What is air compressor electric motor efficiency?

As part of a concerted effort worldwide to reduce energy consumption, CO2 emissions and the impact of industrial operations on the environment, regulatory authorities in many countries have introduced legislation to encourage the manufacture and use of higher efficiency electric motors. We're proud to supply Chicago Pneumatic, who have not only taken these efficiency considerations on board but has gone even further to achieve the highest efficiency class – equivalent to IE5 - in its compressor technology

When it comes to compressor drive motors there is a close correlation between the electric motor technologies and their efficiency level capabilities. Firstly, single phase induction motors are limited to levels IE1 and IE2, whereas three-phase induction and switched reluctance synchronous motors can meet the IE1, IE2, IE3 and in some cases IE4 category criteria.

The introduction of permanent magnet (PM) motors has increased the opportunities of achieving IE4 and IE5.

With AC induction motors operating within the 90%-plus efficiency band for most power ratings, there may not be much more room for the development of this type of motor to produce higher energy efficiencies.

This is where alternative motor designs such as permanent magnet (PM) rotor technology come in. Unlike induction motors, which induce a secondary magnetic field in the rotor, PM motors use high-performance magnets attached to the external surface of the rotor to create a magnetic field that is always present. This eliminates the rotor losses found in the induction-motor design, resulting in higher efficiency and a better power factor.

However, by going beyond the PM motor, it’s possible to take greater steps toward meeting or even exceeding the IE5 standard. This has been made achievable with the introduction of the iPM (interior permanent magnet) motor concept.

A conventional PM motor, or SPM (surface permanent magnet) to be precise, only uses magnetic torque to operate. Although this technology overcomes rotor losses, it imposes speed limitations due to the need to secure the rotating magnets and reduce the risk of them being peeled off by centrifugal force.

The advantages of the iPM motor

The IPM motor with its embedded permanent magnets rotor does not have this problem. It can operate at higher speeds, enabling direct coupling to the compression element on a 1:1 ratio and, as a direct result has up to 30% lower losses compared to conventional motors.

Promoting high efficiency

There are other specific features relating to the motor that contribute to the overall efficiency of the compressor, including true direct drive. If the rotor of the motor is coupled directly to the male rotor of the compressor element, there are no drive losses associated with gears or belts and no shaft seal.

Equally, if the motor is cooled by the compressor oil, which is effective at all running speeds, there is no need for a cooling fan that consumes power and reduces motor efficiency. This is especially evident when the motor is running at a low speed. The oil cooling the motor warms the lubricating oil before it reaches the compressor element and helps prevent condensation under low load conditions.

The high torque capability of an iPM motor allows the compressor to start whilst still pressurized, hence there is no need to blowdown the compressor when it stops in standby mode. As a result, air that has already been compressed, and for which the user has paid for in energy consumption, is not wasted.

Conventionally designed compressor motors have two bearings, one for the element drive end and another for the non-drive end. If the drive end is supported on the compression element bearings, the motor only needs one bearing, resulting in a significant reduction in friction losses.

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!

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:


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Once you have the size and type of compressor figured out, one last question remains, should I go with an oil lubricated or oil-free air compressor. To not overcomplicate the answer, your choice should be based on the application and process that the compressed air will be utilized in. …


Like all compressor types, rotary screw models do require periodic maintenance. Thanks to the simplicity of the internal components, maintenance is relatively easy on most rotary air compressors. As long as you stick to a rotary screw compressor maintenance schedule, you will likely be rewarded with many, many years of optimal productivity from your machine.  …


Did you know, the biggest part of the air we breathe is nitrogen? Everyone needs oxygen to survive, however air is made up of 78% nitrogen, only 21% oxygen and tiny amounts of other gases. Although, the human body does not use this nitrogen, it is very helpful in various industrial applications. There is an unlimited source of nitrogen readily available, allowing you to achieve needed purity at a fraction of your current annual nitrogen cost.  …


If you notice that your compressor is getting hot and bothered, there may be heating issues affecting your air compressors performance. Did you know that an overheating compressor is top of the pops for being the most common cause of compressor failure.  …


A rotary-screw compressor is an air compressor that uses a rotary-type positive-displacement mechanism, typically used replace piston compressors where large volumes of high-pressure air are needed, either for large industrial applications or to operate high-power air tools.  …


Have a look around and what do you see? What are you thinking about? Your next holiday to Queenstown maybe? You might go snowboarding with the kids or have some alone time at the Day Spa. Whatever holiday you choose, compressed air is involved in some way, without you even realising it!   …


There are crucial reasons why you should service and maintain your compressor regularly, with the most common issues being piston failure caused by wear of components, increased friction, corrosion, reduced cooling, overheating bearings and components, clogging of air filters.  …


Compressed air is all around us, from the air in a balloon to pumping up tires on your bicycle. In this article we will explain what compressed air is and how it is created. Whether you know it or not, compressed air is involved in every aspect of our lives, from the balloons at your birthday party to the air in the tires of our cars and bicycles. It was probably even used when making the phone, tablet or computer you’re viewing this on.  …


One of the biggest challenges is to correctly size your new air compressor. Similarly to everything else, new compressors available on the market are more efficient and employ better technology, therefore you have to understand the application and usage to size the machine correctly. Choosing the wrong air compressor for your facility can lead to problems with production and or increased costs due to wasted energy.  …


Once you have the size of the air compressor figured out, the next thing to do is to decide on the type of compresor you will need for your application - piston, rotary screw compressor etc. Let us take a look at two of the most popular options available. When choosing the right type of compressor, you should ask yourself the following questions: …


​Which vacuum pump do I need? - this is one of the most frequent questions we receive and this is understandable, because there are number of technologies which can provide the same vacuum level and pumping speed. Here is quick advice on how to choose the best vacuum pump for your needs.  …


You may be asking, why does my air compressor start, then stop? Allow us to take the guessing out of it. We understand your pain. We know that a compressor problem can quickly result in hours (if not days) of production downtime and loss of revenue. When your compressor continuously shuts off from on, we refer that as a short cycle. There are a few reasons that a short cycle may be happening with your compressor.  …


Air compressor leaks are very common in all applications, but can be very costly and difficult to find. On average, 20-30% of the compressed air used in a manufacturing plant is wasted as leaked air. Finding and fixing these leaks can save your business thousands of wasted dollars a year.  …


When installing a compressed air system into a business, people often look to PVC piping as an option to build a piping system because it is cheap, versatile and easy to install. However, using PVC pipe in any compressed air application is extremely dangerous and NOT recommended by multiple associations and manufacturers.  …


Changing the oil and oil filters on your compressor is one of the most common routine maintenance tasks to perform to keep your compressor running efficiently. After you remove your old oil and oil filter, you may find yourself wondering, “Where do I dispose of these?”, or “Can I just throw them in the trash?”. Because oil is toxic and a pollutant, disposing of your old oil and filters is not as simple as just tossing them in the trash.  …