With summer rapidly approaching, it’s as important as ever to make sure your compressed air system is running optimally as the temperatures rise. This is something you should pay attention to annually, on a regular basis to keep everything running well and efficiently.

When the temperatures spike, your compressed air system will experience additional moisture load on your air treatment equipment. You don't want to be caught off guard and find out what summer heat does to your compressed air equipment.

It's important to prevent your air compressor overheating. The downtime and maintenance issues can be costly, so here are a few tips to find the ideal temperature for compressed air systems as summer temps increase:

Air Compressor Maintenance for Warm Temperatures

Your systems need proper maintenance. Use this list as a checklist on what to cover during regular maintenance:

• Clean the air compressor’s coolers on air-cooled units.  Particularly dirty coolers could even require a power wash. The oil cooler condition will have an impact on the discharge temperature and the aftercooler condition will affect your dryer operation.
• Clean the condenser on your refrigerated air dryers.
• Check/service your air and oil filters.  Clogged air filters and oil filters can lead to pressure drop, which can cause the air compressor to run at higher levels to accommodate demand. This isn't energy efficient.
• Check/service your drains. Moisture loads will increase in the summer and drains need to be operational and/or set correctly to manage the condensate flow.
• Check/service your oil/water condensate separators. Again, the increased condensate flow can tax this component.
• Check the lubricant level on the air compressors. Low oil levels can increase operating temperature range.

Air Compressor Ventilation for Warm Temperatures

Your systems need proper ventilation. Use this list as a checklist on what to cover:

• For air-cooled air compressors, be sure to divert the heated exhaust from the compressor room/area.  Skipping this can lead to overheating, which we want to prevent. This can typically be achieved via either ductwork or a properly designed exhaust fan.
• Ensure the cooling air intake flow is adequate to keep the air compressor running as cool as possible. Discharge temperatures in excess of 200° F (degrees Fahrenheit) can reduce lubricant life.
• For water-cooled air compressors, check your cooling system for proper operation.

Summer prep is a must. Just like with warm temperatures, cold temperatures can have negative affects on your equipment. Learn more about winterizing your compressed air systems.

For more general maintenance tips, equipment, and process resources, check out our resource center. To work with air compressor experts, contact us.

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