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Applications
Compressed air is used in air conditioners, tire pumps and has many applications in factories and industries, such as the petroleum industry. Airbrush artists rely on air compressors to ply their trade. Air-powered tools are often lighter than electrical tools, which require built-in motors.
How It Works
Compressor pumps squeeze increments of air into a holding tank, causing the pressure in the tank to increase. When the pressure reaches a desired level, the pump automatically switches off. When the air is used, the pressure in the tank decreases until the pump automatically switches on again.
Mechanics of a PIston Pump
The most common type of compressor pump is piston driven; it is called a reciprocating compressor. A piston is very similar to the plunger of a syringe. As it moves out, air is drawn into the cylinder through an intake valve. The intake valve closes, and the piston moves back into the cylinder forcing air into the holding tank through an outtake valve. This happens again and again, raising the pressure in the holding tank.
Types of Compressor Pumps
Rotary screw compressors and rotary sliding vane compressors work in a similar way, by drawing air into a chamber and then reducing the size of the chamber. Centrifugal compressors rely on sequences of hi-powered fans or rotating impellers and are used when a more continuous stream of highly-pressurized air is required.