Piston (reciprocating) compressors and rotary screw air compressors are two of the most popular compressor technologies available today. But do you know which one would be better suited for your specific needs and applications? Understanding the difference between piston and rotary screw air compres

If your air compressor is the heartbeat of your operation, then your compressed air piping is certainly its veins and arteries! Your piping system is essential in transporting your compressed air to its intended end-use applications, and its not only the system design that impacts this efficiency; i

Summertime is quickly approaching, and with it long days of heat and humidity - both of which can take a toll on people and machines. High temperatures combined with additional condensate in the air can cause strain on performance – unless you’re prepared. That’s why it’s important that facility and

Editors Note: This post was originally published in 2014 and has been completely updated for accuracy, comprehensiveness, and new information. For many years, bottled nitrogen supplied by gas companies has been the norm for businesses requiring nitrogen to fuel their applications. However, this tre

Note: this is a summary of our Compressed Air and Microorganism Growth whitepaper. Did you know that microorganisms thrive in moist, humid environments – environments that can be created by compressing atmospheric air? This means that in industries like food and beverage (where clean and dry compres

Did you know that one of the largest costs for industrial manufacturers is compressed air? That’s right – anywhere from 12% to 40% of a facility’s total energy costs come from its compressed air installation. This means that finding innovative ways (no matter how small) to increase compressed air ef

There are an extensive variety of applications that utilize low-pressure technologies, including wastewater treatment, pneumatic conveying, food and beverage, and cement plants. Given that each application has unique nuances and requirements, it makes sense that businesses will place weight on diffe

We often discuss the benefits of regularly auditing your facility’s compressed air system, and commonly use the terms air assessment and air audits – but are you aware of what each of these means? An audit can reveal a myriad of underlying issues that may be sabotaging compressed air pressure and qu

You know that your application has an air demand that fluctuates, and you’ve already completed a full system audit that has determined your existing demand profile. But now you’re at a crossroads! You know that a Variable Speed Drive (VSD) compressor is best suited for processes with fluctuating dem

Maple syrup isn’t only a sweet addition to your breakfast arsenal; it’s a kitchen pantry staple! Much like creamer is the perfect add-on to your morning cup of joe, maple syrup is the ideal complement to waffles, pancakes, and savory breakfast meats – among a host of other breakfast foods. But have

Did you know that moisture is always present in atmospheric air, even if we can’t see it? When the air is compressed in a compressed air system and is cooled beyond its dew point, it condenses into liquid water. This creates a conundrum, as compressed air systems rely on dry air and cannot perform t

Note: This is an updated version of our 2015 post, “Drop the Pressure Drops: Optimize Piping Configuration.” The biggest single cost associated with producing compressed air is the energy required to power the compressor. In fact, compressed air can consume up to 40% of the total energy a facility

Though the rotary screw vacuum pump may not have been around for as long as other vacuum technologies (such as liquid ring vacuum pumps), it nevertheless has become one of the most frequently used technologies in industrial vacuum applications today. How Do Screw Pumps Work? Rotary screw pumps are p

If you need to reduce production and switch off your air compressors temporarily, we’ve consolidated a few of our top tips and tricks that discuss the best way to approach stopping and re-starting your compressor installation. Stopping/Pausing Air Compressor Installation Your air compressor system i

One benefit of reduced production is the potential to save a significant amount on a facility’s monthly energy costs. Because compressed air accounts for a large amount of a plant’s total energy costs, decreased production (and therefore decreased compressed air usage) can have a positive impact on

Throughout the course of operation, many businesses encounter situations where they’re required to ramp up production extremely quickly. But what does that mean for their compressed air installation, which is the force behind these processes? We’ve compiled six of our top tips to keep in mind regard

Editors Note: This post was originally published in 2014 and has been updated for accuracy, comprehensiveness, and new information. If compressed air is an essential part of your day to day business operations, and downtime would cost you considerably in lost production, then the question of whether

Oxidation is the reaction that any substance has with oxygen, but is perhaps best recognized by the rusty, burnt orange corrosion (the result of the oxidation of metal!) that you see on vehicles and metal roofs.  Oxidation has two forms: fast oxidation and slow oxidation. But what’s the differe

Compressors on land are common – but compressors on sea? That’s right! The use of air compressors aboard marine vessels is also commonplace, with boats, tankers, and LNG vessels alike employing this equipment to power their onboard applications. However, the difference in environments necessitates t

Editors Note: This post was originally published in 2015 and has been completely updated accuracy, comprehensiveness, and new information. When you think of farming or agriculture, the tools of the trade that spring to mind are tractors, plows, shovels and scythes. But did you know that air compres