How to Run Two Air Compressors in Parallel

The parallel operation of two air compressors needs to be combined with intelligent control, load balancing and oil circuit management. The following are specific plans and precautions:

core Technology of 1. Parallel Operation

1. Intelligent control strategy

• PLC control system: The programmable logic controller (PLC) is used to realize automatic control, and the compressor is automatically started and stopped according to the pressure of the gas tank. For example, start the standby machine when the pressure drops to 5 bar and switch off the redundant machine when the pressure rises to 8 bar.
• Load Sharing Optimization (LSO): The algorithm dynamically distributes the airflow load and reduces the total energy consumption. Experiments show that the LSO algorithm can reduce the energy consumption of the parallel system by more than 4%.

2. Oil circuit balance design

• oil pipe equalize configuration: Connect the oil sump of the two compressors to balance the oil level and prevent "oil deviation. The diameter of the oil pipe is selected according to 1/500-200 of the volume of the oil pool, and the oil collector is arranged horizontally.
• Automatic oil equalization control: Install the level gauge and electric oil equalizing valve, and automatically adjust the valve opening according to the oil level to realize the closed-loop control of the oil level.

2. implementation steps

1. equipment selection: Select compressors with the same pressure parameters and displacement to avoid performance mismatch.
2. Pipeline Design:
   • gas tank: Shared air storage tank, the capacity is selected according to 10-15% of the total exhaust volume.
   • check valve: A check valve is installed between each compressor and the gas storage tank to prevent gas backflow.
3. Electrical wiring:
   • control loop PLC output terminal is connected to the start-stop control terminal of the compressor.
   • Sensor Installation: Install pressure and temperature sensors on the air storage tank and compressor exhaust port.
4. Commissioning run:
   • pressure linkage test: Verify the automatic start-stop function of the compressor at the set pressure threshold.
   • Load balancing test: Adjust the load distribution through the LSO algorithm to ensure that the running time of the two compressors is balanced.

3. considerations

1. regular maintenance:
   • oil quality inspection: Check the lubricating oil every 1000 hours to prevent the deterioration of oil quality from causing lubrication failure.
   • Screen Replacement: Regularly replace the air filter and oil filter to avoid clogging and affecting the intake volume.
2. Fault Prevention:
   • pressure protection: Equipped with high and low pressure sensors, it will automatically stop when the pressure is abnormal.
   • Temperature protection: Monitor the compressor discharge temperature and trigger an alarm or shutdown when the temperature is over.
3. Energy efficiency optimization:
   • frequency conversion transformation: Upgrade the compressor with frequency conversion, dynamically adjust the speed according to the load, and save energy by 20-30%.
   • waste heat recovery: Use the heat generated by the compression process for preheating or hot water supply.

Comparison of 4. Measured Data

conclusion parallel operation of two air compressors can significantly improve air supply reliability, reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs. Through intelligent control, oil circuit balance design and regular maintenance, the system efficiency can be improved by 30-50%, and the failure rate can be reduced by more than 60%.