Familiarise with High Pressure Terminology

Compressor Dictionary - S

Starting the Compressor

Preparations

Check the air intake filter, oil level and fuel gauge (for petrol units); open the condensate drain cocks to reduce the compressor's starting inertia.

Starting the engine / motor

Switch on the contactor for the spark plugs; open the gasoline cock; pull the choke; pull the starter cord slowly and several times (for better engine lubrication); then pull the cord quickly to start the engine.

If the motor does not start after several attempts, disengage the choke to prevent the engine from flooding.

Checking the spark plugs.

As soon as the engine runs smoothly, switch off the choke and close the condensate drains. The jackhammer-like sound, which is caused by the last stage's free piston, should die down after 3 - 5 seconds.

Check the pressure gauge. It should read 0 bar for several seconds, then climb rapidly to ca. 150 bar (pressure setting of the pressure maintaining valve). Thereafter, the pressure should rise slowly to 220 to 230 bar.

At that pressure the final safety valve ought to blow. The pressure stabilises at 220 to 230 bar almost instantly. The maximum filling pressure is 200 bar at 15°C. The pressure differential of 20 - 30 bar accounts for the higher air temperature during the filling cycle.

Once the bottle has cooled off, internal pressure drops to around 200 bar. The cylinder should not be topped up to 220 bar!

If the compressor was out of service for several hours, the compressor must be run without a connected cylinder for 1 to 2 minutes. This procedure ejects carbon dioxide traces. Smelling the air is a good way of checking for potential oil contamination.

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