The Importance of Compressed Air Systems in the Modern Industrial Age
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In ancient times, the earliest forms of compressed air didn&#;t come from complex machines. Human beings used their lungs to blow air onto hot embers, stoking the flames of a growing fire, which was an essential part of the earliest forms of civilization. Fire played a large role in skilled labor, but creating an inferno hot enough to melt and cast the precious metals of the day became a challenge that needed a much more powerful compressed air source than could be delivered by the human lungs.
Skilled craftsmen created low-pressure devices that were powered by hands and feet, and eventually even by the water wheel, to create a fire hot enough to melt early metals. The famous hand-operated bellows of antiquity helped with the melting and casting of copper, gold, lead and tin, but more powerful compressed air systems were still needed to accomplish the feats that came with the industrial revolution.
Following the development of some of the earlier mechanical compressors in the 17th century, which still used traditional piston and cylinder mechanisms that dated back to the time of the Romans, came the onset of screw compressor systems. As the systems improved and evolved with more powerful motors and the use of electricity, compressed air further established itself as an essential staple in manufacturing and in the technological advancements of the 20th century.
Since then, compressed air systems have become more complex. They&#;re now essential components in the modern industrial world. Today, everyone from the farmers working in the vast, rural countryside to the people constructing the automobiles we drive every day utilize compressed air systems. Medical equipment and pharmaceutical industries, the energy industry and manufacturing facilities all utilize compressed air in their daily operations to produce the many goods and services we have become accustomed to.
Air remains one of the most commonly used and available resources in modern business, but it requires a great deal of energy to produce.
When looking at air compressors by industry, and how the systems are used, understanding their benefits can help you make a better decision on which type of compressor is right for your business needs. Compressed air systems range from smaller and more portable units to large-scale industrial pieces of equipment that can supply clean air to an entire facility.
Compressors also come in different models and can operate on different mechanical principles. Selecting the right compressed air system often depends on what application you&#;re looking for, and how you plan to use compressed air in your business.
Compressed air is important because of its cleanliness and ease of use. Unfortunately, it&#;s also an expensive utility. Only about 19 percent of the total energy used in the most efficient compressed air system is converted into useable airflow. The remaining 81 percent is lost in the form of heat, which is why maintaining and selecting the best system for your business is so important. Not fixing air leaks, or using compressed air when other cheaper alternatives exist, can cost you money in the long run, and it can cut into resources that could be better spent on other business needs.
If you&#;re interested in employing compressed air at your company to improve productivity or efficiency, or even bolster the performance of an outdated system, explore this guide, which features the history of compressed air use in industrial development, how compressors operate and which methods are employed today for industries including woodworking, natural gas, automotive, agriculture, medical and manufacturing.
The earliest forms of compressed air tools, which date as far back as B.C., were bellows to smelt and forge the ores needed for metal working, powered by human energy or water wheels. Bellows are still common today to fan the flames of wood burning fireplaces in some homes, which in turn supplies the needed oxygen to increase the heat of the fire.
A typical fire could obtain the melting point of certain metals, but the increased demand for more heat and compressed air created stronger alloys, as well as the need to work with more difficult ores. Increasing the amount of oxygen in industrial fires through early compressed air systems, ancient people created stronger metals than what could be found naturally in the earth, which helped pioneer the field of metallurgy.
Early industrial air compressors were low-pressure systems. These systems improved throughout the centuries. In ancient China around the third century B.C., double-acting, piston-based bellows were invented and used by the Han dynasty. In 10 A.D., the Byzantium Hero, or Heron of Alexandria, laid the foundation for some of the earliest pneumatic engineering in the form of a system that would automatically open a temple door. Around the world, developments continued, even though many of the world&#;s peoples were separated by oceans and vast distances. By the 13th Century A.D., the Chinese designed wind- and water-based motors to improve their own air compression technology.
Advancement was slow, but by the mid-s, the first mechanical compressors were underway with the invention of the wheel-blowing cylinder, pioneered by a man named John Smeaton in . Smeaton was an English engineer, and he created a new mechanical system that slowly replaced the traditional bellows of the day. The wheel-blowing cylinder was revolutionary at the time, and it can be called the earliest mechanical compressor in human history.
Although Smeaton&#;s advancement was an efficient system, it would soon be replaced by another invention in . English engineer and inventor John Wilkinson created the superior blasting-machine, an invention that would lay the foundation for all mechanical compressors that followed.
Going beyond just metallurgy, the demand for compressed air in the late s had now branched out into several more industries, including mining, which demanded the ventilation of the subterranean areas. Wilkinson&#;s invention is considered a prototype for all mechanical compressor systems, but at the time, experiments with vacuum-based systems were also being conducted. By , Englishman George Medhurst invented the first motorized air compression system that was used primarily in the mining industry. Medhurst&#;s engineering feats led to the first atmospheric railway, a compressed-air-powered rail system.
Throughout the s, many more advancements became essential to compressed air systems. In the industrial age, compressed air also became a means to transport energy. Hydraulic systems also advanced. As the demand for specialization in compressed air use increased, which included the need for different pressures and the use of electric motors, the technology diverged.
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The divergence in engineering throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries provided the groundwork for the three most common types of modern compressor systems found in the industry today.
Modern air compressors aid in industrial, commercial, and residential operations. You can find these machines powering homeowner power tools or large-scale commercial processes in chemical and refrigeration plants. It is strange to learn that this innovative tool started from the humblest beginnings. Read the story of air compressor history, from its earliest iterations to its most current models.
The human lungs were the first air compressors known to mankind. The earliest humans used their breath to help produce fire for warmth and meal prep, blowing on embers to create flames. As people started working with metals such as tin, gold, and copper, they found human breath inadequate. The lungs created too much carbon monoxide but insufficient pressure for metal work. The metallurgists of Sumeria and Egypt invented blowpipes to help resolve the problem.
Archaeologists continue to discover evidence of blowpipes in ancient metallurgic societies. The tools helped metal workers introduce fresh oxygen into underground furnaces, keeping fires hot and continuous. While the instrument was a significant advancement in air power and control, it wasn&#;t until B.C. that air compressor history took its first major step toward the modern air compressor.
Bellows, invented in the European Middle Ages, helped speed up the combustion process for metalwork. Blacksmiths and iron workers used the tools to introduce oxygen into their forges.
Bellows are handheld or foot-powered devices made of a top and bottom plate connected with a hinge. The sides are flexible, allowing for free movement. An inward opening valve enables the tool to draw in air when separating the top and bottom plates. When compressing the tool, the valve contracts, and the air gets pushed through a nozzle, creating targeted air pressure.
With the creation of bellows came a greater understanding of the power of air pressure. People integrated the tools into reed and pipe organs, demonstrating the versatility of a gas most took for granted and celebrating the ingenuity of the human mind.
When discussing air compressor history, you cannot forget about the original engineers that birthed the blueprint of what became all modern compressors. John Smeaton, in , was the first professional engineer to use a water wheel to power a blowing cylinder.
In , an English inventor, John Wilkinson, revamped the concept of Mr. Smeaton, creating the early prototype for mechanical compressors. Mr. Wilkinson&#;s invention was a more sophisticated and efficient blasting machine.
Still, it wasn&#;t until that a patent was filed for the first official compound air compressor. The device made it possible to contain compressed air in multiple cylinders, becoming a closer approximation to modern designs.
The new design allowed for new applications. In , the Mont Cenis Tunnel in the Swiss Alps began construction. Workers originally drilled by hand, clearing roughly 9 inches of material daily. Developers expected the project to take a minimum of 28 years to complete. In , crews began using compressed air drills, allowing them to complete the project in 14 years.
Air compressor history took a significant turn at the turn of the century. The United States was in the midst of its Second Industrial Revolution, transitioning from handmade industrial and consumer goods to machine-assisted production with the help of compressed air.
In , the introduction of portable, single-stage compressors, driven by steam and oil engines, aided in rapid city and urban development. These compressors allowed for portable power tools and the faster creation of bridges, railroads, skyscrapers, houses, and much more.
In , manufacturers created the first two-stage, air-cooled, portable compressor. Following the invention, free air delivery began using standard ratings and sizes. Then, in , Alf Lysholm created the first twin screw compressor for steam and gas turbines.
As the century progressed, global development continued. Engineers, inventors, businesses, and governments found new and inventive ways to use compressors.
Today, air compressors are a part of nearly every industry and contribute to the global economy through increased productivity and production. The device changed the course of civilization and remains integral to communities around the world.
The two most common compressors are positive displacement and dynamic compressors. Positive displacement options are the most common type of air compressor because they are often portable and ideal for smaller spaces.
Dynamic compressors increase static pressure using rapidly rotating blades. These systems include screw compressors and rotary compressors. The system is most beneficial to the manufacturing industry and for cooling systems.
While air compressors are essential and useful tools, they are also prone to problems. From providing insufficient pressure to not powering on, compressors are complex and sometimes touchy pieces of machinery.
There are many potential causes of your device not working. Some of the most common issues stem from faulty wiring or switch problems. You might fix some problems by simply using a reset button, but you shouldn&#;t have to use this option repeatedly. If you find you constantly need to reset the system, call a repair professional.
Because problems can stem from frayed wiring, broken plugs, or something else, it is important to hire a professional. Working on mechanical and electrical equipment is dangerous work, and it is not worth injury or worse.
Air compressor history teaches how important the device was to society. The tool allowed for rapid societal developments, truly altering the course of human history. Still, to this day, air compressors are essential to industrial and manufacturing industries. They also contribute to the operations of NYC buildings, both residential and commercial.
Antler Pumps not only appreciates air compressor history and the device&#;s power and utility, but we also understand the intricacies of its mechanics and operations. If your building is struggling with an existing compressor or needs an upgrade, contact our service at 212-534-. We are always happy to help a fellow New Yorker.
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