In the field of Air-Compressors, two types of compressors are being used :
- Oil-flooded or Oil-injected Air-Compressors (Oil-injected Screw, Oil-flooded vane compressors)
- Oil-free Compressors (Oil-free Screw, Turbo Compressors, Piston Compressors, Water Injected Screw and Oil-free Scroll Compressors, Membrane Compressors).
The Oil-flooded Air-compressors leave 2-10ppm of oil in the compressed air. This can be droplets, fumes, aerosols which are not captured in the Oil-seperator and Oil-filters. The compressed air leaving the compressor contains 2-10ppm of oil.
The quantity of Oil-content in the compressed Air depends on the ambient temperature. The Oil-content increases exponential with the increase of temperature. In areas of the world, where temperatures are on avg above 25-35deg C, the amount of Oil-carry-over content being emitted to the environment is huge.
1. All Compressors should be Oil-free Compressors
The Oil-carry over is happening in an uncontrolled way because the compressed air used is exhausted in the environment as well as the Oil-carry over.
The use of filters to come to the 2-10 ppm is important. The Oil-injected screw/vane compressors have a vessel with an Oil-seperator element inside which needs to be replaced every 2000-4000 hrs. After the Oil-seperator, Oil-filters are placed to capture further the oil-content. The Oil-filters contain cartridges which need to be replaced every 2000 hrs.
After the aftercooler of the compressor, free water is being produced. Depending on the humidity, the amount of condensate will varry. The condensate is a mixture of Oil and water. The condensate has to be captured into the condensate trap, seperating Oil and water. The condensate cannot be disposed into the sink, but needs to be treated before disposal.
The Oil used to inject into the air-compressor, which is mixed with the air needs to be replaced every 2000hrs. Some oils can extend to 4000hrs, but most owners, replace much faster to avoid any damage.
The total amount of waste consist of the disposal of Oil, Oil-seperator, filter cartridges, condensate and uncontrolled disposal of Oil into the nature.
With an Oil-free compressor, none of this waste is being produced. The total cost of compressed air, when using an efficient and low maintenance Oil-free compressor, is lower and the waste produced is much lower. Still needs to replace intake air-filter and some smaller filters.
VISION AND BELIEVES
