Air Compressor

[quej2003]

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

 

[pmover]

a simpler solution is to obtain an air compressor from the local hardware store that delivers the pressure and capacity needed.

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

 

[Montemayor]

quej2003:

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.