There are several different types of air compressors on the market, each with their own set of features and benefits. One of the most common air compressor types is the rotary screw air compressor. The rotary screw air compressor is versatile, reliable, durable, and powerful. As a result, it is widely used for a wide range of industrial applications.
Every air compressor operates using one of two basic principles of compression. Rotary screw air compressors (like many other types of air compressors) operate using the principle of positive displacement.
Inside of a rotary screw air compressor, there is a set of rotors. One of these, designated the “male” rotor, has convex lobes. Its counterpart, the “female” rotor, has concave cavities. The male rotor must always have fewer lobes than the female rotor has cavities. This allows for increased efficiency.
The pair of rotors is designed in a way that allows them to mesh together without actually touching when the rotary screw air compressor is in operation.
The air compression process begins when air is sucked into the rotary screw air compressor’s opening valve. The air then enters a compression chamber where the pair of rotors is located. The rotors turn at high speeds, trapping the air in cavities created by their interlocking parts, and moving the trapped air down the compression chamber.
The size of the chamber decreases as it moves away from the opening valve. As the air is forced into a smaller space, the pressure increases. The air becomes compressed. The compressed air eventually reaches the rotary screw air compressor’s opening valve, and is discharged (possibly into a holding tank or some other kind of receiver), and the cycle continues.
The operating principles of the rotary screw air compressor are mechanically simple, but highly effective. It is no surprise that they are so popular in so many industries.
