this nitrogen, it is very helpful in various
industrial applications. There is an unlimited source of nitrogen readily available, allowing you to achieve needed purity at a fraction of
your current annual nitrogen cost.Â
Read More…
If you notice that your compressor is getting hot and bothered, there may be heating issues affecting your air compressors performance. Did
you know that an overheating compressor is top of the pops for being the most common cause of compressor failure.Â
Read More…
A rotary-screw compressor is an air compressor that uses a rotary-type positive-displacement mechanism, typically used replace piston
compressors where large volumes of high-pressure air are needed, either for large industrial applications or to operate high-power air
tools.Â
Read More…
Have a look around and what do you see? What are you thinking about? Your next holiday to Queenstown maybe? You might go snowboarding with
the kids or have some alone time at the Day Spa. Whatever holiday you choose, compressed air is involved in some way, without you even
realising it! Â
Read More…
There are crucial reasons why you should service and maintain your compressor regularly, with the most common issues being piston failure
caused by wear of components, increased friction, corrosion, reduced cooling, overheating bearings and components, clogging of air filters.Â
Read More…
Our passion for energy efficiency and cost saving derives from the concern for our children’s future. Analysing the efficiency of your
system is a brilliant way to start saving.
Read More…
Compressed air is all around us, from the air in a balloon to pumping up tires on your bicycle. In this article we will explain what
compressed air is and how it is created. Whether you know it or not, compressed air is involved in every aspect of our lives, from the
balloons at your birthday party to the air in the tires of our cars and bicycles. It was probably even used when making the phone, tablet or
computer you’re viewing this on.Â
Read More…
One of the biggest challenges is to correctly size your new air compressor. Similarly to everything else, new compressors available on the
market are more efficient and employ better technology, therefore you have to understand the application and usage to size the machine
correctly. Choosing the wrong air compressor for your facility can lead to problems with production and or increased costs due to wasted
energy.Â
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Once you have the size of the air compressor figured out, the
next thing to do is to decide on the type of compresor you will need for your application - piston, rotary screw compressor etc. Let us take
a look at two of the most popular options available. When choosing the right type of compressor, you should ask yourself the following
questions:
Read More…
​Which vacuum pump do I need? - this is one of the most frequent questions we receive and this is understandable, because there are number
of technologies which can provide the same vacuum level and pumping speed. Here is quick advice on how to choose the best vacuum pump for
your needs.Â
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You may be asking, why does my air compressor start, then stop? Allow us to take the guessing out of it. We understand your pain. We know
that a compressor problem can quickly result in hours (if not days) of production downtime and loss of revenue. When your compressor
continuously shuts off from on, we refer that as a short cycle. There are a few reasons that a short cycle may be happening with your
compressor.Â
Read More…
Air compressor leaks are very common in all applications, but can be very costly and difficult to find. On average, 20-30% of the compressed
air used in a manufacturing plant is wasted as leaked air. Finding and fixing these leaks can save your business thousands of wasted dollars
a year.Â
Read More…
When installing a compressed air system into a business, people often look to PVC piping as an option to build a piping system because it is
cheap, versatile and easy to install. However, using PVC pipe in any compressed air application is extremely dangerous and NOT recommended
by multiple associations and manufacturers.Â
Read More…
Changing the oil and oil filters on your compressor is one of the most common routine maintenance tasks to perform to keep your compressor
running efficiently. After you remove your old oil and oil filter, you may find yourself wondering, “Where do I dispose of these?”, or “Can I
just throw them in the trash?”. Because oil is toxic and a pollutant, disposing of your old oil and filters is not as simple as just tossing
them in the trash.Â
Read More…
