What to Look for When Purchasing a Rotary Screw Compressor
Check out this blog and video included to help you know what you should be looking for when you're thinking about purchasing a Chicago
Pneumatic Rotary Screw Compressor for your shop or application. If you want to learn about what a screw compressor actually is, check
out this article
If you're a large or small production facilities or factory, a large garage or workshop, or just someone that needs a lot of compressed air,
rotary screw compressors are often the compressor of choice.
First of all, you want to make sure that the compressor you buy can supply the amount of compressed air you need to do the job. In alot of
cases, people don't know what actually need and end up buying an air compressor either that generates too little air. Usually when you
buy a rotary screw compressor it's because it a) might be your first air compressor b) it's a replacement of an old screw compressor c)
you need more air capacity than a piston compressor can deliver d) you need more air capacity than your current screw compressor
delivers
So, with that out of the way... you want to make sure that:
1) Make sure you appropriately size your compressor
You want to make sure sure that your compressor is running continuously throughout the day to match your air demand, especially when you're
looking at a fixed speed compressor. You don't want to have that machine starting and stopping all day because you're not meeting your
air demand.
Then you know depending on the size you want, you want to have a look at the types of controls a compressor has - so a compressor with a
simple electro pneumatic control type like our Chicago Pneumatic range has gauges with easy to read lights. When you step up in
compressor size, you will see more advanced types of controls, which will show maintenance hours. If you're looking at say a 7.5HP
rotary screw compressor you want to make sure you're getting the right flow for demand.
2) Air flow is right for your demand
As a basic guideline, you want to have a look at the spec sheets of your pneumatic equipment. You should be able to have a look and see the
amount of air it needs, and the pressure at which the equipment operates at. You want to make sure that the part that needs the highest
pressure is addressed as this will dictate the required pressure. You'll need to account for pressure drop and load and unload
differential of your compressor. Once you've done that, you need to add up the consumption of your equipment and it will give you the
capacity of your air compressor. You'll want to buy a bigger compressor to ensure it isn't over working, but not too bit.
Check out this great video by CP Compressors:
As you've probably Googled, you'll see there are many many different screw compressors with extras and options. The question you may be
asking is:
What about the extras? Filters? Integrated Air Dryers? Condensate traps?
Air dryers and filters:
Chicago Pneumatic offer a all-in-one solution (sometimes called 'total solution' or 'full feature'. This means you get an air compressor
with integrated compressed air dryer and sometimes also compressed air filters included.
For most systems, we recommend a compressed air dryer, as well as compressed air filters. With compressed air being naturally somewhat wet
and sometimes oil as you can expect with oil lubricated compressors, air dryers and air filters work to combat this and improve your
compressors longevity, saving your equipment from premature failure.
Electronic condensate traps:
A mechanical condensate trap (with the floater) can become clogged and subsequently results in being a top maintenance issue for screw
compressors. When it non-functions, the condensate trap will result in lots of water in your compressor - not good! If you have a
service plan in place, check the drain on your receiver super regularly, every week or so you'll be able to know when it stops working.
However, if you don't have time for that run about, an electronic condensate drain is the way to go and can be installed at a later
date.
Variable Speed Drive:
A variable speed drive compressor matches the output capacity to the actual demand. In simple terms, it simple let’s the compressor run
faster or slower, depending on the current pressure. A VSD compressor is a good choice when it runs at 50 – 80% load. This is where the
money-saving is. Plus it allows the compressor to heat up, which will prevent lot’s of maintenance issues.
Aftercoolers:
On most stationary screw compressors, an aftercooler in standard. I would always choose to have an aftercooler anyway. Without the
aftercooler, the compressed air leaving your compressor would be around 80 – 100 degrees, which is too hot to fed into most air dryers,
air piping or air tools.
Besides that, the aftercooler removes huge amounts of water from the compressed air. If you don’t have an aftercooler, all this water stays
in the compressed air (as gas) and condensates when it cools (in piping system, tools, equipment.)
Have a look at our range of Rotary
Screw Compressors
by Chicago Pneumatic, trusted by businesses required compressed air for their operations longevity throughout New Zealand...
Here's some examples of our Chicago Pneumatic Compressors models we have on offer:
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 have more than fifty qualified service engineers working throughout the country, and with 13 locations nationwide, we're here for you and
your business' longevity around the clock. We take pride in the quality of our service and in our dedication to help our customers
solve their problems. This is why we are considered a business partner by our customers! See the services we offer here
Make sure that you get in touch today, for expert compressed air service and products!
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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
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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
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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
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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
Read More…
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
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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
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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
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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…
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