Air Compressor
Air Compressor
(OP)
I am hoping to design an Air Compressor in the near future with an output of about 7 litres/second and a pressure of 6 bar, for a small garage/perhaps workshop, I was wondering what are generally the main design critiera for such things?
Robbie
Robbie





RE: Air Compressor
other than capacity and pressure requirements, are there any air quality issues? as far a compressor design criteria, materials of construction, piston/cylinder geometry, air intake, air exhaust, heat removal, lubrication, bearings, surface finishes of wear parts, etc. to get you started.
good luck!
-pmover
RE: Air Compressor
pmover's comments are not only practical, but they address your specific specification(s):
1) 15 cfm of actual air capacity is very, very small;
2) because of the small capacity, your position is quickly relegated to one of accepting what the present market offers (or put your own package together, using used equipment);
3) the market for this capacity is a single stage unit with a compression ratio of 7 - a high one that will generate a high discharge temperature;
4) the compressor will undoubtedly be air-cooled and relatively inefficient - but that comes with the size of unit.
I would be concerned with the required air receiver you will need for workshop applications. I would also plan to do timely maintenance on this small unit because it's construction will be "competitive" - cheap. If pmover's reminder of other issues is a main point, then I would rather hunt for a small, industrial-grade, used machine through the Internet and put it together myself. A Quincy, I-R, or similar type of 1960-1980 vintage would be a much more rugged machine than those coming out of China (or elsewhere) today. You might even be able to pick up a used, 2-stage model and simply slow it down by modifying the v-belt pulley size. This would be much safer with regards to discharge temperature and reduced maintenance.