A marine air compressor compresses air or fluids to decrease their volume; prior to selecting one for your vessel, understanding key considerations is essential.
What Is An Air Compressor?
A marine air compressor, tailored for maritime settings, serves a dual purpose of compressing air or various fluids crucial for ship operations. This essential device not only generates compressed air for powering pneumatic systems, starting engines, and operating tools but also plays a pivotal role in maintaining operational efficiency at sea.
Utilizing reciprocating, rotary screw, or centrifugal mechanisms, the compressor unit compresses the air or fluid. Intercoolers and aftercoolers regulate temperatures to enhance efficiency and prevent overheating. The control system manages pressure levels to meet shipboard standards, ensuring operational compliance. Dispensing compressed air or fluid at specified pressures to shipboard systems and equipment optimizes their functionality, providing a reliable source of compressed air crucial for maritime vessel applications.
Marine Air Compressor Types
Marine air compressors can be classified based on their design and working principles into centrifugal, rotary vane, rotary screw, and reciprocating compressors. They are further categorized according to their usage as main air compressors, topping up compressors, deck air compressors, and emergency air compressors, with the main air compressor being a prominent type.
Classified By Design
Each type of marine air compressor has its unique characteristics in terms of design, cooling method, and pressure range, allowing for versatility in marine applications based on the specific requirements of the vessel and its systems.
Centrifugal Compressor
- Features: A centrifugal compressor utilizes rotating impellers to compress air. It is known for its high flow rates and smooth operation.
- Cooling: This offshore air compressor is typically water-cooled to manage heat generated during compression.
- Pressure Range: It is commonly used for medium to high-pressure applications.
Rotary Vane Compressor
- Features: A rotary vane compressor features vanes that slide in and out of slots within a rotor to compress air.
- Cooling: A rotary vane compressor can be air-cooled or water-cooled, depending on the model and size.
- Pressure Range: It is often used for medium-pressure applications.
Rotary Screw Compressor
- Features: A rotary screw compressor uses two interlocking helical rotors to compress air.
- Cooling: This compressor is commonly air-cooled, but larger models may require water cooling.
- Pressure Range: It is suitable for medium to high-pressure applications.
Reciprocating Air Compressor
- Features: A reciprocating compressor operates by using pistons to compress air in a cylinder.
- Cooling: A reciprocating compressor can be air-cooled or water-cooled, depending on the size and application.
- Pressure Range: It can handle low to high-pressure applications depending on the design and configuration.
Classified By Applications
Marine air compressors are categorized based on their specific functions as the main air compressor, topping up compressor, deck air compressor, and emergency air compressor.
Main Air Compressor
The main air compressor is essential for supplying highly pressurized air to start both primary and secondary engines. Featuring an air storage tank for preserving compressed air, it comes in various capacities ensuring adequacy for initiating the main engine. To kickstart the main engine, a minimum pressure of 30 bars is imperative. This compressor is designed with a pressure valve for overseeing and dispensing controlled air from the storage tank. Furthermore, the control air filter is responsible for monitoring and managing the flow of input and output air within the storage tank.
Topping Up Compressor
The topping up compressor serves to rectify system leakage problems by replenishing air pressure to uphold necessary levels. Its core functionality revolves around compensating for air pressure reductions caused by leaks, ensuring the system receives a supply of pressurized air to restore optimal operating conditions.
Deck Air Compressor
The deck compressor serves deck operations as a service air compressor and may have a dedicated service air bottle. These offshore air compressors have lower capacities as the service air pressure typically ranges between 6 to 8 bar.
Emergency Air Compressor
An emergency air compressor is crucial for starting auxiliary engines during emergencies or when the main air compressor malfunctions. It can be either motor-driven or engine-driven and should have a reliable emergency power source if motor-driven.
What Is Air Compressor Used For?
In marine applications, air compressors are integral for various functions:
Offshore air compressors are primarily utilized to provide starting air to a range of machinery and the main engine onboard ships. Apart from the main engine, other crucial systems such as control valves, throttle controls, and monitoring systems rely on compressed air for their operation.
Compressed air is essential for controlling numerous operations in auxiliary engines and pneumatic tools like cleaning devices, ensuring their efficient functionality.
Additionally, compressed air is employed in the whistling operations of ships, facilitating the operation of fog horns. Hydraulic jacks on ships utilize compressed air for lifting operations, while boilers, refrigeration systems, and heat exchangers are initiated using compressed air.
In certain scenarios, compressed air is utilized to kick-start the propellers in the ship’s maneuvering system.
Find Marine Air Compressor At Zava Marine
As a premier supplier of top-tier ship components, we offer a diverse range of marine air compressors, including water-cooled and air-cooled variants suitable for low to high-pressure environments. Whether you require a deck compressor, main compressor, or service compressor, we are equipped to meet all your needs with satisfaction.
