Oil-free compressors display benefits at expo

Compressor and pumps manufacturer Gardner Denver discussed the importance of air purity at Foodex 2016, in April, in Birmingham, across all aspects of food and beverage processing, showcasing oil-free models from across its vacuum and pressure range.

The company explains that, unlike compressed air applications, where there are rigorous standards that dictate the quality and specification of air used during the process, there is no current standard in place for exhaust air quality from vacuum pumps.

Gardner Denver regional director Colin Mander notes that the company’s approach draws on years of experience from proven compressed air and gas solutions manufacturer CompAir’s compressor products. “We know that there are many cost-efficiency and safety benefits that can be realised by commissioning oil-free technology.”

He adds that the company therefore urged manufacturers to visit its stand at Foodex to learn how investing in oil-free technology for their vacuum applications can help ensure the highest standards of air across the entire process.

To support the company’s commitment to improving air quality standards, a range of oil-free technologies were on display. These included the S-VSI dry-running screw vacuum pump and the proven CompAir DH range of oil-free compressors. Cutaway models of the Elmo Rietschle vacuum technology were also on show, allowing visitors to see the efficient internal operation of the pumps.

The company also launched its free Elmo Rietschle six-year warranty scheme, available as standard on all rotary vane vacuum pumps. Called ‘Assure’, the new scheme offers improved reliability and performance for operators keen to maximise their return on investment by reducing the likelihood of equipment downtime.

Products on Display
Unlike conventional oil-free compressor technologies, the DH range of water-injected screw compressors from CompAir does not contain any oil, providing complete air purity, which is key for food applications that must meet the most stringent quality standards.

The range has been certified according to the ISO8573-1 CLASS 0 (2010) standard and is silicone-free, which is achieved through CompAir’s advanced, oil-free design, where high-quality water injection lubricates, cools and seals the compression process.

Moreover, Gardner Denver’s partner, Elmo Rietschle, has developed a complete oil-free, dry-running screw vacuum pump for packaging under protective gas, which needs no coolant or sealing medium in the suction chamber. The pump is water-cooled and emits low heat into the environment.

Gardner Denver notes that there is no wear inside the compression chamber and the only service required is to change the oil in the gearbox and bearings, helping to reduce maintenance time and the associated costs.

The Elmo Rietschle V-VC range of oil-flooded rotary vane vacuum pumps, which was also on display, has capacities ranging from 50 m³/h to 1.535 m³/h and an ultimate vacuum of 0.1-mbar abs.

Also showcased was the L-2BL2, an enclosed recirculating liquid ring pump, as well as side channel blower technology and the VLR claw pump offering low noise levels and high energy efficiency in a compact design.

Gardner Denver’s nitrogen generators were also on display at the expo. The generators provide operators with on-demand supply and complete control over the volume and flow of the gas required.

The system converts compressed air into guaranteed-purity nitrogen. Pretreated air from a standard industrial compressor is ‘sieved’ using carbon molecular technology to remove all oxygen and other trace gases, leaving the nitrogen to pass through to the application.

The system can reduce supply costs by as much as 90%, with payback in less than two years for a company using liquid nitrogen, or as short a period as one year where gas cylinders are being used.