Supply Side
The supply side comprises all equipment responsible for generating compressed air in your facility.
Start Here
Before talking about compressors, it's important to understand the fundamentals:
- Pneumatics Fundamentals - The power of air, gas behavior, basic principles
- The Atmosphere - Your raw material: composition, humidity, contaminants
- Air Quality ISO 8573-1 - Purity classification and industry requirements
- Units of Measurement - PSI, bar, SCFM, ACFM and more
Main Equipment
Compressors
Compressors are the heart of any compressed air system. They transform electrical energy into pneumatic energy.
Main types:
- Rotary screw compressors - For continuous operation and variable loads
- Piston compressors - For intermittent applications
- Scroll compressors - For clean air applications
- Centrifugal compressors - For large air volumes
Blowers
Equipment designed to move large volumes of air at low pressure.
Common applications:
- Wastewater treatment
- Pneumatic conveying
- Combustion processes
Vacuum Pumps
Generate pressures below atmospheric for suction applications.
Types:
- Rotary vane pumps
- Liquid ring pumps
- Dry screw pumps
Key Efficiency Factors
- Proper sizing - Avoid oversizing
- Variable speed drives (VSD) - Match production to demand
- Preventive maintenance - Maintain equipment efficiency
- Continuous monitoring - Detect problems early