Industrial compressors: how and where to position them best?

The efficiency of an industrial compressor can also be guaranteed by its positioning in what is commonly referred to as a \”compressor room.\” This room, which can be used for various purposes, must meet certain characteristics in order to house air compressors. 

The best solution for setting up a compressor room is centralization, i.e., choosing an area where the entire compressor network can be managed without separate locations. The environment must be indoors to avoid the risk of condensation freezing, discomfort due to atmospheric agents, and hazards from external dust or flammable materials. 

How to position compressors in the compressor room 

If we are dealing with large compressors with very long pipes, it is necessary to arrange the elements in such a way as to ensure the correct flow of the distribution system. For this reason, it is advisable to install the system next to machines that can support such distribution, such as pumps and fans. 

The space must be large enough to accommodate forklift trucks and to allow for the expansion of the air compressor network, if necessary. Each system must have a floor drain for compressor condensate and must clearly comply with the relevant municipal regulations. 

The base on which the air compressors are installed must be flat with adequate load-bearing capacity, and a plinth can also be used to ensure the absorption of any vibrations.

The compressor area must always be kept clean of any external contaminants, as dirt can damage the system components. It is therefore good practice to always keep an eye on the compressor air intake, which should be located in as clean a place as possible. The air can also be \”transported\” outside through a separate corrosion-resistant pipe designed to prevent the accumulation of snow or rain. 

The compression room must be constantly ventilated, as compressors produce a lot of heat. The amount of ventilation depends on the size and type of compressor. In order to ensure ventilation, it is necessary to remove the heat produced, which in the case of an air-cooled compressor is 100% of the energy consumed, while in the case of a water-cooled compressor it is 10%. 

The ventilation air must be taken from outside through ducts that are preferably not very long and positioned in such a way that they are not \”buried\” by snow. The air speed must not exceed 4 m/s and to guarantee this result, the best fans are thermostatically controlled, to be sized in such a way as to cope with any pressure drop. 

The temperature of the compression room must not exceed 7-10°C above the outside temperature. If this cannot be guaranteed, we recommend installing water-cooled compressors. 

Riem Italy, a leading company in the industrial compression sector, not only manufactures and distributes compressors worldwide, but also handles logistics and room analysis. Our team is able to provide accurate and reliable advice on the installation of compressors and the set-up of the control room for them. 

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