When an air compressor doesn’t give optimum performance, there is not only a productivity loss but a big dent to the operational efficiency as well. You don’t get expected air pressure from the compressor, and it affects the subsequent interdependent processes. Experts say that in some applications of air compressors, people should be quite skeptical about it. Regular monitoring and timely maintenance keep the compressor in a good health, and you can expect near to the best output. Whenever there is any doubt about the degraded performance, a thorough investigation is anticipated. Finding out the fundamental reason for a drop in the performance restores it to the previous levels. Intake air is the culprit in most of the cases! If you ask technical experts about the most common reason behind the poor performance of a compressor, then they will blame the intake air. Yes, it is indeed one of the most important factors. When the intake air is exceptionally hot, or it is not pure, it hampers the compressor performance. You have more wear and tear and frequent downtime. Moisture and dust are also considered bad for compressor performance. They cause rusting and calcium deposit on impellors, joints, and valves. Excessive build-up can cause severe damage to the machinery. If the intake air is excessively cool and dense, it causes tremendous pressure on the compressor. It can’t perform with optimum pressure and flow. The phenomenon is significantly visible in centrifugal compressors. It is not much visible in case of rotary-screw compressors or lubricant-injected compressors because high-temperature lubricant is mixed with the intake air which increases the temperature. Since there are several applications of air compressors in the industrial environment, it is important to maintain their good health. How to prevent the ill-effect? To keep the compressors in excellent working condition, it is important that the intake air is as cleaner as possible. The intake pipe should be installed at such place where it is free from dirt or dust. It should be away from the exhaust pipe of a cooling or heating unit. The Dimension of the pipe should be kept as per the recommendation of the technical team. It is furthermore relevant when the air is drawn from some remote place. Incorrect dimension results in a drop in the pressure and reduction in the flow. An accurate pressure gauge should be installed so that pressure drop can be measured accurately. These simple tricks keep the intake air clean, and the air compressor gives the optimum performance.
Related Articles -
air compressors, mechanical compressors,
|