The air compressor is very dirty. Can you flush it with water?

When the air compressor is dirty, it cannot be directly washed with water. According to the type of parts to choose a professional cleaning method, the specific analysis is as follows:

risk of direct flushing

1. damage of electric control system
   the electric control cabinet, motor and other electrical components of the air compressor will cause short circuit or insulation failure when exposed to water, causing equipment failure and even safety accidents.
2. Corrosion of metal parts
   if the water is not completely dried after flushing, the iron-containing parts (such as valve body and pipeline) are easy to rust and shorten the service life.
3. lubricating oil emulsification
   the mixture of water and lubricating oil will form emulsion, reduce lubrication performance and aggravate mechanical wear.
4. Secondary pollution of residual impurities
   the flushing water may carry impurities, block the oil or gas path, and affect the stability of the equipment.

Professional cleaning method

1. Machine cleaning (oil system)

• steps:
  • run the air compressor for a few minutes, close the oil when it reaches normal temperature, and open the oil filler cap after pressure relief.
  • Pour special air compressor cleaning agent, tighten the filler cap and run for 30 minutes.
  • Drain the old oil and add new oil.
• Effect: It can reduce the temperature of the equipment by about 10 ℃ and eliminate impurities such as oil stains and carbon deposits.

2. Cooler cleaning

• air-cooled cooler:
  • open the air shroud to clean the cover or remove the cooling fan.
  • Use 0.6-0.8MPa compressed air to blow back dirt. If it is dirty, spray degreasing agent and blow it again.
  • Remove the cooler when it is seriously dirty, soak or spray with cleaning fluid, and clean with a brush (wire brush is prohibited).
• Water-cooled cooler:
  • disassemble the water inlet and outlet pipes of cooling water, inject cleaning solution to soak or flush with pump circulation (the effect of backflushing is better).
  • Rinse with water and install the water pipe.
• Oil cooler:
  • when scaling is serious, remove it separately, open the two end covers, and remove the scale with a special cleaning steel brush.
  • When the cleaning medium side is invalid, the inlet and outlet pipes shall be disassembled, soaked with cleaning solution or cyclically washed, and then washed with clean water, dried with dry air or dehydrated oil and removed water, and then put them back.

3. Water-gas separator cleaning

• steps:
  • remove the cover of the water-vapor separator and soak it with cleaning agent.
• Principle the structure of the water-gas separator is similar to that of the oil-gas tank. The air inlet is designed to form centrifugal force by the wall, which can effectively separate water. However, dirt will accumulate inside after long-term use and needs to be cleaned regularly.

4. Valve cleaning

• temperature control valve, minimum pressure valve, relief valve (intake valve):
  • disassemble the valve and clean all parts as per the method used to clean the unload valve.
  • When cleaning, wash the relatively clean parts first, then wash the dirty parts, and rinse again with clean water after cleaning to avoid corrosion.
  • When cleaning the valve plate and the contact between the valve body and the valve plate, pay attention to the smoothness of the surface and replace it if necessary.
• Return Check Valve:
  • unscrew the connection from the valve body, take out the spring, steel ball and steel ball seat, and clean the valve body and internal components with cleaning agent.
  • Part of the check valve has a filter screen inside, which needs to be cleaned together.

Cleaning cycle recommendations

• routine maintenance: Clean the air intake filter every 3 months.
• Regular maintenance: Clean the oil cooler every 6 months.
• deep cleaning: According to the frequency and working conditions of the equipment, the whole machine is deeply cleaned every 1-2 years.