What is a Reciprocating or Piston Air Compressor?
Reciprocating compressors (also called piston compressors) are commonly used to move air under elevated pressure. The main components of a compressor are one or more cylinders, and a piston that moves within the cylinder, just like in an internal combustion engine. The action of compressed air will also cause its temperature to rise.
How does a Reciprocating or Piston Air Compressor work?
When the piston is drawn backward, air is drawn into the cylinder through the intake valve (or multiple valves), and then discharged through the exhaust valve at a certain pressure when the piston returns. The piston moves through a crankshaft, which can be powered by an electric motor, a airoline engine, or any other suitable rotary power source. Cylinders are usually paired on opposite sides of the crankshaft, so the movement of the pistons are relative to each other.
What are the main parts of a Reciprocating or Piston Air Compressor?
The piston compressor consists of a crankshaft, oil filter, oil pump, four connecting rods, pistons, cylinders, and valve assemblies. As the crankshaft rotates, the pistons move up and down. As they move down, a vacuum is created above the piston which allows the reed valve to open and fill the area above the piston with air.
Which industry does a Reciprocating or Piston Air Compressor apply to?
Reciprocating compressors have many uses in industry, including natural air processing and transportation, chemical plants and oil refineries. Compressed air also plays an important role in refrigeration technology. In compression technology, subsequent re-expansion of the air will produce the required cooling effect. In various environments such as diving, dental surgery, car repair shops, and agriculture, many compressed air applications use reciprocating compressors. Pneumatic (pneumatic) tools, such as electric drills and angle grinders, are important in the industry because they are generally lighter and safer than tools with electric motors.
The size and power options provided by the reciprocating piston design can meet any household needs. Reciprocating piston air compressors are the most common type of compressor you will see, especially when used in any small store or home. These work by reducing the space containing air and increasing the air pressure.
What are the effectiveness of a Reciprocating or Piston Air Compressor?
Reciprocating/Piston air compressors are considered the most energy-efficient compressors in most applications except most applications involving small amounts of air. However, they tend to have higher maintenance requirements than certain other types of compressors, so cost calculations need to strike a balance between energy and maintenance costs. A major maintenance issue is the need to prevent air from leaking through the piston head, which means that the piston ring needs to be replaced regularly.
Ionic liquid piston compressor
In this new type of reciprocating/piston compressor, the piston that compresses the air is not made of metal, but of ionic liquid. Ionic liquid is a kind of fluid salt, and its application in compression technology is largely due to the latest work of British scientists. The liquid piston greatly reduces the need for seals and bearings, and greatly improves the efficiency of the compressor. This technology is particularly effective in dealing with highly volatile aires such as hydrogen, and may become more and more important in the future.
Comparing reciprocating piston compressor with screw compressor:
1. The piston engine has many vulnerable parts such as valve, piston, piston ring, connecting rod bush, etc., and the reliability of continuous operation is poor. On the one hand, it will affect production, and on the other hand, it will increase maintenance and management costs.
2. Compared with the screw machine, the efficiency of the piston machine is low, especially for long-term continuous operation, its economy is worse. Since there are many vulnerable parts in the compression chamber of the piston machine, the wear and damage of these vulnerable parts will cause greater leakage during air compression, and ultimately reduce the efficiency of the compressor. Since there are no wearing parts that affect the efficiency of the screw compressor, the pair of rotors for compression will not be worn due to the characteristics of their own structure, so the economy of long-term continuous operation is far better than that of a piston compressor.
3. The piston compressor is a reciprocating motion mechanism, and there is an inertia force that cannot be eliminated. Therefore, it has high vibration and high noise during operation. The installation of a larger piston machine requires a special fixed foundation. The screw machine is a rotary motion mechanism with good balance, low vibration, low noise, no foundation installation, and at the same time avoiding pollution to the working environment.
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4. The screw machine is a highly centralized product with an overall structure, with a small footprint, without the complicated piping system of the piston machine, and a simple and beautiful appearance.
How to choose a right reciprocating or piston air compressor?
The correct compressor depends on many factors, but in a nutshell. If you use compressed air for a long time and want to reduce energy costs, then a direct drive model is the right choice.
Regardless of the technology used, choosing the right compressor for your application is critical. This will optimize performance and save money in terms of energy, maintenance and service.
For reciprocating compressors, there are two options-belt drive and direct drive. In order to select compressed air correctly, it is important to understand the difference between the two.
Understand the needs
When determining the type of compressor belt drive or direct drive, the requirements for any given application will play an important role.
The factors to be considered are as follows:
1. Pressure and Flow
2. Duty Cycle and duration of use
3. Environment
4. Maintenance
5. Energy efficiency
If you want to learn more, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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