Vital Information About Reciprocating Air Compressor

By Author: Cruz Martin
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Reciprocating air compressor is a positive displacement machine which minimizes the volume of air to boost its pressure. The pressurized air is stored in a big steel vessel and discharged at the point-of-use via a steel pipe joined with a control valve.

As pressurized air has several uses in modern industries, reciprocating air compressors are in huge demand. Their tough construction and ability to perform consistently for extended hours has made them an industrial workhorse. There are two kinds of reciprocating air compressors:

Single Stage Air Compressor

A single stage air compressor possesses one, two or three compression cylinders of similar bore size, wherein piston(s) compress the air as opposed to the cylinder head to increase its pressure and discharge it in storage tank. Generally this kind of compressor is utilized where medium pressure is essential such as operating pneumatic tools, spray painting, fuel atomization for boiler, blow molding, filtration process in chemical industry, and drive pneumatic nailers, staplers and other identical types of machines.

Two stage Air Compressors

In ...
... two stage air compressors, the air is compressed twice prior to sending it to air receiver tank. The atmospheric air is filtered and sucked into low pressure (LP) cylinder via an inlet valve. The reciprocating movement of piston in the cylinder compresses the air to increase its pressure. As compression enhances air temperature, it is passed via an intercooler (heat exchanger) wherein the water absorbs the heat from the compressed air for cooling it prior to sending it to high pressure (HP) cylinder for further compression. This is done for minimizing air temperature and improvising the efficiency of the complete compression cycle. The bore of the high pressure cylinder is less than LP cylinder and this design assists to raise the pressure further, sans any increase in power for compression stroke.

There are two kinds of reciprocating air compressors depending on their design. They are:

Reciprocating horizontal balance opposed piston water cooled compressor – In this kind of compressor both the cylinders, LP and HP are put in horizontal position against each other and operated by a same crankshaft activated by an electric motor.

Reciprocating vertical balance opposed water cooled compressor – This is also twin cylinder compressor with HP and LP cylinders positioned in vertical direction against each other.

You too can avail the benefits of a reciprocating air compressor. Amongst the various firms manufacturing reciprocating air compressors in Mt. Isa, Queensland, Mitech Air and Allied Services is the leading one. It not only offers products of reputed brands such as Kubota, Pilot, Atlas Copco, Shinano and several others, but it also develops and manufactures customized solutions for any type of industrial need that involves putting air and water to work.

Mitech Air and Allied Services also manufactures several Pressure Cleaners, Vaccum Cleaners, Heaters, Generators and other equipments beneficial for residential, commercial and industrial space. It provides scheduled maintenance services and breakdown repairs for all products it sells for ensuring that its clients enjoy hassle-free ownership.