You are using a browser we do not support any longer. To continue visiting our website, please choose one of the following supported browsers.
Unlike piston compressors, in screw compressors there are no valves or other mechanical forces that can cause unbalance. This allows a screw compressor to operate at high speeds, while combining a large flow rate with small exterior dimensions. The ideal application of rotary screw compressors are continuous, workplace and industrial applications. There are two primary versions, oil-free and oil-injected, with options of fixed speed or variable speed drive operation.
Side view of receiver-mounted and standard options of Atlas Copco G range rotary screw compressors
The main benefit of rotary screw compressors is the energy efficiency. But this type of compressor has many other benefits. These include:
There are a wide variety of options available in the 2.2-500 kW range of workplace and industrial rotary screw compressors. Recent introductions offer advanced designs such as a vertical, close-coupled configuration. Another distinguishing feature are interior permanent magnet motor drive and inverter systems. Such systems are capable of achieving energy savings of up to 50 per cent over conventional fixed speed designs.
Here we will look a bit closer at twin screw air compressor technology. What is a screw compressor and what is its basic working principle?
The basic principle of a screw compressor is that the male and female rotors are spinning in opposite directions. This draws air in-between them. As air progresses along the rotors, the decrease of space between the rotors and their housing leads to air compression. The compressed air is then displaced to the outlet. Although they belong to the same class, rotary screw compressors are more complex than piston compressors. As such the speed of the screw rotors is optimised at a certain level. This is to minimise mechanical loses (due to heat at very high speed) and volumetric losses (air losses due to very low speed) during compression. A good example of a screw compressor that can produce large volumes of compressed air and with a small footprint are our GA VSD+ air compressors. You can learn more about compressed air technologies on our Wiki. Or contact our team today to get the right sized screw compressor for your business.