2021's Top 5 Compressed Air & Gas Articles: Key Innovations & Industry Standards

Can you that 2022 is right around the corner? With the end of the year quickly approaching, we’re spending a few moments reminiscing on some of our biggest wins of 2021! From expanding our popular Compressed Air and Gas A-Z Vlog series and reporting on new compressed air quality & CAGI standards to launching a pillar on industrial cooling equipment and providing a stronger focus on compressor service and connectivity, 2021 was a year of innovation.

Now, as we move into 2022, let’s take a look back at our five most popular blog posts of the year:

Top Post #1: Oils and Lubricants for Air Compressors

Are you using the right oil – compressor oil, that is? Lubricants, especially oils for compressors that are designed for industrial use, are specifically developed and tested for the respective compressor type and requirements. The main tasks of a compressor oil include reducing typical wear and tear, cooling, sealing, and cleaning. There are also a few more fun, relevant facts about compressor oils that you should be aware of when planning for maintenance of your compressed air system.

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Top Post #2: What’s the Difference Between PSI, PSIA, and PSIG?

Odds are that you’ve heard of the term PSI, which is one of the most common units of pressure measurement. PSI is used across industries and applications to describe and assess the amount of force being exerted by something. Take, for example, tire pressure PSI. When you pump air into a tire, the molecules will bounce around within the tire, which exerts pressure against the inside; this pressure is the air pressure of your tires. In terms of air compressor measurements, however, PSI has a slightly different meaning.

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Top Post #3: What’s the Difference Between SCFM, ACFM, and ICFM?

Because all applications and environments are different, there isn’t only one way to describe compressed air flow – there are many! This comes about because CFM is dependent on a wide variety of variables, including altitude, temperature, and elevation. Three of the most popular of the CFM-related terms are SCFM, ACFM, and ICFM.

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Top Post #4: Isentropic Efficiency: What It Means for YOU

CAGI, the unified voice of the compressor industry and supported by all the major compressor manufacturers, developed model-specific Compressor Data Sheets that help us compare key aspects of performance for different compressors, including energy use. Now CAGI data sheets include another helpful way to compare compressors: Isentropic Efficiency. Time to dive into what that means for you and your business.

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Top Post #5: Calculating the Life Cycle Cost of Your Compressor System

When the need arises to replace an existing air compressor or to purchase an air compressor for a new facility or application, there are several factors that should be considered before making the purchase. Aside from space requirements, flow capacities, noise levels, and other application-based parameters, a major factor that should also be considered is total life cycle cost! When purchasing or upgrading a system, you should try to find a balance between the upfront purchase cost and the long-term associated energy and maintenance costs, though the final decision is dependent on your businesses’ unique needs and requirements.

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We’d like to thank each one of our readers for making 2021 one of our most successful years yet! We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and New Year and can’t wait to see you again in 2022. In the meantime, you can stay up-to-date with us by visiting www.atlascopco.com/air-usa!

About the Author. Katie Falcon is the contributing writer and editor for The Compressed Air Blog. She currently works at Atlas Copco Compressors as a Digital Marketing Specialist specializing in content creation and platform development. Reach her via email at katie.falcon@atlascopco.com.