Piston Compressors Explained: How They Work and Their Key Benefits
An air compressor is the fourth utility, after electricity, water, and gas. It is crucial for the uninterrupted operations of manufacturing facilities, workshops, and industrial plants.
If you are in the market to buy the best air compressor for your specific application, you must understand the different types, how they work, and the key benefits.
While there are different types of compressors, piston air compressors stand out from the rest. In this blog, we discuss piston compressors in detail to help you make the right choice.
What is A Piston Air Compressor?
A piston air compressor is highly sought after in the industrial and manufacturing world. The ease of operation, cost-effectiveness, as well as high performance & safety standards make piston air compressors a utility addition for businesses.
Also known as a reciprocating air compressor, it applies the principle of positive displacement to convert atmospheric air to compressed air. The presence of pistons, attached to a crankshaft, is the most significant feature of reciprocating compressors.
How Does A Piston Compressor Work?
As mentioned earlier, the crankshaft-driven piston is the major component driving a reciprocating compressor's efficiency. The working mechanism of piston air compressors is simple yet effective.
The pistons, powered by crankshafts, move back and forth. Why is this motion important? When the piston goes down, it draws atmospheric air into the compressor. Now, when the piston goes up, the volume decreases, increasing the pressure.
The compressed air is then safely stored in a storage tank where initial moisture and oil removal occurs. An important thing to consider is that a piston air compressor has something called a rest period.
The duration of the rest period is determined by the compressor's duty cycle. If a piston air compressor can work for 6 minutes under stress and must rest for 4 minutes to prevent overheating, its duty cycle would be considered 60%.
A 10-minute period is a standard duration used to measure duty cycle percentage for maximum accuracy.
What Are The Key Benefits of Piston Compressors
The several competitive advantages that piston compressors offer make them highly sought after despite the rise in popularity of screw air compressors. Here are some of the key benefits of piston compressors.
Cost Effective
It costs you significantly less upfront to get your hands on a top-of-the-line piston air compressor. If you are a small or medium-sized business with a limited budget, a piston air compressor is the perfect choice. Cost-effective, high-quality, reliable! Limited budget? No problem.
High Pressure
While one-stage piston compressors are impressive, you can further meet the need for higher pressure by sourcing two-stage piston compressors.
Two-stage compressors mean the air is compressed twice within the unit before being discharged to power end-use tools. While piston air compressors are criticised for their lack of continuous supply, people often don't mention the impressively higher PSI they offer.
Ease of Use
If you are looking for an air compressor that offers hassle-free operations, piston air compressors are the perfect choice. They are easier to understand, operate, and maintain. Owing a piston air compressor from a reputable brand can remove a lot of stress from your daily operations.
Perfect For Intermittent Use
Workshops, garages, and service centres use air compressors intermittently. So, why spend extra bucks sourcing screw air compressors that operate non-stop? If you wish to add some operational flexibility, buying a piston air compressor is a good idea.
Portability
You will often see piston compressors being used on construction sites and remote locations. This is because the piston compressors are available in compact, portable designs. The mobility and efficiency make piston compressors highly sought after.
Lower Energy Consumption
For short-run, intermittent consumption, piston air compressors consume less energy compared to rotary screw compressors.
Part Availability
Since piston air compressors are widely used, the replacement parts and components are easily available. This automatically means lower downtime, inexpensive repairs, and stress-free maintenance.
Conclusion
It is important to source piston compressors from reputable suppliers like SL Engineering in Perth, WA. Their home air compressor brand, Pneumark, is widely considered one of the best in Australia. Their piston air compressors in Perth are larger and specifically designed to withstand Western Australia's tough weather conditions.
