What Can Oil-Free Air Compressors do for Your Plant?

In today's manufacturing landscape, businesses are constantly seeking ways to lower operating costs while maintaining high-quality products and minimizing their environmental impact. One solution that is gaining popularity across industries is the use of oil-free air compressors. These compressors provide ISO 8573-1 Class 0 certified oil-free air, offering a range of benefits such as reduced maintenance and energy costs, minimized environmental footprint, and the elimination of product contamination risks.

Understanding Oil-Free Air

To comprehend the advantages of oil-free air compressors, it's essential to understand what oil-free air means. The International Standards Organization (ISO) developed the ISO 8573-1 standard to help manufacturers define the level of air purity required for their compressed air systems. This standard classifies the levels of solid particulates, water, and oil allowed based on different classifications.

Class 0 is the most stringent classification, guaranteeing that compressed air contains less than 0.01 mg/m3 of total oil. It's crucial to select the classification that best suits your facility and its specific requirements.

The Manufacturing Benefits of Oil-Free Air

1. Eliminating the Risk of Contamination

Contamination risks can have significant consequences for manufacturers, including lower product quality, increased product recalls, and unnecessary downtime. Oil-free air compressors help mitigate these risks by eliminating the introduction of oil into the compressed air stream. This avoidance of oil contamination ensures peace of mind for manufacturers, protecting their brand reputation, bottom line, and, most importantly, the health of their customers.

Furthermore, oil-lubricated compressors always have trace amounts of oil in the air they produce. Over time, this oil can build up on pneumatic equipment and other valuable assets that rely on compressed air, leading to increased maintenance and replacement costs. By transitioning to oil-free air compressors, manufacturers can reduce the risk of equipment damage and decrease maintenance expenses.

2. Reducing Environmental Impact

Oil-flooded screw compressors require regular oil changes, typically every six to twelve months, consuming significant amounts of oil. The disposal of this oil must comply with governing authority guidelines to protect the environment. In contrast, oil-free compressors do not require oil for the compression process and only need oil changes every two to three years. This reduced oil usage and disposal requirement contribute to a more sustainable manufacturing process.

Additionally, oil-flooded compressors generate oil-contaminated condensate that must be properly disposed of to meet environmental regulations. In contrast, condensate from oil-free compressors can be easily discarded or even recycled for other uses within the plant. By eliminating the need for oil in the compression process, oil-free air compressors help minimize the environmental impact of manufacturing operations.

3. Lowering Maintenance Costs

Switching from oil-flooded to oil-free air compressors can significantly reduce maintenance requirements. With oil-free compressors, manufacturers benefit from:

• Fewer ancillary air system components to maintain.

• Longer timeframes between oil changes.

• Elimination of expensive oil filters for compressed air cleaning.

• Elimination of oily condensate management.

• Longer desiccant life for downstream air filters.

• Reduced downstream labor and outage-related costs.

These maintenance savings can have a substantial impact on the overall operating expenses of a manufacturing plant.

4. Decreasing Energy Costs

Energy costs make up a significant portion of the total life-cycle costs of an air compressor, typically ranging from 60% to 75%. Oil-flooded compressors require multiple oil filters and oil separators in the air path to clean the compressed air. Each of these components causes a pressure drop, resulting in lower air pressure delivery downstream in the plant. As a consequence, the compressor must work harder to meet the demand, leading to lower efficiencies and higher energy costs.

By contrast, oil-free air compressors offer enhanced energy efficiency. These compressors operate more efficiently, delivering air at a higher pressure and minimizing energy waste. The energy savings achieved through the use of oil-free compressors can result in substantial cost reductions over the compressor's life-cycle.

Industries Benefiting from Oil-Free Air Compressors

Oil-free air compressors are particularly crucial for industries where maintaining air purity is paramount. Here are a few industries that benefit from the use of oil-free compressors:

1. Medical and Pharmaceutical

In medical and pharmaceutical applications, cleanliness is of utmost importance to ensure the quality and performance of products. Any trace contaminants like oil or moisture can have serious consequences. Manufacturers in this industry must minimize contamination risks throughout the manufacturing processes, including tablet coating and product drying, by utilizing the highest class of air purity.

2. Food and Beverage

The food and beverage industry faces increasingly stringent regulations regarding product safety and cleanliness. To avoid contamination and product recalls, manufacturers must use clean air throughout the production process. While specific regulations may not yet exist, companies must establish their own risk management programs to determine acceptable levels of contaminants, including particles, water, and oil.

3. Electronics

In the electronics industry, maintaining clean and dry compressed air is critical to minimize trace contaminants in the final products. Oil-free air compressors help protect sensitive instrumentation and ensure the highest quality of finished electronic devices.

4. Textiles

For textile manufacturers, a reliable supply of clean compressed air is essential to prevent fabric staining and production losses. By utilizing oil-free air compressors, textile companies can deliver high-quality, oil-free products.

Is Oil-Free Air Right for Your Plant?

Considering the numerous benefits of oil-free air compressors, it's worth evaluating whether your plant can benefit from this technology. To determine the potential cost savings and advantages of transitioning to oil-free compressors, you can use tools like AirCompare compressor life-cycle cost calculations. These calculations provide insights into your current spending and forecast potential savings by adopting oil-free technology.

By running an AirCompare analysis, you can make an informed decision about whether oil-free air compressors are the right choice for your plant's specific needs. The analysis offers a comprehensive breakdown of energy costs and maintenance spending, giving you a clear picture of the potential benefits.

Conclusion

Oil-free air compressors provide manufacturers with a range of advantages, including the elimination of contamination risks, reduced environmental impact, lower maintenance costs, and decreased energy expenses. Industries such as medical and pharmaceutical, food and beverage, electronics, and textiles benefit significantly from the use of oil-free air compressors.

As you evaluate the needs of your plant, consider the potential benefits of transitioning to oil-free technology. By embracing oil-free air compressors, you can enhance your manufacturing processes, improve product quality, and contribute to a more sustainable and efficient operation.