When should I buy an oil-free compressor?

What is the difference between oil vs. oil-free compressors?

In oil injected screw compressors, there is a thin layer of oil found between the rotors to create a seal and maintain proper efficiency as the compression occurs. The unfortunate side effect of this solution is that oil may carry over to the point of use in your air system. This can be mitigated by having correct filtration in place to remove the oil contaminants in your air. Additionally, many individuals may decide to opt for a completely oil-free solution, with the use of a scroll compressor or water injected screw compressor. These types of compressors require no oil at the point of compression and therefore create no risk for oil carry over in the production of compressed air.

Do I really need an oil-free compressor?

An oil-free compressor can be an absolute necessity for many applications and industries. Contamination from compressed air produced by oil injected screw compressors is a major source of concern for the food and beverage industry especially. This contamination can mean oil, dust, water and more. These processes require compressed air to be clean, dry and free of contaminants to ensure your production is running effortlessly. The best way to get rid of these contaminants for many systems is to use an oil-free compressor and have the proper filtration and drying methods installed. Your goods need to meet demanding safety and quality inspections, and dirty air can introduce problems at almost any point in your process.

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Oil-Free Compressors 

ALUP Oil-Free Variable Speed Drive Compressor - 75 - 220 HP range - Class Zero

ALUP Oil-Free Variable Speed Drive Compressor - 75 - 220 HP range - Class Zero

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ALUP Oil-Free Variable Speed Drive Compressor | OF Series - 20-75 HP

ALUP Oil-Free Variable Speed Drive Compressor | OF Series - 20-75 HP

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SpiralAIR SPR 20 Multi Oil-free (8 bar version)

SpiralAIR SPR 20 Multi Oil-free (8 bar version)

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Who we are and how Ash Air can help your business!

Ash Air has been around in New Zealand since 1979, and we’ve grown into a nationwide company with international support and a reputation for quality and reliability.We look after all things compressed air for your business!

  • Reciprocating, Screw, air compressors
  • Vacuum pumps
  • Nitrogen
  • An extensive line of air treatment components

Ash Air's range of Chicago Pneumatic, Alup, Pneumatech, and Quincy compressors are used extensively around the world in industries ranging from oil and gas to food, automotive and farming, and we bring you these world class compressors here in the land of the long white cloud.Our technicians are compressed air equipment experts and are dedicated to addressing customer needs. Supported by a 13 locations nationwide, Ash Air offers one of the widest selections of compressed air equipment and parts available today in New Zealand.

Reliability and Efficiency

With Ash Air compressors, you can count on reliability and high performance for even the most demanding applications. We focus our efforts on the following:

  • Increasing uptime
  • Reducing unexpected repairs
  • Reducing energy consumption
  • Improving the cleanliness of compressed air


Talk to the team today:  CONTACT US CONTACT US

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A question that is occasionally asked by our customers to Ash Air is 'what is the cost of compressed air?'  This article looks at the product costs involved with compressed air, as well as minimising the energy cost of compressors and cost allocation. When looking at these factors, we need to realise what causes dropped efficiency of your compressor, leading to increased costs of compressed air. …

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