This guide tells you what compressors do, why you need them and what types of options are available to you.
We may not always see it, but compressed air is all around us. It is used in countless applications in just about every industrial sector imaginable. From trains and ships to construction sites and manufacturing plants, the world would stand still without it.
Sometimes, for example, when we blow up a balloon or inflate the tires of our bicycles, we even generate our own compressed air. In most cases, however, we leave this job to compressors.
And, because there are so many different uses for (and demands of) compressed air, compressors now come in all kinds of different types and sizes.
Some of them are particularly well suited for the rough environments you might find in a construction site in a jungle. In that case, you want them to be portable and extra reliable. Others are so big that they can keep entire production facilities running. And then there are those that produce the extremely clean compressed air needed for working with pharmaceuticals or food.
The uses of compressed air are far too numerous to count. Even listing the industries that rely on it would take up too much space.
However, it is important to note that a distinction is made between two main types of compressed air: energy air and active air.
Energy air is used for storing and transmitting energy in order to do mechanical work, such as powering pneumatic tools. Here, the air does not come into direct contact with end products (and can therefore be less pure).
Active air, on the other hand, is required as an active and integral part of a certain process. In this case, the air comes in contact with the product, which makes air quality very important.
This means that, if you are looking for a compressor, there probably is a solution that is a very good fit for your needs. However, it also means that, in order to find that optimal compressor, you either need to understand these fascinating machines a bit better or find an expert who does.
This guide will help you with both.
