Download our updated Capabilities Brochure

Our updated capability brochure gives an overview of our compressed air, industrial gas & process cooling solutions, along with associated maintenance, spare parts, installation and diagnostics services. Find out about our product ranges and newest technology for sustainable productivity.
Capabilities brochure cover

Everything you need to know about your pneumatic conveying process

Discover how you can create a more efficient pneumatic conveying process.
3D images of blowers in cement plant
Close

Control Systems: Comprehensive Control

Air compressors Compressed Air Wiki Compressor Regulation and Control Compressor Control and Data Monitoring

Regulation systems are becoming more advanced and fast-paced development offers a variety of new solutions. These articles present a few of the control and monitoring systems for the most common types of compressors. In this article we talk about comprehensive control in a compressor installation.

Why is there a need for a comprehensive control system?

comprehensive control in a compressor installation is needed
Compressors that are a part of a system composed of several machines should have coordinated compressor operations. There are many factors that make a comprehensive control system advantageous. The division of operating times between machines reduces the risk of unexpected stoppages. Compressor servicing is also easier to plan. Standby machines can be connected if something should occur during operations. The simplest and most common form of master control system is the commonly used and tested start sequence selector.

What is a start sequence selector?

This selector equally divides the operating times and starts among the connected compressors. The start sequence can be switched on manually or automatically, following a time schedule. This basic selector uses an on/off pressure transducer, with one transducer per compressor, as a simple and practical solution. The disadvantage is that there are relatively large steps between the different compressor's loading and off-loading levels. This results in relatively broad pressure bands (the span between maximum and minimum levels) for the installation. This type of selector should therefore not be used to control more than 2–3 compressors. A more advanced type of start sequence selector has the same type of sequence control, but with only one, centrally-positioned, analogue pressure transducer. This manages to keep the installation's total pressure band within a few tenths of a bar and, as a result, can control 2–7 machines. A start sequence selector of this type, which selects the machines in fixed sequences, does not take the capacity of the compressors into account. The connected compressors should thus all be approximately the same size.

Related articles

an illustration about regulation and control for the atlas copco wiki.

Control Systems: Central control

26 April, 2022

Learn more about the different ways we can treat compressed air and the different tools that are used in these processes. Here we talk about the control and monitoring of air compressors.

an illustration about regulation and control for the atlas copco wiki.

Control Systems: Data Monitoring

23 February, 2022

Learn more about the different ways we can treat compressed air and the different tools that are used in these processes. Here we talk about the control and monitoring of air compressors.