Know More About What A Piston Compressor is and How it's Used

By Rich Carter


The piston compressor is also known as a reciprocating compressor, and it is a very expensive piece of equipment used in critical systems of the manufacturing industry. This is why it receives special consideration. Throughout the manufacturing industry, there are many types of facilities that depend on this equipment such as petrochemical plants and gas transmission pipelines.

There are many factors that affect the lifespan, cost, and reliability of piston compressors once they are installed in industrial facilities. Some of those factors include how well they are maintained, how they are operated, their initial design specifications and quality along with many others.

It isn't unusual that there are various different piston compressor styles which are used in industrial situations. Types of gasses compressed are those used in instruments and tools and for air systems. They are oxygen, hydrogen and various gases that are used for chemical processing as well as those gases required for storage and transmission purposes. These are just a few and there are many others.

Compressors come in two basic classifications within industry. Those are positive displacement or intermittent flow which includes rotary and reciprocating style equipment and continuous flow which includes axial and centrifugal flow.

It is where high compression ratios are needed with relatively dry fluids being compressed that piston compressors are generally used. When compressing wet gases, it is the centrifugal compressors that are most often used. Then it is when high flow with low compression ratios are required, the most desirable for this purpose is axial flow compressors.

The key in selecting the right industrial reciprocating compressor is understanding which gas is being used and why. There are other important elements that muse be understood so that full advantage of the offered benefits are desired.

It is always inevitable that problems will occur with any kind of equipment, and it is important to know how to diagnose what is causing them. You also need to know the power requirements along with numerous other aspects if you want to get as much as you can from piston compressors.




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