High summer temperatures can cause your compressor to shut down. By taking certain measures in your compressor room, this unwanted situation can be avoided.
Ambient conditions directly affect the operation of both the screw compressor and the compressed air dryer, and temperature plays a very important role in proper, reliable compressor operation.
01Why temperature management in the compressor room matters
- Standard compressors are designed to operate at ambient temperatures between 5 °C and 40 °C; some are designed for temperatures up to 46 °C.
- The temperature inside the compressor room can easily be 15 °C higher than outside, because of the heat given off by the compressor and other equipment around it. Lowering the intake air temperature by just 3 °C reduces energy demand by 1%.
- A compressor’s service life is significantly shortened if it runs in harsh ambient conditions, because critical parts are exposed to increased thermal load.
The temperature in the compressor room is affected most by:
- the supply and flow of fresh air through the room (ventilation)
- heat emitted by the compressor and other nearby equipment (dryers and similar components)
- warm air exhausted from the compressor itself
02Summer tips
To avoid problems caused by high summer temperatures, make sure that:
- ventilation in the compressor room is properly sized and working – check the size of openings, louvres and mesh, which may be too small or clogged with dirt and dust (see the manual for ventilation requirements: opening sizes, warm air exhaust, etc.)
- you measure the temperature in the compressor room regularly, to make sure it stays within the reference values the compressor was designed for
- the compressor contains the required amount of oil (check the manual for the exact quantity), which also cools the compressor’s internal system
- all open (accessible) heat exchangers are cleaned or blown out to remove dust and other dirt, following the instructions in the compressor and/or dryer manual
