Which Air Compressor Parts Need to be Maintained on the Compressor
20 January 2022
Important Compressor Elements that Should be Checked and Replaced Regularly
Only about 14% of maintenance costs are incurred for the total costs of a compressor during its life cycle. At over 70 percent, energy costs are by far the largest item.
If you save on maintenance, the life cycle cost (LCC) of your compressed air system increases due to unplanned failures, which in the worst case scenario can paralyse the entire production of a company. In addition, the service life of the compressor is reduced by increased wear.
The reason: Components of the compressed can be damaged by worn air compressor parts replaced late or with cheap third-party air compressor parts. The result is a shorter compressor service life, more frequent repair interventions, unreliable operation and low availability.
Energy costs will also rise, as the compressor can not work as efficiently as it did. Learn about the most important air compressor parts and what can happen if they fail.
Check and Replace the Air Intake Filter on the Compressor
The air intake filter cleans the ambient air that the compressor sucks in for compression. If the filter is not changed in time, it will no longer fulfil its task completely.
It reduces the volume flow, which, among other things, results in higher energy consumption. If you replace the air intake filter with a cheap replacement filter, then particles can get into the airflow due to the less accurate production compared to an original filter.
Cheap replacement filters wear on the air intake valve, oil separator and compressor stage. In extreme cases, parts of a defective filter can damage the compressor element.
Change the Check Valve on the Compressor
The compressed air should flow from the compression chamber into the air/oil tank and separator, but not back. This job is done by the check valve.
If it is defective, the system pressure would escape during the idle phase of the compressor. If the connected system is to be supplied with compressed air again, the compressor must restore the system pressure in the start-up phase. The compressor loses performance and consumes more energy.
Why the Oil Separator of the Compressor Needs to be Replaced
Oil-injected air compressors produce compressed air for technical reasons, which also contains oil mist. Before the compressed air is supplied to the end user via th connected compressed air pipeline system, it must first be cleaned of oil and then dried.
If the oil separator no longer performs its tasks reliably, residual oil enters the downstream compressed air treatment. Above all, the compressed air filters are subjected to excessive stress and must be replaced. As the differential pressure also increases, energy costs also rise.
In the worst case, residual oil gets into the compressed air pipeline system and than to the end user. This can lead to the failure of the customer's production machines and contamination of entire production batches.
Replace the minimum pressure valve on the compressor
If the compressed air system runs under load, a minimum pressure valve ensures a specified minimum pressure in the air/oil separator.
If the minimum pressure valve is defective, the compressed air is no longer forwarded. The compressor idles, unloads and restarts. This change causes the engine to wear out faster. In addition, the high starting currents of the electric motor causes high energy costs.
Replace the oil filter
One of the many uses of compressor oil is to cool the device. If the oil filter is saturated, the oil no longer fulfills this function. In extreme cases, the compressor can heat up so much that it stops working. As a result of a clogged oil filter, mechanical components such as the compressor element are no longer adequately lubricated/cooled.
This can increase wear and tear with unplanned (and expensive) downtime as a result. Therefore, make sure that you replace the filters in good time and only use original filters.
The Oil Change on the Compressor
The main functions of compressor oil are cooling, protecting, sealing and cleaning. To ensure that it optimally fulfils these tasks, we develop and test the compressor oils specifically for the machine types and areas of application for which they are used. To do this, we mix the base oil (mineral or synthetic oil) with additives in exactly the right ratio to obtain the optimal result. Missed oil changes and cheap oil from third-party manufacturers lead to overheating.
Atlas Copco Compressor Service Plans
Our service pursues a proactive strategy in which the components are replaced at the right time even before possible failure. This enables safe, efficient operation of the system and prevents the compressor or switched on systems from having to be replaced before the end of their possible service life. In addition, the right service ensures maximum availability and energy efficiency of the compressed air system. Find out about our various service offers.
We have a range of spare parts to ensure that your compressor continues to work efficiently and reliably. Click the button below to fill out our service form and someone will be in touch. You can also contact us on 1800 023 469.