Anyone tried this with there own compressor?

[stevechesh]

As the title says. . .Anyone here tried this?

Untitled Document

I'm not convinced it will do a compressor much good in the long term?


Your thoughts?

[Hazel W]

i wouldnt ..... the compression properties will be significantly different .... looks like a great way to break your comp to me


H

[Okeanos]

I didn't read th whole article just the heading, so I assume it just about pumping Helium through a compressor.

Pumping Helium creates more heat in the compressor, it is also more subject to blow by in older compressors. I know several people who have done it with no problem, even commercial ventures, in hot places like Thailand.

Using a large bag and maintaining its volume while pumping it out through your compressor into cylinders is one way of using all your valuable Helium.

[NotDeadYet]

Yep, used to do it years ago in places where there wasn't a reliable helium supply. We used to use an old twin hose reg, fit it to a j-bottle (with various cunning bits of adaptorage) with the inhale hose attached to the air intake on the compressor. It makes a very expensive whining noise but it does indeed boost helium. Obviously, the compressor's owner never found out...

[Enzo]

Used to use a space hopper(remember those?) in between the bottle and compressor intake. If the 'flexible gas reciever' (space hopper) imploded, turn up the supply.....simple really.

These and many more mad ideas can be found in my new book - Tinfoil hats, the good old days.


Enzo

[iain/hsm]

There is some merit in the post that advised doing it with someone else’s compressoras it’s cheaper in the long run.

What most people fail to advise you is the difference between the big industrial gas compressors that run with oversize cooling, four stages of compression, low RPM, 900-1000 with big industrial block castings using heavy duty con rods and bearing shells, Reduced inter stage compression ratio and designed for 50,000 hours life.

Now compare this you our little 3 stage scuba units, high 1500- 2500 RMP, high rod loadings huge compression ratio on the 1st stage, simple coil cooling tubes and built to the cheapest possible price for an estimated life span of 3000 hours.

Now when you put helium into an air compressor a number of things happen.
1. As the inter stage pressure increases some of the helium is bypassed (lost) into the crank, By percentage up into double figures and more on older units.
2. This loss of gas by volume increases the compression ratio, and in turn this increases the gas temperature, this again in turn burns the oil used for cooling the beast in the first place.
3. As the oil breaks down 2 other things occur: the oil lubricating properties are reduced and the ability of the lubricant to reduce frictional wear (tribology) is also reduced.
4. This in turn increases wear in the metal piston parts of the compressor and is what will prematurely cause the compressor to fail.
5. Also the pollutant oil properties are increased as the oil breaks down and the air purity qualities are reduced as it is now putting a greater strain on the chemical filter.
6. As some of the chemical properties of the lubricant cannot be absorbed or converted by the filter chemicals (molecular sieve and activated charcoal) we end up breathing these “products of combustion”
7. Note this is only with conventional oil lubricated air compressors.