Buying an Industrial

Air Compressor - Questions

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Buying an industrial air compressor questions

Air Compressor Guide

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Table of Contents
Questions to ask when buying an industrial air compressor ..... 1
Q1. Do you offer 24/7 (emergency) service and what is the
maximum arrival time? ............................................................. 2
Q2. What is the rated capacity at full load operating pressure?2
Q3. Lets talk about power consumption. .................................. 3
3a. Total input power at rated capacity and full load operating
pressure? ........................................................................................ 4
3b. Total input power at zero flow (unloaded) ................................. 4
3c. Specific Input Power at Rated Capacity and Full Load Operating
Pressure.......................................................................................... 4

Q4. Will my compressor run partly loaded most of the time? .... 5
Q5. Will my compressor make enough running hours (or, is my
compressor small enough). ...................................................... 6
Q6. What is the yearly expected cost of maintenance and spare
parts? ....................................................................................... 7
Q7. What are the ventilation / ambient air / installation
requirements? .......................................................................... 7
Q8. Can I use an energy recovery system?.............................. 8
Q9. Are there any energy incentives available? ....................... 8

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Questions to ask when buying an

industrial air compressor
Ask the right questions to get the right air compressor for your business
Here is my list of the most important questions to ask when buying a
new industrial air compressor.
You should either ask these questions to the salesperson visiting your
business or you should ask these questions to yourself when deciding
on a new air compressor.
These are by far- not all the things that you should think about when
buying a new compressor. I also made a list of all things to think
about, which you should also have received.
I wont cover all the basic things like the required pressure and
capacity. Please read my online buying guide for an introduction to
those things.

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1. Do you offer 24/7 (emergency)

service and what is the maximum
arrival time?
Your compressor serves your business.. You NEED
compressed air. A compressor failure can result in
huge production losses and plant downtime.
How long does it take your service provider to show
up when you call them for help? Are they available 24 hours a day?
Even during holidays?

2. What is the rated capacity at full load operating

pressure?
Manufacturers or salespeople sometime try to trick you by make it
seem that the compressor is bigger than it actually is.
They might specify the capacity at a lower pressure or at some other,
for them favorable but now real-life conditions.
Or they might specify a larger capacity but at a lower pressure than
you will use the compressor at.

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3. Lets talk about power consumption.

Energy costs will amount to more than 75% of total cost of ownership
of your air compressor.

The purchase price is only 10 - 15% of your total cost of ownership

over the lifetime of the compressor.
Your energy bill in the first year alone will be about equal of the
purchase price of your new air compressor!
This means its smart to spend a little more on an energy-efficient
compressor as it will pay back many times over in the coming years!

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3a. Total input power at rated capacity and full load

operating pressure?
Ask for the power consumption at full power, when the compressor is
running at maximum pressure and the corresponding maximum
capacity (air flow).
This value is given as kW.
You need this value if you want to calculate the expected yearly energy
costs.
3b. Total input power at zero flow (unloaded)
Most compressors can run loaded and unloaded.
The power a compressor consumes when running unloaded can be as
high as 30% of nominal power or more than 50% for smaller
compressors.
This means that even if your compressor is not pumping air, it still
consumes 30% - 50% of nominal power!
This value is given as kW.
You need this value if you want to calculate the expected yearly energy
costs.
3c. Specific Input Power at Rated Capacity and Full
Load Operating Pressure
This is a good way to compare various air compressors.
This number gives you the amount of power required to pump 100
cfm when the compressor is running full load (full capacity and full
pressure).
The lower the number the better.
Because it power PER unit of capacity, you can compare compressor
of various sizes and manufacturers.

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This value is given as kW/100 cfm.

In other words: how many kWs does it take to pump 100 cfm (which
is flow rate).

4. Will my compressor run partly loaded most of

the time?
Ordinary industrial compressors can run either at full load or at noload (loaded/unloaded).
For example when a compressor has a capacity of 400 cfm (cubic feet
per minute) and you use only 200 cfm (50%) the compressor will
continuously switch between loaded and unloaded.
In this case, its better to buy a variable speed (VSD) compressor.
These compressors can run at any capacity within its range.
So if you need only 50% of capacity, it runs slowly and only outputs
50% capacity.
This is a huge energy saving each and every year!
But, if your compressor runs fully loaded (at or near 100% capacity) all
the time a variable speed compressor will actually consume more
power than an ordinary compressor (this is because of the energy
losses in the variable speed drive).
The sweet-spot for a VSD compressor is between 50% and 80%. If
your compressor runs below 50% all the time, youd be better off with
a smaller compressor.
If your compressor runs above 80% all of the time, you are not saving,
or even wasting, energy.
So, only buy a variable speed compressor when you will run it in the
sweet-spot most of the time.

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5. Will my compressor make enough running hours

(or, is my compressor small enough).
This might sound like a strange question at first, but let me explain.
Dont let the salesperson push you to get a bigger compressor than
you actually need.
Ever.
Often they will give arguments like buy it for future growth or its
better to have some extra spare capacity, or whatever.
I have seen this so many times. A big, big, compressor that only runs
for 5 minutes every hour. Or a big variable speed compressor than
never runs above 20% capacity.
Why is this bad?
A compressor that never really runs
will never really heat up. Water (from
the air that is sucked-in) is your
compressor number one enemy.
If your compressor never heats up,
this water will collect in valves, bend,
couplings, etc.
This will give you many maintenance problems with rust, water, valves
that get stuck and what not.
A compressor that never really runs is a compressor full of
problems

A compressor that runs at full load each and every day is a happy
compressor.

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Besides the maintenance issues, a too big compressor will consume

more energy than a smaller compressor. It will start and stop more
frequently and run a longer time unloaded than loaded.

6. What is the yearly expected cost of

maintenance and spare parts?
Ask about the expected annual costs of maintenance and spareparts.
How expensive are spareparts? Can the compressor be serviced by a
third party, or only by the manufacturer (to keep the warranty).
Maintenance and spares account for roughly 15% of costs over the
lifetime of the air compressor.
The purchase price of your compressor only for 10%.

7. What are the ventilation / ambient air /

installation requirements?
Sometimes salesman, hunting for their sale, will forget about where
you want to install the compressor.
But if you want your compressor to have a long and happy life, you
need to carefully consider where you install the compressor.
The compressor should be installed in a place where clean, dust-free
and cool air is available. If this is not available anywhere, ducting
should be installed so the compressor can breathe outside air.
In the long run, this will greatly reduce your maintenance costs, reduce
your energy bill and increase your compressors life.

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8. Can I use an energy recovery system?

Although this cannot always be used, an energy recovery system can
recover up to 90 percent of the compressors input energy.
With energy costs typically running into the tens of thousands of
dollars per year, this can be a significant saving.
Energy is mostly recovered in the form of heat. There are systems
available that use the heat of compressor to heat your factory or (pre-)
heat water (for showers, etc.).

9. Are there any energy incentives available?

In many countries and states the government has put energy incentive
programs in place to encourage businesses to save energy and save the
environment.
If you currently operate an old air compressor and you replace this
with a new, more energy efficient system, chances are that you are
eligible for these incentives.
This means you both save on your energy costs and you get money
back!
But to be eligible you need to play by the rules and this often requires
an assessment for both the old and the new situation.
You can ask your compressor salesman, the local government or the
local energy supplier for more information.