Compressor Maintenance
Oil Purification is Key to Reducing Compressor Operating Costs
Compressed air is often hailed as the “fourth utility,” indispensable to manufacturing operations much like electricity, water, and natural gas. In this realm, oil-flooded rotary screw compressors reign supreme for their cost-effectiveness despite their operational and maintenance expenses. The annual operating costs of rotary screw compressors stem from various factors: high energy consumption, pricey replacement…
Read MoreWater – the Scourge of Air Compressor Oils – Part 3
Protecting Compressor Oils & Components Against Water As mentioned earlier in this series, there is an endless supply of water available in the air to contaminate and attack compressor oils and internals and drive-up maintenance costs. But with proper oil selection, monitoring, and maintenance, water can be controlled, and serious problems associated with water contamination…
Read MoreWater – the Scourge of Air Compressor Oils – Part 2
The Problems Created by Water – Let’s Count the Ways! Water is an extremely challenging and complex contaminant. It negatively impacts compressor oils and internals in different ways which require different strategies to prevent or mitigate the damage that water can do. A partial list of the ways that water works to constantly attack air…
Read MoreWater – the Scourge of Air Compressor Oils – Part 1
Different States, Different Oils, Different Impacts Water is the most abundant molecule on the planet. It covers about 71% of the Earth’s surface as a liquid and occupies up to 4% of the air we breathe as a gas. So, it should come as no surprise that water is also found in all rotary screw…
Read MoreBenefits of Condition Based Maintenance versus Time Based Maintenance for Rotary Screw Air Compressors
Maintenance is an essential aspect of any machine or equipment’s life cycle. The two most commonly used maintenance strategies are “Preventative’ Time-Based Maintenance (TBM) and “Predictive” Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM). In this article, we will compare and contrast these two maintenance strategies, specifically in the context of rotary screw air compressors. Brief history of maintenance practices…
Read MoreUltra-Fine Filtration for Enhanced Air Compressor Reliability
More than 70% of all equipment failures can be attributed to lubricant contamination. As one leading air compressor OEM states, “Particulate contamination is the #1 enemy of air compressors…a surefire way to destroy your investment. It will reduce the life of the air end, the separator and the fluid, and will increase horsepower leading to…
Read MoreReduce Compressor Operating Costs with Oil Purification
Compressed air is often referred to as the “fourth utility”, and like electricity, water, and natural gas, is critical to most manufacturing operations. The prevalent type of air compressor used today to produce this utility is the oil-flooded rotary screw. These compressors are favored for their low capital cost yet can be quite expensive to…
Read MoreHow Acids Impact Air Compressor Reliability and Maintenance
It is impossible to talk about air compressor reliability and maintenance without discussing acids. Acids are the silent killer of oil-injected rotary screw air compressors and they’re lurking inside your compressors oil waiting to do harm. The root cause of most routine compressor maintenance, and many major repairs, can be directly traced back to acids. …
Read MoreAir Compressor Maintenance Best Practices
Is Your Compressor Maintenance Keeping Up with The Times? The compressed air experts at CAGI (Compressed Air & Gas Institute) warn users that “the methods, tools and quality of maintenance used in the past are no longer adequate in a contemporary production environment.” CAGI’s warning begs a very important question. Has your compressor maintenance kept…
Read MoreFive Reasons You Should Re-Think Preventative Air Compressor Maintenance
Replacing air compressor oil and parts using time based “preventative” maintenance is an outdated, inadequate, and wasteful practice: so why are you still doing it? Is your air compressor maintenance hurting your company’s bottom-line? Are you maintaining your compressors using the same methods and tools as 20-years ago, 50-years ago? If your company uses oil-injected rotary…
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