Industries of all kinds rely on the power of compressed air to keep businesses running, earning the resource the title of the “Fourth Utility.” Food and beverage manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, research labs, and many other industries take the need a step further – requiring pure, uncontaminated air to ensure that their products are safe and effective.
These industries turn to a special category of air compressors: oil free. Yet when a business starts to research these compressors, they can run into a number of terms such as Class 1, “technically oil free,” Class 0, and Certified Class 0. Understanding the difference between these, and why Class 0 is a cut-above, is essential.
The oil free classes refer to an array of statistical qualifications that determine how pure the air the compressor produces is, with Class 0 being the purest. The classes are determined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 8573-1, which notes that, as the number of contaminants per cubic meter – particularly oil – increases, so does the class.
Class 1 air can be achieved by using oil flooded air compressors with inline filtrations to capture some of the oil passing through downstream. Thus, Class 1 air can be thought of as “technically oil free air”. However, you will be risking contamination because it is an oil flooded machine, requiring you to have to frequently maintenance your compressor and air treatment.
Class 0 is more stringent than Class 1’s. Class 0 oil free compressors help eliminate protentional oil contamination as no oil or lubricant is introduced into the air compression processes. Class 0 compressors are much safer for sensitive applications. Certified Class 0 has been certified by an outside lab to ensure all Class 0 requirements are met.
CompressAir, one of the largest distributors of compressed air products and services in Northern Indiana and Northwest Illinois, understands the benefit of Class 0.
“The Hitachi/Sullair oil free product offering is a critical part of our lineup,” said Kent Van Sickle, CompressAir’s U.S. Department of Energy Qualified AIR+ Specialist. “We are able to offer a high quality, reliable and feature-rich product that meets Class 0 requirements, which is important to our customers that require zero risk in their processes.”
To meet its customer’s needs, CompressAir offers a range of Sullair/Hitachi oil free compressors to fit businesses of all scales, from the 2-44 horsepower SRL Oil Free to the 175-30,000 horsepower Centrifugal Oil Free.
“Hitachi Global Air Power is located right in the territory that we serve,” Van Sickle said. “They’re able to provide quick factory support when needed.”
CompressAir also operates a team of technicians that are on-hand for 24/7 emergency service or regular maintenance.
“Our technicians are factory trained and have the experience to handle any oil free process that may be needed, from the smallest need to the largest application,” Van Sickle said. “Our service technicians are unique from others as they are always up-to-date on the latest trends in the compressed air industry. CompressAir provides system installations and piping for a total process solution.”
To learn more about CompressAir’s products and services, visit compressair.net.
