Why does the glass blowing industry need oil-free air compressors?

In the glass bottle blowing industry, the use of oil-free air compressors is the key choice to ensure product quality and production efficiency. The following is a detailed analysis of process requirements, oil pollution effects, and the advantages of oil-free air compressors:

core Requirements of 1. Glass Bottle Blowing Process

glass bottle blowing is a container in which high-temperature molten glass is blown into a specific shape by compressed air. The process has strict requirements on the quality of compressed air:

1. direct contact with high temperature liquid glass: Compressed air directly contacts the molten glass (temperature about 1000-1200 ℃), if it contains oil stains or impurities, it will directly pollute the glass surface.
2. Precision forming requirements the blowing process requires precise control of the air flow pressure and direction to ensure uniform wall thickness, no bubbles and cracks.

2. the potential risk of oil air compressor

traditional oil air compressor through lubricating oil lubrication, there are the following risks:

1. oil pollution glass:
   • oil stains will adhere to the glass surface, resulting in bubbles, color spots, uneven gloss and other defects.
   • Subsequent cleaning is difficult and may require rework or even scrap, increasing costs.
2. Clogging molds and nozzles:
   • oil stains and carbon particles may block the tiny pores of the bottle blowing mold, resulting in poor molding.
3. Environmental and safety hazards:
   • the volatilization of lubricating oil may pollute the air in the workshop, and long-term exposure is harmful to the health of workers.
   • Waste oil treatment increases environmental costs.

The core advantage of 3. oil-free air compressor

oil-free air compressor through water lubrication or special material design, completely avoid oil pollution problems, its advantages include:

1. pure and pollution-free compressed air:
   • the compression process does not rely on lubricating oil, and the output air water and oil content approach zero.
   • Ensure that the glass surface is smooth and clean, and improve the product qualification rate.
2. Meet the requirements of high precision molding:
   • dry, clean air to avoid mold blockage, to ensure the stability and consistency of the blowing process.
3. Environmental protection and energy saving:
   • no need for lubricating oil, reducing waste oil disposal and carbon emissions.
   • Water lubrication technology uses the cooling characteristics of water to reduce the energy consumption of the compression process.
4. Low maintenance costs:
   • there is no need to change the lubricating oil and oil filter frequently, just clean or replace the water filter regularly.
5. Long term reliability:
   • the oil-free design reduces the wear of friction parts, extends the life of the equipment, and reduces the failure rate.

4. Practical Application Cases and Economic Benefits

• case after a glass factory switched to an oil-free air compressor, the qualified rate of products increased from 85% to 98%, reducing the loss of waste bottles by about 2 million yuan per year.
• economic benefit:
  • short-term: Equipment procurement costs are higher, but government environmental subsidies can offset some of the investment.
  • Long term save waste oil treatment costs, reduce manual maintenance costs, and recover the investment in about 2-3 years.

5. Summary

the choice of oil-free air compressor in the glass bottle blowing industry is due to the right product quality, production efficiency, environmental compliance comprehensive consideration. With the advancement of technology, the energy efficiency and cost performance of oil-free air compressors have been continuously improved, and they have become the standard equipment in the industry.