Compressed air is useful in many different ways, with both direct and indirect applications being common. When it comes to Compressors PA buyers can rely upon local suppliers like Air Center Inc. to offer products that suit their needs well. There are a variety of different kinds of compressors on the market, each with its distinctive advantages.
Many Different Types of Compressors to Choose From
Every compressor works by taking in some amount of air and squeezing it into a smaller space than it occupies at atmospheric pressure. There are quite a few different ways to go about that in mechanical terms, and each of these has certain benefits and drawbacks. The Compressors PA companies most often sell feature designs including:
- Reciprocating piston.
- Looking much like Otto-cycle internal combustion engines, reciprocating compressors are the most common of all. One of the key benefits of this popular design is that anyone who can work on a conventional engine will be familiar with the basics. Reciprocating compressors also tend to be fairly inexpensive, partly due to being able to reuse components originally intended for gas-burning engines. On the other hand, the noise typical of reciprocating compressors combines with fairly high maintenance requirements to make them undesirable in certain cases.
- Helical screw.
- Some compressors include specially designed screws inscribed with spiral grooves. Air is taken in at one end of the screw and then squeezed into an increasingly small space as the part rotates. Compressors with helical screw pressurizing systems tend to be quite quiet compared to those of most other designs. Another important benefit of this type of compressor is that most can run for many hours without needing to be given a rest.
- Scrolling.
- Another popular compressor design sees two spiral-shaped scrolls coordinating to compress air that is drawn between them. The volumetric efficiency of this kind of compressor is its single most notable feature.
Plenty of Compressor Options Await
As those who click here will see, there are other types of compressors that are commonly sold and used in Pennsylvania. Consulting with an expert regarding the suitability of particular designs for the desired application will normally make the best choice quite clear right away.