Max temp for compressor? And how to measure?

[rcx132]

My two compressor pumps are in a sound proof enclosure due to neighbor complaints. There's a decent extractor pushing are through but what with the sound baffles that are in place the air flow is not what I'd want it to be.

If I wanted to monitor the temperature of the compressors, where best to measure it, eg the oil temp? Or head temperature? And what would the max temperature be?

 

[brightspark]

depends on the type of pump. cheap ones are fast running and have limited duty cycle .cylinder head temp would be best just shove as much air through as possible .I run mine for about half an hour blasting and it doesn't do it any favours even in the open could fry an egg on it

 

[rtbcomp]

I would say cylinder head too, this is going to be the hottest place, once past the outlet valves the air starts to cool down.

At a guess I'd try to keep the maximum temperature to about 80 degC, but that's just a gut feeling.

 

[8ob]

As above, the cooler the better really. Making expanded hot air that cools and contracts as it leaves the compressor is kind of counter productive.

Bob

 

[cheb]

Are small watercooled compressors available? Or does the complexity outweigh the benefits?

 

[premmington]

Are small watercooled compressors available? Or does the complexity outweigh the benefits?

Never seen a watercooled airhead (they must exist). Thou I have seen loads of oil coiled airheads.

Noise is problem with piston compressors - we went over to Hydrovanes for this reason...

 

[rtbcomp]

One thing you must avoid if you enclose a compressor is to let it suck in air from its immediate surroundings, such air will be warm to hot and get heated further as it gets compressed.

I extended the air inlet on mine with a (clean) vacuum cleaner hose, and put the filter in a box to keep the noise down. The air inlet produces quite a bit of noise.

 

[merryman]

Are small watercooled compressors available? Or does the complexity outweigh the benefits?

I've been out of the Bus and Truck industry for 20 years but almost all the air compressors for air brakes had water cooled heads back then. However most had an oil feed from the engine's oil pump too.

 

[cheb]

Idle musing whilst I wait for the washing machine to finish: Would wrapping 10mm copper pipe between the fins on an aircooled head and pumping water round it be worth doing?

 

[Shox Dr]

When blasting mine gets heat soaked. I’ve often thought about fitting a pump and oil cooler, to try and gets the temps down

 

[rtbcomp]

Much less trouble to install an extra fan to augment the one on the pump pulley, which tends to blow most of the air over the barrel rather than the head anyway. Just make sure the airflows from the two fans don't interfere with each other.

My SIP compressor has a shroud to direct the air over the head.

 

[premmington]

Idle musing whilst I wait for the washing machine to finish: Would wrapping 10mm copper pipe between the fins on an aircooled head and pumping water round it be worth doing?

I have thought about this - I reckon with a big enuf cooling tank - higher than the airhead - you would not need a pump - convection would give you a flow - heat rises - return pipe from the bottom of tank - big tank with a surface area. Fill it with a % of car antifeeze to stop it freezing when not in use - plus the anti freeze would stop the water going off (smelling).

 

[gt6s]

Small digital battery powered temp gauges are available REAL CHEAP on ebay usually used on fish tanks. I use one on my Lister CS Start O Matic generator The sensor bulb just inserted into a bolt hole in the cylinder head..

Laurence

 

[brightspark]

I've been out of the Bus and Truck industry for 20 years but almost all the air compressors for air brakes had water cooled heads back then. However most had an oil feed from the engine's oil pump too.

I have a twin wesinghouse pump of a bus. its air cooled but the oil feed was taken of the engine I had to fit an oil pump to convert it

 

[Morrisman]

One thing you must avoid if you enclose a compressor is to let it suck in air from its immediate surroundings, such air will be warm to hot and get heated further as it gets compressed.

I extended the air inlet on mine with a (clean) vacuum cleaner hose, and put the filter in a box to keep the noise down. The air inlet produces quite a bit of noise.

When I worked offshore we used massive Ariel compressors that cooled themselves by sucking the air intake through their own cooling jackets. Pretty unusual, when all others used water cooling, but they claimed to be far cheaper, lighter and more reliable than others. 2000psi, 1800cfm, 1200 rpm, 1000hp Cat drive engine.

 

[rtbcomp]

When I worked offshore we used massive Ariel compressors that cooled themselves by sucking the air intake through their own cooling jackets. Pretty unusual, when all others used water cooling, but they claimed to be far cheaper, lighter and more reliable than others. 2000psi, 1800cfm, 1200 rpm, 1000hp Cat drive engine.

I'm uncomfortable with that because you're recirculating the heat through the pump, you need cool air into the pump inlet and cool air/water to cool the pump, and the two should be kept separate.

 

[Morrisman]

I'm uncomfortable with that because you're recirculating the heat through the pump, you need cool air into the pump inlet and cool air/water to cool the pump, and the two should be kept separate.

The air itself went through air/water intercoolers between stages, of which there were five, but it was quite a successful system. They do appear to be the only company that do it though, the other types we used were all water cooled.

 

[graffian]

water cooled were made. I don't know if you know the big old single cylinder compressors well they made them with
water jackets.
I had one, the water went in what looked like a cast iron water cistern and bolted to the wall above the pump. The water
thermocycled and the thing was very quiet.
I had had a virtually identical, but aircooled pump before that and watercooling made it a lot quieter.

I saw several pumps that looked exatly the same in workshops around here.
I will have a look I may well still have the pump.

 

[fizzy]

I use a fan like this for mine - and a hand held point and shoot thermometer.

 

[brightspark]

I use a fan like this for mine - and a hand held point and shoot thermometer.

funnily enough I have both and have never bothered using either .the fan is 2 big and noisy it would blow you away its of a bouncy castle