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Air compressor is commonly used in all types of industry, like chemical industry, oil and gas industry. A air compressor is common utility used in chemical industry.

The main purpose of an air compressor is to give the air or provide compressed air for any other kind of operation.

In this article we study about different types of air compressors used in industry, applications of air.

Air compressor

What is an air compressor?

An air compressor is a mechanical device or equipment which is used to compress the air into the air storage vessel. We can use this compressed air further for various purposes like for operating pneumatic valves and much more.

Types of air compressor

Air compressor further classified as,

Centrifugal compressor
Axial compressor
Rotary screw compressor

Reciprocating compressor

What are the main types of air compressors ?

The four types are , centrifugal air compressor,axial air compressor, reciprocating air compressor and rotary screw compressor.

Centrifugal air compressor

This type uses centrifugal force to compress the air into a vessel. We can get an oil free type of air if we use this type, this is the main advantage of the centrifugal type.

Axial air compressor
This is one of the dynamic types of air compressors. Which is also used in the Chemical industry.

Reciprocating air compressor — **Image credit – Chicago compressor**

Rotary screw compressor

This comes under the positive displacement types of compressor.This use vane or screw to compress the air. This is further classified as below.

Classification of rotary compressor.

Vane type
Screw type

Lob type
Liquid ring type

Reciprocating air compressor

This also comes under the positive displacement category of air compressor.This type use single acting or double acting piston movement to generate the air.

It further classified as,

Single acting type compressor
Double acting type of compressor

Diaphragm type compressor

Application of air compressor

An air compressor can be used in Variety of industries for different uses. Some of the applications are as below. Industry wise application of air compressor are,

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Chemical industry
Use in HPLC or GC

for instrument control like XV and control valve
Used to take pneumatic tests of equipment like reactors, distillation columns etc.
Use to produce the nitrogen.
Pharmaceutical industry
Use for GC and HPLC
Use as instrument air
Same as chemical industry
Hospital or health care
use to operate some auto equipment
Use to generate pure Oxygen

Selection of air compressor

is air compressor is utility used in chemical industry ?

Yes a compressor is utility used in chemical industry.

As we study early there are four types of air compressors available in the market. We need to choose one among them.There are some factors which we need to consider for the selection of air compressors.

Oil free type air compressor
Maintenance point of view
Operation point of view

Operation cost point of view

Conclusion

Air is used in almost all types of industry. Some industries use air to operate the instrument , to turn on and off the XV or Control valve etc. In hospitals air is used to produce oxygen and nitrogen. Oxygen is necessary for ICU type of patients.

There are different methods available to compress the air, like positive displacement and dynamic type mechanism.

What are the two categories of an air compressor.

The two main categories of compressors are positive displacement and dynamic type compressor.

What are the types of positive displacement compressors?

There two types, first is rotary compressor and second is reciprocating type.

What are the two types of dynamic compressors ?

The two types are , centrifugal type compressor and axial direction compressor.

Which is an oil free type of compressor ?

Centrifugal compressor is oil free type compressor.

3.3 Types of air compressor