HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS
Hygienic applications, including pharmaceutical manufacturing, food and beverage production and sensitive electronic and automotive environments require ever- higher standards of compressed air purity.
I
n many of these processes, compressed air product, meaning that contamination from
consequences, not to mention reputational damage. According to Simon Taylor, Oil-Free Sales Leader, Distribution (Europe and Middle East) from Ingersoll Rand, investing in oil- free compressor technologies helps reduce this risk, and when combined with intelligent heat recovery, can reduce cost of ownership
OIL-FREE FOR REDUCED CONTAMINATION
Oil-free compressor technology can help operators make valuable cost savings while costs are reduced, with businesses able to save on the cost of air treatment and oil replacement, as well as the expense of disposal. In addition, operators can ensure that the compressed air supply meets strict ISO 8573 standards, ensuring processes remain free from contaminants, or reduced it to acceptable levels. ISO 8573 consists of nine separate parts, with
part one identifying contamination levels that can be tolerated within a single cubic metre of permitted particle count, pressure dewpoint and amount of oil allowed within this sample. The other eight parts detail testing methods
for a range of contaminants, including solid particles, oil vapour, organic solvents, microbiological contaminants, liquid water and gaseous contaminants, alongside humidity levels and aerosol content. They also ensure that air quality test results are comparable within a given tolerance of measurement.
OIL-FREE TECHNOLOGIES There are a range of different oil-free compressor technologies available, all of which reduce or eliminate oil carryover into the compressed air supply. For example, some oil-free compressors use water, instead of oil to seal, lubricate and cool
26 May/June 2026 Irish Manufacturing
the compression process. In the example of the Ingersoll Rand EH-Series, the compressor IE3 motor (IE4 available as an option), which drives the compressor element directly so there is no requirement for a gearbox, eliminating the need for associated oil-lubrication systems, unnecessary friction, heat and noise, which would all result in wasted energy.
Another oil-free technology is
a two-stage dry-running system. In this instance, the compression process is divided into two stages, using an intercooler after
No oil is needed to seal the compression process, making this a perfect solution for applications where oil-free compressed air is a critical requirement. Oil never enters the compression chambers but is used to keep gears and bearings lubricated and cool. Special seals between the rotors and bearings prevent air from passing into the oil system and oil from passing into the compression chambers.
The latest oil-free solutions take advantage
of innovative technologies to help improve site compressor has been engineered with two highly the traditional gearbox design. These motors drive the airends without the need for a gearbox.
REDUCED MAINTENANCE COSTS the system, service costs are typically lower for oil-free compressed air solutions. Oil-free compressors effectively remove an entire layer of maintenance, such as oil changes,
for longer too, which reduces wear and extends service intervals.
SEIZING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES Heat recovery offers further potential to save cent of the energy required to run a compressor is converted to heat, but by using heat recovery options, this otherwise waste energy can be recovered easily.
generate hot process water, space heating or to preheat water for steam generation. Using heat recovery options, this waste heat of compression can be re-used to generate hot water to be used as process heat in manufacturing operations, for and no impact on the compressed air supply, companies can often achieve payback on the investment in less than one year.
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