Selecting the Right Air Compressor for Tire Inflation: Balancing Power and Portability

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Selecting the Right Air Compressor for Tire Inflation: Balancing Power and Portability

Air compressors are multi-purpose equipment and are put to a wide range of uses at home, businesses and factories. For instance, given the power they generate, they can be used for inflating your car tires to maintain an optimum air pressure. However, it is important to know which air compressor is right for which type of tire. VEMC is the top compressor dealer in Mumbai, and in this blog, we tell you how to select the right air compressor for inflating your car tires.

Factors to consider when choosing a tire inflator

  1. Flow rate: This refers to the volume of air that will be compressed and pushed into a tire during a certain span of time. If your vehicle has large tires, it is advisable to use an air compressor with a higher flow rate. Pick-up trucks and SUVs typically require inflators with higher flow rates.
  2. Maximum pressure: Bigger tires can take too long to inflate if your air compressor isn’t generating enough air pressure. Look for a compressor that can offer a pressure of 100-150 PSI to fill your tires fast. This is especially helpful if you’re running a car workshop or a tire factory. 
  3. Portability: Air compressors that operate wirelessly are more handy and portable as compared to the wired ones. These run on rechargeable batteries and do not require any external power supply. These are the best choice and provide a lot of freedom to users if they need to move around too much to inflate a number of vehicles.
  4. Power source: Inflators can either be electric or battery-operated. The latter are more flexible to use as they can be moved around without hassles. However, for longer operations at one location, some users may prefer an electric tire inflator.

Selecting the right balance between power and portability

When it comes to selecting the right air compressor, power and portability appear to be the most visible trade-off. For instance, what typically determines the output of an air compressor is its tank. Bigger the tank, more air it can store and greater will be its productivity. However, it will lower the portability of the air compressor as it may make it bigger and heavier. 

In case you wish to move or travel around with your air compressor, portability becomes an important feature to consider. However, if most of your operations are stationary, it would be much better to look for higher capacity and power.

Safety precautions for tire inflation

Tire inflation can be a slightly dicey task if the right precautions aren’t taken:

  1. It must only be performed by trained personnel.
  2. Read and follow all the product warnings and procedures on your inflator.
  3. Always use inflation cages/restraining devices.
  4. Always center the wheel in an upright position inside an inflation cage.
  5. Wear adequate protective gear while inflating the tires.
  6. Never stand in the trajectory zone.

For more on using your air compressors for inflating your tires, feel free to call us on 022 43436655 or email us at marketing@vemc.co.in. VEMC is the leading ELGi dealer in Mumbai with a rich experience of over 70 years in the industry.

Compressed Air System Piping: Design Considerations for Pressure Drop Reduction

Compressed air is a major source of power in an industrial setting. But to get the most out of your air compressor system, you need to make sure all the ancillaries are well-designed and installed. Piping is an essential support system which plays a huge role in how well your compressed air system performs overall. We at VEMC are a top-notch ELGi dealer in Mumbai and in this blog, we tell you all you need to know about the design consideration of your piping to reduce the pressure drop in your air compressor system.

Factors contributing to pressure drop in piping

  1. Pipe diameter: This is one of the most obvious factors that impacts the pressure of the compressed air in the piping. Pipe diameter impacts the velocity of the air moving through the pipes. To put it simply, larger the pipe diameter, lesser will be the pressure for a given volume of air.
  2. Length of the pipe: Longer the pipe, greater will be the friction loss and hence lesser will be the pressure exerted by the compressed air. Pressure drop is thus directly proportional to the pipe length.
  3. Material: The friction that the moving air particles experience against the walls of the piping also contributes significantly to the drop in pressure. Thus, the material of the piping walls will also determine the extent of pressure drop.
  4. Fittings: How the piping is designed and fitted is an important factor that affects the drop in pressure. A highly complicated design with too many bends will reduce greater amount of air pressure as compared to a more straightforward one.

Strategies to minimise pressure drop

Now that we have understood what factors cause drop in pressure, let’s take a look at how to avoid or at least minimise it.

  1. Appropriate pipe sizing: Make sure the pipes are of the right size in terms of both length and diameter. Both long as well as broad pipes can cause unnecessary drop in pressure.
  2. Avoid unnecessary bends and restrictions: As much as possible, the piping design should be simple and straightforward. Too many bends and restrictions can also cause a drop in pressure due to greater friction.
  3. Use smooth-surfaced pipes: As mentioned above, friction of air particles with the internal surface of the pipes can also reduce the pressure of the compressed air. It is therefore advisable to use smooth-surfaced material for your piping.

It is quite clear that not only does the power and capacity of your air compressor matter but also the overall system and piping design. With the right piping design and installation, you can maintain optimum performance by reducing drop in pressure.

For more expert advice on your air compressor systems, feel free to call us on 022 43436655 or email us at marketing@vemc.co.in. We at VEMC are the leading ELGi compressor dealer in Mumbai with a wide array of air compressor options available to meet your needs.