Air compressors are the silent heroes of the world. There are a lot of air compressor uses that go beyond commercial purposes. Yep, even at your own home, you’re probably using air compressors already. For example, your air conditioning units and refrigerators are installed with this equipment, it just comes in a different size.
Different air compressor machines have different capabilities. The wide range of air compressors available in the market are classified into three categories: consumer, contractor, and commercial.
Now that you have a brief background of what air compressors are used for, let’s explore the different grades and functions that these units can do.
Different Air Compressor Grades
There are three different categories of air compressors. They’re classified by PSI (pounds per square inch) and CFM (cubic feet per minute).
In this section, we’ll talk more about the various categories.
Consumer
Consumer-grade air compressors are light-duty units that have been engineered for personal use.
These types of air compressors’ capabilities range between 100 to 150 PSI and 1 to 5 CFM.
Contractor
Contractor air compressors are medium-duty units that are made for professionals. Although, they’re still portable enough to transfer between sites.
These types of air compressors’ capabilities range between 150 to 250 PSI and 5 to 10 CFM.
Commercial
Commercial-grade air compressors are the most powerful of the three. It is utilized by businesses for daily use. These are typically installed on-site for permanent placement.
Commercial-grade air compressor capabilities go beyond 250 PSI and 10 CFM.
Uses of Air Compressors
Air compressors are utilized by dozens of industries. Here are some of its most common uses:
Painting
Applying paint to large surfaces in a swift manner can be accomplished with an air compressor. Auto body shops and house painters often use this tool to speed up their jobs.
Medical Application
In the medical industry, air compressors play a vital part in refilling oxygen tanks and cleaning surgical instruments.
Sandblasting
Sandblasting different materials such as wood, concrete, and metal can easily be accomplished with an air compressor.
With the help of this tool, removing contaminants, paint, and rust from a surface can be done effortlessly.
Drilling
In construction sites, power drills are used to drill holes into different materials.
Powering Pneumatic Tools
Aside from drilling applications, construction sites also make use of air compressors to power other tools. Pneumatic tools such as nail guns, saws, and wrenches are often used in wet environments where electric tools would not be safe to use.
Connected to an air compressor, pneumatic tools can ensure that work site operations proceed as normal even without electric tools.
Food Packaging
The food and beverage industry makes use of air compressors to ensure that their products are vacuum-sealed for freshness and safety. With an air compressor, large producers in the food and beverage industry can sell their products without having to worry about compromising quality.
Inflating Tires
Whether it’s inflating bicycles, cars, or construction equipment, an air compressor can help you do the job.
Breaking Terrain
With the help of an air compressor, power equipment like jackhammers is brought to life and speeds up the process of breaking up rough terrain.
Types of Air Compressors
There are five different types of air compressor machines that you’ll encounter on the market. Here they are:
Reciprocating Compressors
Reciprocating compressors are the most common type of air compressor. It uses pistons to compress air in one step or two steps.
Rotary Screw Compressors
Rotary screw compressors have two rotating screws that compress air. This type of compressor can produce a high volume of compressed air in a short period.
Positive Displacement Compressors
Positive displacement compressors generate air by displacing external air into its internal tank. From there, it will slowly increase air pressure.
Rotary Vane Compressors
Rotary vane compressors have vanes inside the chamber to compress air. It’s a less efficient type compared to a rotary screw compressor.
Centrifugal Compressors
Centrifugal compressors make use of centrifugal force to compress air. It’s a very efficient type of air compressor.
Axial Compressors
Axial compressors use rotating airfoils to compress the gas. It’s commonly found in high-flow applications like gas turbines, jet engines, and wind turbines.
Purchasing a Reliable Air Compressor
Now that you know the different uses of air compressors, it’s time for you to decide on a unit that’ll suit your company’s needs.
If you need any help deciding, make sure to reach out to us at CMI Equipment for guidance.
