Oil-free compressed air has been used in industries for several decades now where contaminant-free air is required. Traditional compressed air systems use lubricated compressors that require oil for piston operation and cooling.
This Oil Free Air Compressor gets entrained in the discharged air causing contamination. Several industries like food & beverage processing, pharmaceuticals and semiconductor manufacturing require ultra-clean and oil-free compressed air. For such applications, oil-free compressors were developed that do not require oil lubrication.
Different Types of Oil Free Air Compressor Industry
There are mainly three types of oil-free compressors used in industries:
– Scroll Compressors: These utilize two interleaved spiral wraps that rotate against each other to progressively decrease the volume between them and increase the pressure of the trapped air. Being hermetically sealed, they do not require any oil for lubrication.
– Reciprocating Piston Compressors: Special lubricants are used instead of oil that do not contaminate the compressed air. Packing seals the compressed air from oil lubricated parts.
– Rotary Screw Compressors: They use magnetic bearing technology that eliminates the need for oil lubrication around the rotors. Dry compressed air without any oil contamination is produced.
Advantages of Oil-Free Compressed Air
Oil-free compressed air systems provide several process and quality benefits:
– No Risk of Contamination: Oil lubrication is eliminated, ensuring the compressed air does not contaminate sensitive products or processes. This is essential for applications like food, pharmaceuticals etc.
– Improved Quality: Oil-free compressed air allows usage of compressed air directly for applications requiring ultra-high purity like wafer fabrication, medical gas supply etc. eliminating need for extra purification.
– Process Dependability: Oil contamination can cause faulty functioning of pneumatic equipment or block fine pathways. Oil-free air ensures dependable performance of production processes.
– Safety & Regulations: Several industries have stringent regulations prohibiting oil carryover due to safety or product liability issues. Oil-free systems ensure compliance.
– Energy Efficient: New generation oil-free compressors like scroll or magnetic bearings are more efficient than conventional lubricated designs leading to energy savings.
Application Areas of Oil-Free Compressed Air
Due to the advantages above, oil-free compressed air systems have become widespread in recent times serving a variety of industries:
– Food & Beverage Processing: Used for pneumatic conveying, CIP systems in dairies, bottling, packaging etc to prevent oil contamination of food products.
– Pharmaceuticals: Essential for manufacturing areas, filling lines where even minute traces of oil can ruin active drug substances or products.
– Healthcare: Critical for medical gas supply in hospitals to deliver breathable oxygen, anesthesia without any impurities for patients.
– Semiconductors: Wafer fabrication requires atomically clean air without risk of particles. Oil-free compressors ensure flawless production quality.
– Gas Turbines: Compressed air used for cleaning turbine blades must be free of solid and liquid contaminants like oil for smooth operation.
– Laboratory & Research: Ultra high purity compressed air is needed for analytical instruments, research experiments in biotech, chemistry labs.
Technological Advancements
Over the last few decades, significant technology advancement has made oil-free compressed air systems more efficient and reliable for industrial usage:
– New Materials: Use of advanced alloys, polymers, composites have enhanced mechanical strength, heat resistance and life of oil-free compressor components.
– Magnetic Bearings: Magnetic bearing technology eliminates friction losses, provides contact-free operation for longer life compressors.
– Variable Frequency Drives: VFD controlled oil-free compressors allow modulation of air output matching actual air demand leading to major energy savings.
– Digital Controls: Sophisticated PLC based controls optimize compressor performance, monitor health and enable remote diagnostics over Industry 4.0 networks.
– Energy Recovery: Advanced integrated systems recover braking energy, utilize heat of compression for other processes to achieve near-zero energy footprint.
With continued R&D, developments in materials, digitalization and sustainability the future looks promising for oil-free compressed air technology to become the norm displacing conventional lubricated air across varied industrial domains.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
Author Bio:
Money Singh is a seasoned content writer with over four years of experience in the market research sector. Her expertise spans various industries, including food and beverages, biotechnology, chemical and materials, defense and aerospace, consumer goods, etc. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/money-singh-590844163)
