How big is an air compressor used in a general factory

Core principles and configuration guidelines for factory air compressor selection

As the core power equipment in industrial production, the selection of air compressors needs to comprehensively consider the size of the factory, gas demand, process characteristics and long-term operating costs. From a professional perspective, combined with industry specifications and typical application scenarios, the core principles and configuration points for factory air compressor selection are systematically elaborated.

1. Core principles of selection

1. Demand-oriented principle
   • Gas consumption assessment: Determine the basic gas consumption through equipment gas consumption statistics and production fluctuation analysis, and reserve 20%-30% of redundant capacity. For example, the total gas consumption in small factories (10-50 people) is usually 1-5m³/min, while large factories (more than 500 people) may exceed 50m³/min.
   • pressure matching: Determine the rated pressure according to the needs of process equipment, such as 0.6-0.8MPa for pneumatic tools, 0.8-1.0MPa for spraying, and higher pressure for precision instruments. The rated pressure of the air compressor needs to be slightly higher than the equipment requirements to ensure stable air supply.
2. Priority principle of energy efficiency
   • energy efficiency rating: Priority is given to first-level energy-efficient air compressors, which can save energy by 20%-30% compared with third-level energy-efficient equipment, and long-term operating costs are significantly reduced.
   • Application of frequency conversion technology: The air compressor driven by frequency conversion can automatically adjust the speed according to the air consumption, avoiding unloading energy consumption and achieving significant energy-saving effects.
3. Reliability principles
   • device type: Screw air compressors have become the first choice for most factories because of their high efficiency, stability and easy maintenance. Centrifugal air compressors are suitable for very large factories (gas consumption>100m³/min), but the initial investment is high.
   • brand and service: Select a brand with a complete after-sales service system to ensure long-term stable operation of the equipment.

2. Typical factory configuration plan

1. Small factory (10-50 people)
   • equipment selection: 15- 37kW screw air compressor, displacement 2.5-6.2m³/min.
   • supporting systems: Equipped with air storage tank (1-2m³), cold drying machine (processing capacity ≥ rated exhaust capacity), precision filter (three-level filtration).
   • typical application: Furniture manufacturing, hardware processing, packaging machinery, etc.
2. Medium-sized factory (50-500 people)
   • equipment selection: 45-90kW screw air compressor, displacement 7.3-15m³/min, or multiple low-power units are used in parallel.
   • supporting systems: Equipped with air storage tank (3-5m³), adsorption dryer (dew point ≤-40℃), high-efficiency filter (oil content ≤0.01mg/m³).
   • typical application: Auto parts, electronics manufacturing, food and beverage, etc.
3. Large factory (more than 500 people)
   • equipment selection: 110-315kW screw air compressors in parallel, or centrifugal air compressors (displacement>100m³/min).
   • supporting systems: Equipped with a large air storage tank (above 10m³), a combined dryer (freezing type + adsorption type), and a zero-loss drain.
   • intelligent control: Deploy the Internet of Things monitoring system to achieve real-time monitoring and optimization of pressure, flow, and energy consumption.
   • typical application: Steel metallurgy, petrochemicals, power energy, etc.

3. Adaptation to special scenarios

1. High dust environment
   • pre-filtration system: Install a multi-stage pre-filter at the air compressor inlet with a filtration accuracy of 5μm to prevent particulate matter from entering the main machine.
   • seal-enhancing: Adopt a double-layer sealing structure to prevent dust from invading the bearing cavity.
2. high altitudes
   • power compensation: For every 1000 meters increase in altitude, the air compressor power needs to increase by 5-10% to maintain the rated displacement.
   • Heat dissipation optimization: Increase the area of the heat sink or use water cooling to ensure stable operation of the equipment.
3. clean room environment
   • Oil-free design: Use oil-free screw air compressor or water-lubricated air compressor to ensure that the oil content of the compressed air is ≤0.003mg/m³.
   • high efficiency filter: Equipped with a Class H filter, the filtration accuracy reaches 0.01μm, meeting the ISO 8573-1 Class 1 standard.

4. Avoiding misunderstandings in selection

1. Avoid “big horses and small cars”
   • Over-configuration will lead to long-term low-load operation of the equipment, reduced energy efficiency, and increased maintenance costs. The appropriate model should be selected based on the actual air consumption.
2. Be wary of the “low price trap”
   • Equipment with low initial investment but poor energy efficiency and high failure rates may have higher long-term operating costs. The full life cycle cost of equipment should be comprehensively evaluated.
3. Prevent “single point of failure”
   • Critical process gas should be equipped with standby units or modular design should be adopted to ensure that the system can still operate in the event of a single unit failure.

V. Implementation points and suggestions

1. demand research
   • Make detailed statistics on the air consumption, pressure demand and operating time of all gas equipment, and draw a gas load curve.
2. energy efficiency test
   • Conduct energy efficiency tests on candidate models to verify whether their specific power (kW/m³/min) meets national standards.
3. installation acceptance
   • Construction shall be carried out strictly in accordance with the equipment installation specifications, and full load test, pressure stability test and noise test shall be carried out during acceptance.
4. Operation and maintenance training
   • Provide professional training for operators, covering equipment operation, daily maintenance, emergency handling of faults, etc.

conclusion

The selection of factory air compressors must follow the principles of demand orientation, energy efficiency priority, and reliability, and be comprehensively configured based on the factory size, process characteristics and environmental conditions. Through scientific selection and reasonable configuration, stable and efficient operation of the air compressor system can be ensured, energy consumption and maintenance costs can be reduced, and production efficiency and competitiveness of the company can be improved. Enterprises should establish an air compressor selection evaluation system, clarify the selection process and responsible persons, and support intelligent monitoring and preventive maintenance systems to provide factories with a continuous and stable supply of compressed air.