Power
The power of the engine installed in the compressor. It is not the main parameter in evaluating the efficiency of the device — here the performance and nominal pressure play a decisive role (see above), and the engine is selected in such a way that its power is sufficient to ensure the claimed characteristics. However, this indicator still has practical significance: in compressors with an electric motor (and there are now most of them; see “Engine type”), the engine power determines the total energy consumption of the device, as well as the requirements for the network where it is planned to connect it (for more details, see “Voltage networks"). In addition, the power of the engine (regardless of its type) must be known in order to calculate the optimal performance value using some special formulas.
For internal combustion engines, power is traditionally expressed in horsepower (hp); you can convert it to watts in this way: 1 hp. = 735 W.
Power
The power of an internal combustion engine installed in a compressor of the appropriate design (see "Type" above), expressed in horsepower.
For the power value in general, see the relevant paragraph below. Here we note that in modern technology, the universal unit of power used for all types of engines is watts. However, horsepower has traditionally been and continues to be used to characterize internal combustion engines, and some users are more comfortable judging power by this designation. Therefore, for models with internal combustion engines, the equivalent power in hp is often also indicated.
Convert watts to hp and vice versa is quite simple: 1 hp. approximately equal to 735 watts.
Rotation speed
The speed of rotation of the compressor motor shaft in normal operation. This parameter, usually, does not affect the efficiency of the unit — the main indicators are still the performance and nominal pressure (see above). At the same time, it allows you to evaluate the design features of the compressor and its durability. The fact is that a higher rotation speed allows the use of fairly simple and inexpensive working mechanisms, but it increases the wear of moving parts and reduces the motor resource. Therefore, a model with a lower number of revolutions is likely to cost more than the "high-speed" version, but it will also last longer (ceteris paribus characteristics — performance, pressure, drive type, design; see all above).
Receiver volume
The receiver is a tank (cylinder) into which compressed air is pumped during operation of the compressor; it is from this cylinder (and not directly from the working mechanism) that it is fed to the connected instrument. The main meaning of such a scheme is that the receiver compensates for pressure unevenness that occurs during the operation of the main mechanism; it does not guarantee absolute constancy, however, all changes occur very smoothly. In addition, energy savings are ensured in this way: part of the time the compressor runs on the stored air from the receiver, and the engine turns on only when the pressure in the tank is significantly reduced to replenish supplies. Therefore, this piece of equipment is practically mandatory, models
without a receiver are extremely rare today.
In general, the larger the volume of the receiver, the less often it will have to be pumped up after the initial filling with compressed air. It is also believed that a volumetric receiver can partly compensate for the lack of compressor performance; however, this moment does not ensure the constant stable operation of the “gluttonous” tool and serves only as a fallback in case of a short-term increase in air consumption. On the other hand, large volumes mean the corresponding dimensions of the tank (and it is already the largest part in most compressors), and the cost of the device increases accordingly. Therefore, when choosing, it is worth obse
...rving a certain balance and choosing a receiver depending on the specifics of the work. For various types of activities there are recommendations, they can be found in special sources. Here we note that for relatively uniform work in time with a small air flow, a small receiver is usually enough, and if peak loads can occur frequently, it is better to choose a larger cylinder.
Some compressors may provide the expansion of the receiver with additional tanks.
