What Type Of Oil Should You Put In Your Commercial Screw Compressor?

Just as parts of your car and other appliances need to be lubricated in order to perform properly, so does your air compressor. But how can you tell what kind of oil is suitable for your air compressor, particularly a commercial screw compressor? To understand this, let’s first take a look at the role of air compressor oil.

Air compressor oil is a lubricant that helps to reduce the early wear and tear of air compressors. It can either be synthetic or natural and varies in characteristics like makeup and viscosity. It is important to note that air compressor oil is different from motor oil. For one, the latter contains detergent and much more carbon and sulfur.

Apart from lubrication, the benefits of using air compressor oil are many:

1. Absorbs heat

The oil keeps the air compressor at a cooler temperature by soaking in the heat that is emitted.

2. Resisting oxidation

The additives present in air compressor oil help keep the oxidation and acid formation processes at bay.

3. Improves longevity

The additives in air compressor oil also play a role in lengthening its shelf life, keeping the components of the machine protected when in standby mode, and increasing the compatibility of the oil with various conditions.

4. Stands up to the cold

Air compressor oil remains viscous even in cool temperatures, unlike many other lubricants.

The two main types of air compressor oil are standard and synthetic

  1. The standard type of air compressor oil contains a mineral oil base. This makes it cheaper than synthetic and is advisable for light or medium-duty and those who need not use their compressors continuously.
  2. On the other hand, synthetic air compressor oil contains a heavily processed and refined synthetic base. As a professional who runs an air compressor more than thrice a week, this is a suitable option for you. What’s more, synthetic oil keeps the air compressor functioning smoothly and with little to no noise. It also does a good job of preventing it from overheating.

For commercial screw compressors, it is best to use synthetic oil. These do not contain additives or sulfur that can often produce an unwanted buildup on the valves. They are also consumed at a slower rate than the standard kind, help to prolong the life span of the compressor, and stay cooler during operations. What’s more, they create fewer deposits of sludge and carbon that can adversely affect the performance of the machine, and produce air discharge at lower temperatures than standard oil. Synthetic oil also makes for safer operating conditions as its ignition temperatures are much higher than standard oil.

Suffice to say, synthetic oil is the best choice to keep your commercial screw compressor performing optimally.

ELGi Air Lube Oil provides an effective solution to suit various applications and work environments. You can choose this carefully formulated oil as a reliable way to meet your needs in different operating conditions.

VEMC is an authorized dealer of Elgi air compressors and provides end-to-end solutions for all your industrial energy requirements. Guided by more than 72 years of industry expertise, we aim to offer you specialized support in this space. VEMC is ISO 9001:2015 certified and a pioneer in the field of electromechanical engineering products, allied equipment, and services. Please feel free to contact us at +91 98199 07445, and we will be happy to assist you.

Top 5 Ways To Minimise Your Compressed Air Costs

Air compression if not done with proper checks, maintenance, and energy audits could turn out to be a fairly costly affair. To control costs of air compression effectively, you must follow a checklist of critical factors. While most of these factors fall under your regular maintenance procedures, some require your special attention. In this blog, we take you through the most important measures meant to control costs while you compress air at your facility.

  • Avoid unnecessary running: The biggest overhead cost associated with air compressors is the energy cost. There is one simple trick that you can use to tackle this upfront: turn it off! Air compressors at most facilities are used during the business hours and yet these are often found running until late evening. This wastes precious hours of electricity and adds to your energy bills.
  • Look for leakages: Leakages in the piping can cause loss of air pressure although the energy expended on compressing the air might remain the same. This means that you are using the same amount of energy but getting lesser work done. It is extremely important to look for leakages due to corrosion, pipe breakage, sludge, and dust particles in the piping regularly. Keeping the piping clean reduces the likelihood of leakages caused by corrosion.
  • Use the right pressure levels: Using the compressor at pressure levels beyond your requirement can cause wastage of energy. One reason for turning up the pressure could be compensating for the loss of pressure due to leakages, clogged filters, and other piping problems.
  • Use proper piping infrastructure: Using the right piping infrastructure that determines the direction and pattern of flow of compressed air is essential. A variety of factors play a role in this regard. Getting the compressed air to the focal point through a short pipe can optimise pressure and reduce energy use. Similarly, reducing the diameter of the pipe can help increase air pressure, work on the focal point effectively, and reduce energy consumption significantly.
  • Recover heat: The heat generated as part of the compression process can be used for a number of productive purposes. These include warming the rooms or producing hot water in washrooms. This could indirectly reduce the energy that would otherwise be consumed by geysers and radiators, especially in colder regions.
  • Ensure proper maintenance: By and large, proper maintenance helps reduce operational costs in more ways than one. In fact, preventive maintenance is less expensive than breakdown maintenance which could result in halting of operations and loss of business.

These insights can help keep a check on the energy, operations, and maintenance costs of compressing air at your facility. 

For further assistance on air compressors, feel free to contact us on +919819907445. We would be glad to assist you in finding the best match based on your requirements. As one of the leading ELGi air compressor dealers, VEMC provides end-to-end services to its clients. VEMC is ISO 9001:2015 certified and is a pioneer in the field of electromechanical engineering products, allied equipment, and services.

Industrial Air Compressor: Application, Uses & Working

Industry-used air compressors are very different from your regular home-used air compressor. If you are unaware of industrial air compressors’ features and capabilities, it would be tough to use them in the industry.

How does compressed air work? 

The compressed air basics are apparent. Compressed air is only air that is held under pressure more significant than the atmosphere. Compressed air technology has been around for decades, but it has progressed like any other technology. It is commonly used commercially and residentially, but compressed air technology’s industrial applications are enormous.

 An air compressor functions similarly to that of your car engine. Pistons press down on a combination of air and gasoline in your car engine. The mixture compresses and then ignites, which generates energy. An air compressor does the same thing, in the simplest form. A piston forces air down in the compressor, pressurizes it, and stores it in the underlying tank. The air compressor used today can hold vast quantities of pressurized air in its tanks because of technology.

Most Common Industry Applications

Air compressors are used in various industrial applications, from the production of pharmaceuticals and food and beverages to nuclear power and the production of chemicals and petrochemicals. The design, engineering, and service capabilities provide a broad cross-section of industries with efficient operations and cost savings. Industries that routinely use highly compressed air volumes include the following:

Petrochemical / Chemical

Chemical & petrochemical plants require compressed air of very high quality. Additionally, these plants also choose inherently safe systems regardless of the unsafe environments that might occur.

Pharmaceutical

As with the chemical and petrochemical industries, there are stringent criteria for compressed air for pharmaceutical applications. It is essential to provide compressed air of the highest quality, especially when the air contacts raw materials or finished products.

Food and Beverage

Again, the Food and Beverage Industries demand high-purity air supplied consistently as with pharmaceuticals. The atmosphere that could come into contact with the substance of food or drink must be safe.

Manufacturing

In general, compressed air quality may vary widely in manufacturing applications, depending on the use. Some applications need an air of general-purpose, while others require a mixture of general-purpose and instrument grades of higher quality.

Metal Manufacturing

Air compressors are used for several processes at the finishing end at metal production plants. Pressurized air is used as newly shaped metals take shape to power the pneumatic tools that cut raw metal supplies into measured lengths and specified conditions. The grinding tools that smooth out and clean the surfaces of metal items are often used by air compressors to power them.

 Ships Building

The shipbuilding processes involve a complex arsenal of instruments and machinery, many of which depend on air compressors. Air-powered tools are used to cut the pieces, smooth the surfaces, refine the edges, and attach separate components into one during shipbuilding phases where the parts are made. Further rounds of pneumatic tools are used after the assembly stages to paint and apply finishes to different naval vessel details.

Uses

Energy Air is, first of all, used to store and transfer energy for mechanical work. It is used to power pneumatic manufacturing machinery, air-operated lathe chucks, pressure clean parts, and manufacturing to convey or cool components.

On the other hand, active air is needed as a dynamic and integral part of a specific method. In this situation, the air comes into contact with the product; the air quality is, therefore, essential.  The air compressor dealers in Navi Mumbai ensure clean, dry air quality, or CDA quality for short, is improved using oil-free compressors and treating the air using one of the many quality air tools available.