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Groundbreaking air compressor design leads race in energy efficiency

Thursday 24 February 2022

Ingersoll Rand’s E-Series is a groundbreaking two-stage oil-free and silicone free air compressor. The unique design utilises a low pressure and high-pressure dry screw compression stage, each of them is individually driven by a variable speed, permanent magnet synchronous motor, offering exceptional levels of efficiency versus traditional oil-free compressors that are driven by a single motor using a gearbox to drive both compression stages.

With more than 40 years’ experience in the compressed air industry, we at O’Neill Industrial can’t help but be impressed with how the E-Series is leading the race in energy efficiency.

Up to 13% power savings versus traditional oil-free technology

The unique design of E-Series has allowed Ingersoll Rand to combine ultimate performance and ultimate efficiency, with a footprint nearly 43% smaller than a conventional two-stage oil free compressor.

The E-Series features a completely new concept of cooling an air compressor, ensuring reliability while maximising the heat that could be potentially recovered from it.The closed water loop cooling system in the E-Series cools all of the major components, resulting in 13% better overall heat recovery than a conventional two-stage oil free compressor, meaning even greater levels of efficiency can be achieved.

The E-Series also features a digital gearbox that will adapt the pressure ratios and speed across the two compression stages to make sure they each run as efficiently as possible, ensuring an overall efficiency that is unparalleled in the marketplace, even when the machine is in turndown.

The cooling philosophy of the new E-Series is also a new concept in oil free compressors. The two permanent magnet motors are water cooled which provides an opportunity to reduce operating cost if using heat recovery as more heat will be available from the machine.

All internal components, including the starter will be cooled by a closed loop cooling water circuit, featuring a main heat exchanger that will be cooled down by two blowers mounted within the machine making the machine air cooled while keeping all the advantages in efficiency of a water cooled compressor.

This cooling design means, maximum energy recovery, with no interference from the ambient air on the cooling performance of the machine, providing both the efficiency and reliability expected from an oil free compressor, but on this occasion, taking it to the next level.

Integrated heat recovery

E-Series’ cooling philosophy ensures the maximum energy can be recovered from the complete compressor package. About 94% of the energy used in a compressor is converted into heat.

E-Series is not only an extremely efficient compressor; it is also a very efficient water heater, the only air cooled oil-free compressor in the market that can be used to recover heat.