An air compressor converts power from electricity, gas, or other sources into potential energy in the form of pressurized air. The pressurized air can be released in a controlled way to provide the kinetic energy needed for its given application.
In principle, an air compressor’s design is relatively straightforward. Air is brought into a chamber by means of intake valves and thereupon pressurized by a reduction in the chamber’s volume. When energy is needed from the compressor, the pressurized air is released via a discharge valve.
There are several types of air compressors available on the market today. There are three common types of air compressors:
This blog post will mainly focus on the design and advantages provided by rotary vane compressors.
Rotary vane air compressors use centrifugal motion to pressurize the air. They are thus designed quite differently from compressors with reciprocating pistons—instead of utilizing a pumping motion to compress air, rotary vane machines employ a spinning technique.
All rotary vane compressors come equipped with a cylindrical rotor that is off-center from its housing. This rotor contains several partitions—or walls— that extend outwards towards the housing.
As air is drawn into the housing chamber via intake valves, the rotor spins around in a circular motion. As the rotor spins, its walls squeeze the air trapped between the rotor and the edge of the housing into progressively smaller spaces, which is why the rotor is offset from the center of the housing. This quickly pressurizes the air.
The now-pressurized air is funneled towards a discharge valve where it may be released and used by a manual operator or automated process. The rotor continues spinning, and the cycle repeats to maintain a steady flow of pressurized air.
There are several advantages provided by rotary vane air compressors, such as:
Rotary vane compressors are often compared to their closest counterpart, the rotary screw compressor. Each compressor has unique advantages and drawbacks. The following is a brief overview of some key differences between the two machines:
At Energy Machinery, we offer an extensive catalog of rotary vane compressors from Gardner Denver and other major compressor brands. We have provided world-class products and exceptional customer service to customers in a broad range of industries for almost five decades.
If you’d like to learn more about our selection of rotary vane compressors or any other products from
our catalog, please
contact us.
10 Reservoir Park Dr, Rockland, MA 02370 | 800-643-4330 | info@energymachineryportlandme.com