Oil-free compressor

Atlas Copco has announced the launch of a highly energy-efficient high-speed 3-stage turbo oil-free compressor. The ZH 350+ is the most energy-efficient oil-free compressor ever built by the company. It is the first medium pressure industrial three-stage centrifugal compressor to be commercialized with high-speed motors and without a gearbox It is designed for the pharmaceutical, electronics, aviation, automotive and other industries that rely on high-quality, 100% oil-free air. It offers outstanding energy savings as compared to conventional turbo compressors and is aimed at customers who wish to invest in the highest compressor performance in terms of energy efficiency and reliability. The exclusive design (350kW, 7-8 bar) oil-free high-speed drive centrifugal compressor is up to 4% more energy-efficient than the company’s top-performing oil-free compressors. The turbo compressor’s low package power consumption is attributable to key design choices: The ZH350+’s three-stage design uses today’s best-performing technology to achieve high thermodynamic efficiency and low power consumption. It eliminates the gearbox and thereby also the transmission losses associated with a gearbox. The titanium impellers are not only more reliable, but also permit faster load-unload cycles. The gain in speed results in reduced power losses in times of low air demand. Optimally sized coolers significantly reduce pressure drop, impacting stability of subsequent compression changes. The design also features an enhanced heat transfer area. The system blows off before the aftercooler, which means that minimal compressed air is lost when air demand decreases. The combined reduction in air losses, pressure drops, and transmission losses result in a compressor which is 4% more energy-efficient than the company’s top-performing compressors, under comparable operating conditions. Further energy savings are possible with the new  rotary drum heat-of-compression dryer (MD/ND) for centrifugal compressors which are being launched at the Hannover Messe. These dryers are also compatible with the ZH 350+, making it an ideal choice for environmentally respectful manufacturing facilities. The ZH 350+ was certified ISO 8573-1 (2010) CLASS 0 with regard to oil content by the independent Technischer Überwachungs-Verein (German Technical Monitoring Association), or ‘TÜV’ on 30 March 2011.