Understanding the Lubrication System Components in Air Compressors
Release time:
2025-09-22
Understanding the Lubrication System Components in Air Compressors
Air Compressor Cooler
The oil cooler and the air aftercooler share similar cooling methods, which include air cooling and water cooling. In poor environmental conditions, the fins of an air-cooled cooler can easily become covered with dust, reducing cooling efficiency and causing excessively high discharge temperatures, which may lead to shutdown.
Therefore, compressed air should be used to blow away the dust on the fin surfaces. If blowing alone is insufficient, solvents must be used for cleaning to ensure the cooler’s heat dissipation surfaces remain clean.
For shell-and-tube coolers that become clogged, special chemical solutions must be used for soaking, and mechanical methods should be employed to remove scale deposits blocking the tubes. A thorough cleaning must be ensured.
Oil Filtration
The function of the oil filter is to remove impurities from the oil, such as metal particles and oil degradation products. Its filtration accuracy ranges between 5–10 microns, providing comprehensive protection for bearings and rotors. Whether the oil filter needs replacement can be determined by its pressure difference indicator and operating hours. If the pressure difference indicator light turns on, it means the oil filter is clogged and must be replaced.
After the first 600 hours of operation for a new machine, the oil and oil filter must be replaced. Subsequent replacements should be based on the pressure difference indicator or operating hours. If the oil filter has a high pressure difference and is not replaced, it may result in insufficient oil supply, leading to high discharge temperatures and shutdown, while also affecting bearing life due to oil deficiency.
Oil-Gas Separator
The oil-gas separator element is made of multiple layers of fine glass fibers. The mist-like oil contained in the compressed air is almost completely filtered out after passing through the oil-gas separator.
Under normal operation, the oil-gas separator can be used for approximately 3,000–4,000 hours. However, the quality of the lubricating oil and the level of environmental pollution significantly affect its service life. If environmental pollution is severe, installing a pre-air filter should be considered.
The outlet of the oil-gas separator is equipped with a safety valve and a pressure maintenance valve. The compressed air is discharged from here and directed to the aftercooler.
The oil filtered by the oil-gas separator collects in a small circular recess at the center and is then returned via a oil return pipe to the throttle check valve before re-entering the compressor’s intake side for reuse. This prevents the filtered lubricating oil from being discharged with the air.
Air Compressor Thermostatic Valve
A thermostatic valve is installed in front of the cooler. Its function is to maintain the discharge temperature above the pressure dew point temperature. During startup, when the lubricating oil temperature is low, the thermostatic valve automatically opens the return passage, allowing the oil to bypass the oil cooler and enter the compressor directly.
When the oil temperature rises to 60–71°C or higher, the valve gradually opens. It is fully open at 75–85°C, at which point all the oil passes through the oil cooler before entering the compressor.
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