Air Compressor Types - How They Work?

Swift Equipment Air compressors are mechanical devices that increase the pressure of the air or fuel by reducing its mass. An air compressor in simple terms is a special kind of fuel compressor. A typical compressor works with the help of a cylinder which releases the gas to the compressor pump. Since the size of these mechanisms is relatively small, they can be used for varied purposes.

Smaller compressors are generally known as mini air compressors, while those which have greater capacity are generally identified as tank compressors. In addition, there are two different types of compressors namely, the single-stage and the multi-stage reciprocating compressor. The latter is considered to be more superior and powerful than the single-stage type. This type releases gas in one single stream instead of multiple streams. For more details about this product, click on this link: https://swiftequipment.com/diesel-air-compressors.html.

Since these mechanisms use air or oil for lubrication, it is necessary to check if the pump is properly oiled. If not, excessive wear and tear can result, leading to faulty operation and even the rupture of the pump. Oil-injected compressors tend to run smoother as compared to oil-free compressors. Oil-injected pumps also help in the extraction of additional fuel from the vehicle's combustion oil in case the engine simply runs out of oil.

Jetted air compressors are preferred over rotary or reciprocating compressors mainly because they do not require oil for lubrication and do not leak oil when working. They also feature internal baffles and oil galleries to aid in the intake and exhaust of the fuel. Jetted compressors do not suffer from these problems since the intake and exhaust ports are located in the rear of the vehicle. Rotary compressors on the other hand require oil for lubrication and also have baffle plates on their intake port in order to aid in the intake of oil.

The most common type of air-compressors are screw compressors. These mechanisms are normally used with a gearbox that provides energy in the form of torque to the pump when air and or oil are compressed by the screw shaft. They have the added benefit of having a sealed oil cooling system which eliminates any leakage of oil during operation.

Rotary screw compressors have two basic types: positive displacement and negative displacement. Positive displacement pump uses the principle of centrifugal compression. The pump rotates at a very high velocity, while the air or oil flows past it. As the pump rotates, its shaft gets closer to the walls of the tank. As the rotation continues, the distance between the walls of the tank gets smaller. The slower the speed of the rotary screw pump, the larger the amount of oil leaked. If you want to know more about this topic, then click here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressed_air.