THE TWO MAIN TYPES OF COMPRESSORS THAT CAN BE FOUND ON THE MARKET TODAY ARE ROTARY SCREW COMPRESSORS AND PISTON COMPRESSORS.
To find out which one is better suited for your application, let’s look at their respective differences and benefits.
Piston compressors are simpler machines. You might also think of them as starter compressors. However, if your air demands grow or become more sophisticated, investing in a rotary screw compressor quickly makes more sense.
Here is how they stack up in different areas: Costs: Here, we have to distinguish between the initial investment cost and operating expenses. The purchasing price (i.e., the upfront cost) of piston compressors is usually lower. That means that they might be the right choice if you only need compressed air sparingly. However, the operating expenses of screw compressors over time are significantly lower. As a result, if you need quite a bit of compressed air, then you will soon begin to save money in spite of the higher initial investment costs. Duty cycle: Speaking of the operating hours … one of the main benefits of screw compressors is the absence of a duty cycle. Essentially, that means that they can run continuously. For example, an oil-injected rotary screw compressor could run for the entire length of a working day and suffer no ill effects. In fact, this would even be beneficial. Piston compressors, on the other hand, typically have to take frequent breaks to cool down. Therefore, this factor is crucial for operations with a continuous compressed air demand, for example in a manufacturing setting. Here, a screw compressor can ensure that the machines do not stand still. Efficiency: If you assume that both compressor types run the same number of hours, then piston compressors will be much less efficient and their operating costs higher than those of a screw compressor. Once again, if you need a lot of compressed air, the screw compressor is probably the way to go.
Noise: Piston compressors are a lot louder. That usually does not matter on a construction site or in industrial settings where the noise level is already high. However, if you need to install your compressor in a place that is subject to noise standards or has to be located closer to the respective application, then you will prefer a screw compressor.
Service intervals: Piston compressors contain a lot more moving parts that are therefore more subject to wear and tear. This increases their maintenance needs (and costs) significantly.
As you can tell, there are applications for which a piston compressor is the right choice, especially those for operations with a limited compressed air demand. In that case, the lower investment costs justify the higher operating expenses.
However, as the air demand grows and in light of their great versatility, a rotary screw compressor makes more sense for most users.
If this guide still leaves you unsure which is the best solution for you, simply get in touch with an Atlas Copco expert for advice and a quote that takes your specific needs into account.
What we just learned seems to indicate that the piston technology is better for operations that need a small compressor.
But not so fast. While piston compressors are certainly the right choice in some of these cases, in many others, a small rotary screw compressor can pay huge dividends and allow you and your business to make a leap forward.
First, there is the price. Especially in the case of compressors, where energy expenses make up the bulk of the total cost of ownership, the initial investment cost should not be much of a factor.
A small rotary screw compressor, such as the G 2-7 range from Atlas Copco, offers massive advantages in this regard over piston compressors. And, of course, a reduced energy consumption also means a smaller environmental footprint.
In addition, when we talk about the low compressed air demand of smaller operations, let’s not forget that the goal of most businesses is to expand. When that happens, a piston compressor will quickly outlive its usefulness due to its run time limitations, while a rotary screw compressor can run 24/7.
Another advantage of rotary screw compressors is that they limit the oil content in your air system. This protects your tools and the quality of your final products. For example, while a typical piston compressor has an oil carry-over of more than 30 ppm, the small compressors from the G 2-7 series produce a fraction of that (5 PPM).
