Even though it isn’t as ubiquitous as water, electricity, or gas, compressed air plays a critical role in powering a myriad equipments and mechanical operations across consumer, business, and industrial segments.
Air compressors convert normal air into its high-pressure, denser form for uses in a wide range of environments.
From small, portable models for safe supply on-the-go, to huge commercial installations that fuel complex industrial processes, they vary considerably in size and configuration to best suit all kinds of needs.
ELGi offers compressed air solutions to multiple industries, and here’s a list to name a few:
Manufacturing
With its multifaceted nature, compressed air is used most widely in the manufacturing domain. From food, beverage, and pharmaceutical packaging to glass moulding and plastic fabrication - it is at the core of production efficiency. Steady and robust air streams offer optimal product finishes while supporting the casting processes and cleaning.
Rotary screw air compressors are used in manufacturing that trap air between two meshed rotors and reduce its volume as the trapped air moves down through the rotors.
These compressed air systems are commonly used to deliver a clean seal for products that need contaminant-free and tightly sealed packages. They also power the conveyor systems, actuators, sprayers, and clamping equipment used in factories.
Construction
For construction, air compressors power several pneumatic tools such as buffing equipment, nailing, stapling and riveting guns, grinders, drillers, jackhammers, and sanders.
Portable screw air compressors are also used for safe lugging and lowering of heavy loads in construction and demolition works.
They are also used for road digging, cutting, and cleaning. They help to keep the tarmac, pavements, and other hard surfaces even and debris-free.
Compressed air is also used for tunnel-digging by countering hydrostatic pressure from the ground, making excavation work feasible.
Agriculture
Here, compressed air underpins a variety of activities, including pruning and fruit harvesting, crop fertilising, seed sprinkling, and spraying of herbicides. This is because air compressors power the machines that are integral to modern agricultural practices. These include tractors, sprayers, conveyors and pneumatic fruit pickers. They also facilitate hydraulic pump operations and make it easier to transport agricultural products and machinery.
Tractor-mounted air compressors are particularly beneficial as they use compressed air contained in the receiver, which helps in certain farming activities even if the engine is shut off. Here, the air compressor acts as an energy storage system.
Compressed air is also used to maintain a clean and steady airflow in greenhouse and dairy farm ventilation.
Healthcare
Medical-grade compressed air and air compressors are used in different areas of the air industry. It is administered to patients who need anesthesia, inhaled medications, ventilators, and surgical machines in operation theatres. It is also used in air filtration systems for treatment of respiratory disorders.
The compressed air used in hospitals does not have any contaminants, particles, odors or oil. It is also kept dry to prevent water build-up in the pipelines used for supply.
Air compressors also power the tools for repair, replacement, and maintenance of hospital equipment. It is used for impact hammers, nail guns, and other air-driven hand tools. Additionally, compressed air inflates emergency mattresses and the wheels that drive service carts and wheelchairs.
In medical textile manufacturing, it has a key role in spinning and weaving operations. Air compressors also drive the mechanical operations in the bandage production process. They also help in colour sorting the cotton to eliminate impurities, interlocking of carding machine doors, loading of scanner rollers, and pressing of rollers in the drafting process.
Automotive
In the automative industry, compressed air is used for engine construction, assembling, and providing finishing touches to cars. Compressed air based pneumatic tools and air operated bots also help build different parts of a vehicle that handle equipment to life, transport, position, and fasten their intricate components.
Additionally, compressed air is also used for plasma cutting, welding, and tire inflation.
Once a vehicle is assembled, it is cleaned and painted using dry, oil-free compressed air to prevent fisheyes, bubbles or spattering on the painted layer.
Many body shops are also adopting compressed air-powered pneumatic tools that are lighter to use and have lower operating costs compared to traditional electric-powered tools.
Summing up
While this write-up talks about the uses of air compressors, most appliances and technical services we use today have relied on compressed air at some point in their design and development process.
As a leading provider of compressed air solutions, rightly touted as the ‘fourth utility’, ELGi supports your industrial applications with customised air compressors and related products. To know more about our systems, call the team at 1800-425-3544.