As the summer heat approaches, proper maintenance is essential to keep your compressed air system running efficiently and prevent potential issues like overheating, condensation and reduced efficiency. Here are some summer industrial air compressor maintenance tips to help keep your system in top condition during the hot summer months.
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Understanding the Impact of Heat on Air Compressors
High temperatures can significantly impact performance and longevity for both oil-lubricated and oil-free compressors. Ventilation and cooling systems are essential to prevent air compressor overheating and other forms of damage.
Here’s how heat impacts your air compressor:
- Overheating: Excessive heat can cause the air compressor to overheat, resulting in costly downtime.
- Lubricant breakdown: High temperatures accelerate the breakdown of lubricants and can lead to the formation of varnish, which can cause oil carryover, reduced efficiency, and damage to internal components.
- Condensation issues: Warm air holds more moisture than cold air, which can lead to increased condensation. This moisture can cause corrosion and damage to the air compressor and connected equipment.
- Component stress: Consistent exposure to high temperatures can stress components such as seals, gaskets, and hoses, leading to premature failure and the need for more frequent maintenance.
- Reduced efficiency: Hot and humid temperatures can decrease the overall efficiency of the air compressor, requiring more energy to achieve the same output and increasing operational costs.
Your Summertime Maintenance Compressor Checklist
Summer maintenance is essential to keep your compressor and air treatment equipment operating efficiently. Use this summer maintenance checklist to keep your equipment in top condition. See our full maintenance checklists for additional information.
Safety first! Always lockout and tag equipment before servicing and valve-off and depressurize the equipment.
- Cleaning: Clean dirt and debris off the compressor.
- Oil: Check oil daily to ensure proper fluid levels (unless you have an oil-free compressor). Change oil and oil filters if oil appears dirty or degraded.
- Valves: Check the thermal valve (thermostatic valve) for proper functioning.
- Coolers: Clean the dirt out of the air/oil cooler and ensure fans or water cooling systems are operating properly. It may be necessary to pull and power wash the cooler.
- Filters: Change intake filters and panel filters when they appear dirty. Monitor pressure drop across inline filters and change them as needed.
- Motor: Blow loose dirt out of the motor and check all electrical connections. Also, clean the electrical cabinet and VSD (if applicable). Be sure to use a dry source of air, and never do this while the unit is energized.
- Belts/drive coupling: Check the belts or direct drive coupling element for cracking and deterioration.
- Condensate drains: Check for proper operation of all condensate drains on the air compressor, refrigerated air dryers, desiccant air dryers, filters and air tank(s).
- Refrigerated dryers: Make sure dryers are operational. Blow out (or wash, if needed) the condenser coils on any refrigerated air dryer.
- Ventilation: Make sure there is plenty of ventilation around the compressor and use additional fans and cooling in high temperatures.
Essential Cleaning and Inspection Tasks
Regular cleaning and inspection are crucial to maintaining the efficiency and longevity of your industrial air compressor, especially during the summer months.
Here are the key cleaning tasks and inspection points to keep your system running smoothly:
- Basic cleaning: Clean the entire unit, in and out. This makes it easier to diagnose issues and will also allow the unit to run cooler.
- Leak inspection: Regularly inspect the entire compressed air system for leaks. Even small leaks can lead to significant energy loss and reduced efficiency. Identify and repair any leaks promptly.
- Motor: Blow loose dirt out of the motor if it is an open drip-proof type. Dirt can act like a layer of insulation, causing anything to run hot. Hot motors draw more amperage, which reduces the life of the motor and could trip the motor overload relay. Check all electrical connections. A loose connection can get very hot, too.
- Coolers: Ensure that the coolers are clean and free of debris. Regularly clean the coolers to maintain optimal cooling performance. If your compressor operates in a dirty or dusty environment, remove the cooler and power wash it. You should easily be able to see the light of a flashlight through the coils. For water-cooled compressors, it may be necessary to adjust water cooling systems to ensure that the water temperature is cool enough for efficient heat transfer. Check your water strainers/ filters regularly and monitor your TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) to prevent heat exchanger fouling.
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Air filters: Check and clean or replace air filters frequently. Dirty filters make the air compressor exert more energy and increase the risk of overheating.
Condensate drains: Clean and inspect condensate drains to prevent blockages that can cause moisture buildup in the system. Clean out the strainer (or install one if not present). Float-type drains often need to be replaced as they are difficult to clean. Most pneumatically operated and electronic drains have a test button on them, which should be run weekly to check for proper operation. - Valves: Regularly monitor the oil discharge and injection temperatures to ensure proper cooling system operation. Replace the thermal valve according to the manufacturer's recommendation (the general rule of thumb is every three years or 8,000 hours).
- Refrigerated dryers: Clean the condenser coils regularly and monitor the dryer’s dew point temperature. Between 32 and 40°F is optimal.
- Wear and damage: Inspect all components — including hoses, seals, and gaskets — for signs of wear or damage. High temperatures can accelerate wear, so it’s important to catch and address issues early to prevent breakdowns.
Optimizing Lubrication and Fluid Levels
Proper lubrication and maintaining fluid levels are vital for the efficient operation and longevity of your oil-lubricated rotary screw compressor or reciprocating air compressor with all the heat summer brings. (Oil-free compressors will not require oil maintenance, but they will require additional temperature monitoring in the summer.)
Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Use the correct oil type: Using the right type of compressor oil is crucial. The viscosity of the oil must be suitable for the operating temperature. High temperatures can cause oil to thin out, reducing its effectiveness. Synthetic oils generally hold up better under high temperature/high humidity conditions.
- Check fluid levels: Regularly check and maintain proper fluid levels. Insufficient lubrication can lead to increased friction, overheating, and eventual component failure.
- Regular oil changes: Follow the manufacturer’s recommended intervals for oil changes. Some food-grade oils have a usable life as short as 1,000 hours, and other premium synthetic oils have a life of 8,000 hours. Oil should never be left in a machine longer than one year, regardless of operating hours. Keep in mind, if your machine has been running hot (over 200 degrees), the oil will degrade faster and can varnish the internal components of the whole unit.
- Oil filters: Always change your air compressor oil filter when you change your oil. Clean oil filters are vital for maintaining the lubrication and proper functioning of the compressor’s moving parts. Oil filters may also need to be changed every 1,000 to 2,000 hours between oil changes.
Properties and Recommended Change Intervals of Different Compressor Oil Types
| Oil Type | Properties | Recommended Change Interval |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral Oil | Cost-effective, suitable for standard conditions | Every 1,000-2,000 hours |
| Synthetic Oil | High-temperature stability, longer lifespan | Every 4,000-8,000 hours |
| Semi-Synthetic Oil | Balanced performance, moderate cost | Every 2,000-4,000 hours |
| Food-Grade Oil | Safe for food processing environments, non-toxic | Every 1,000-2,000 hours |
Monitoring System Performance
Regular monitoring of your system’s performance is crucial to ensure optimal operation and early detection of potential issues.
Here are the key aspects to monitor:
- Temperature levels: Keep an eye on the temperature levels within the compressor. Elevated discharge temperatures can signal potential problems that need immediate attention.
- Pressure settings: Regularly check and adjust pressure settings to ensure they are within the recommended range. Also, monitor for pressure drop at the end of distribution lines, which can indicate a blockage. Lowering plant pressure can save energy and money.
- Overall system performance: Monitor the overall performance of the system, including flow rates, power consumption, and output quality. Any deviations from normal performance can indicate underlying issues.
Scheduled Maintenance and Professional Support
Following a scheduled maintenance plan is essential for the longevity and efficiency of your air compressors, air treatment equipment and other system components. Air compressor preventative maintenance includes regular oil changes, inspections, cleaning and part replacements.
Adhering to the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule will:
- Minimize the risk of unexpected breakdowns and downtime.
- Help you address potential issues before they become big problems.
- Save time and money.
An in-house maintenance technician can perform many of the day-to-day inspections and checks. However, it is often helpful to work with trained technicians who have expertise in maintaining compressed air equipment. Their expertise can help diagnose problems quickly and provide effective solutions. Partnering with a professional service provider for regular maintenance and emergency support can provide peace of mind and save money in the long run.
Preparing Your Facility for Summer
Ensuring that your facility is prepared for the summer heat is crucial for maintaining the efficiency and reliability of your entire compressed air system.
Consider these facility-level preparations:
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Ventilation: Ensure that the compressor room has proper ventilation and sufficient airflow to allow cool air to circulate and warm air to escape.
Insulation: Insulate the compressor room to keep it cool. Proper insulation ensures that cool air stays inside and reduces the impact of external heat on the system. - Ambient temperature: The ideal operating temperature for an air compressor is between 50-80°F. If the ambient temperature exceeds the recommended levels, take steps to cool the room, such as using air conditioning or additional fans.
- Cooling: Ensure that all cooling systems are functioning correctly and that there are no blockages in air ducts or vents that could hinder airflow.
Is Your Compressed Air System Ready for Summer?
Use these tips to help your industrial air compressor withstand the summer heat. Need some support? Fluid-Aire Dynamics can help you maintain your oil-lubricated or oil-free air compressor year-round. Talk to us about our preventative maintenance Elite Service Plans.
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