With the arrival of the severe cold season as scheduled, most parts of China have experienced a sudden drop in temperature and have generally entered the harsh winter season. In cold and harsh environments, maintaining the normal and efficient operation of air compressors faces certain challenges. Therefore, this article will deeply focus on the impact of low-temperature environment on the efficiency of air compressors, and provide customers with a series of effective response strategies and protective measures in detail, aiming to help users maintain the ideal stable operating state of air compressors under low-temperature conditions and smoothly pass the cold winter test.

1、 Ensure appropriate on-site temperature

The winter climate is cold, and the temperature of the environment where the air compressor is used significantly decreases. If the on-site temperature is too low, some components of the air compressor, such as the intake and exhaust pipes, air filters, etc., may freeze, which may have an adverse effect on the overall operation of the equipment. Therefore, when using air compressors in winter, it is relatively important to prevent the potential threat caused by low temperatures, which requires controlling the on-site temperature well. Measures such as using heating devices for on-site heating can be taken to ensure that the indoor workplace and air inlet temperature are maintained within the standard range required by the air compressor design. This not only avoids the problem of component freezing caused by low temperatures, but also effectively ensures the normal and efficient operation of the air compressor.

2、 Preheat before starting up:

In the cold winter, cold start of the air compressor can potentially cause damage to the equipment. To ensure the safe and efficient operation of the equipment, customers should take necessary preheating measures before starting up. Specifically, auxiliary preheating equipment can be used to increase the overall temperature of the equipment in advance. Before starting, the auxiliary oil pump and heater can be turned on for preheating (the oil tank has a heater, and automatic insulation mode can be selected),. Before starting up, pay attention to the oil temperature in the fuel tank not being lower than 20 degrees, and arrange the preheating operation time reasonably according to the manufacturer's operating suggestions, so as to effectively avoid equipment damage problems that may be caused by low-temperature cold starting.

3、 Prevent cooling/condensation water from freezing:

In winter low-temperature environments, the cooling water system faces the potential danger of icing and even pipeline freezing and cracking. To ensure the normal heat dissipation and safe operation of the air compressor, users need to take proactive measures to avoid such problems from occurring:

After the centrifuge is stopped, if the cooling water circulation is stopped, the cooling water in the compressor cooler and cooling water pipeline should be discharged clean to prevent low-temperature freezing and cracking of equipment and pipelines.

2. Regular cleaning and inspection: Thoroughly clean the air filter element and the entire pipeline system, especially to eliminate the accumulation of condensate water and prevent it from freezing and causing pipeline blockage or rupture. At the same time, carefully inspect the instrument air duct and pressure transmission pipeline to ensure that there is no accumulated water or impurities inside and to maintain unobstructed flow. At the same time, completely drain the condensate in the cooling chamber of the centrifuge.

3. Close monitoring and timely handling: Regularly inspect the cooler and its connected cooling water pipelines. Once signs of icing are found, thawing measures should be taken quickly to eliminate the risk of icing in advance.

4、 Choose high-quality lubricating oil

A sudden drop in winter temperature can significantly increase the viscosity of lubricating oil, thereby weakening its lubrication efficiency. In view of this, it is extremely important to choose genuine lubricants with excellent low-temperature lubrication performance. We suggest that you regularly conduct a detailed inspection of the quality and consumption of the lubricating oil used, in order to supplement it in a timely and appropriate manner, and ensure the stable operation of the air compressor. Please choose our genuine lubricating oil, which has excellent low-temperature fluidity characteristics and can ensure sufficient and efficient lubrication of various mechanical components inside the air compressor in cold environments. To maintain the good operation of the air compressor, please strictly follow our recommended replacement cycle and update and maintain the lubricating oil in a timely manner. By following this professional guidance, your air compressor will be able to maintain stable and smooth performance in harsh winter conditions.

5、 Regularly inspect and record logs:

It is crucial to ensure that the key components and overall structure of the air compressor are regularly inspected and carefully maintained in the face of the additional mechanical stress that may be caused by low temperature environments in winter. This not only ensures the normal operation of the air compressor in cold seasons, but also helps to extend its service life. When implementing a comprehensive maintenance plan, please record the maintenance log in detail, covering maintenance activities such as each inspection result, lubricant replacement, temperature changes, etc. By accurately recording this information, service engineers can quickly locate the problem, save diagnostic time, and more efficiently develop and execute targeted maintenance solutions, further ensuring the stable operation performance of the air compressor during winter.

6、 Pay attention to the inspection work after shutdown

When preparing to shut down equipment in winter, special attention should be paid to whether there is water accumulation in the surrounding area to avoid accidents such as equipment damage or personnel slipping caused by icing. The specific operational suggestions are as follows:

When the air compressor is temporarily shut down in winter, the operation of the electric heater and auxiliary oil pump can be continued to facilitate a second quick start.

7. During the short-term shutdown phase, it is essential to ensure that any accumulated water inside the gas cooler, post cooler, oil cooler, air storage tank, dryer, and drain valve is thoroughly drained before each shutdown. Only after confirming that there is no residue can the relevant valves be closed to prevent damage to critical components caused by water freezing.

9. If the equipment needs to be shut down for a long time in winter, in addition to the above measures, it is also necessary to maintain a suitable temperature in the station building, regularly turn on the electric heater and auxiliary oil pump, and manually turn on the unit. This helps to maintain the flexibility of all components of the equipment and ensure that it can smoothly enter the working state when restarted in the future.

In short, when operating the air compressor in winter, attention must be paid to multiple core links such as on-site temperature control, anti freezing treatment of the cooling water system, standardized selection of lubricating oil, sufficient preheating before starting up, and regular maintenance. Customers should strictly follow the operation manual and relevant training guidance based on their actual application scenarios, and take appropriate measures to ensure the stable operation of the equipment in low-temperature environments.

In conjunction with it, by adopting our recommended maintenance services, we can effectively ensure that the air compressor maintains normal operation in winter, ensuring equipment operation safety and stable performance, and further extending its service life, minimizing the failure rate caused by cold seasons, thereby reducing maintenance costs.

IHI-Sullair brand centrifugal air compressors are known for their excellent stability and reliability. In winter, as long as users follow the correct protective measures and standardized maintenance processes, they can ensure that the equipment can smoothly pass through the cold winter, effectively supporting the continuous and efficient production activities of the enterprise.