ELGi introduces new oil free screw air compressors for pharma industry

Pharmaceutical customers traditionally buy oil lubricated compressors for requirements below 500cfm (90kW) owing to low capital investments, and conventional oil free compressors, to meet stringent air quality requirements. The flip side of using lubricated screws is the multi-layer filtration systems which increase pressure drop and cause down time due to the replacement of oil filters resulting in increased lifecycle costs. On the other hand, conventional oil free compressors in this range, are normally air-cooled and also face reliability issues and temperature trips at high ambient temperature conditions (above 45-degree C), resulting in significant downtime and operational losses, in addition to excessive initial and running costs. To deal with this, compressor manufacturer ELGi has introduced AB Series range of oil free screw compressors, to deliver pure, clean, class “0” oil free air. “With high reliability, consistent air quality, better return on investment, lower cost of ownership, and fast,
efficient service support for sensitive applications with moisture content between (+) 3-degree C, to (-) 20-degree C PDP; the AB series range of air compressors meets the ISO 8573–1 compliance requirements,” ELGI claims. The ELGi AB Series has a unique air cooling system which ensures ample condensation of water from air particles, aiding the self-replenishment of water in the closed loop. This eliminates the need for external water top-up and also reduces the load on the driers and the water management system. The in-built microbial inhibition system prevents microbial growth, across all scenarios of operation, thereby ensuring microbe free air. Pharmaceutical customers traditionally buy oil lubricated compressors for requirements below 500cfm (90kW) owing to low capital investments, and conventional oil free compressors, to meet stringent air quality requirements. The flip side of using lubricated screws is the multi-layer filtration systems which increase pressure drop and cause down time
due to the replacement of oil filters resulting in increased lifecycle costs. On the other hand, conventional oil free compressors in this range, are normally air-cooled and also face reliability issues and temperature trips at high ambient temperature conditions (above 45°C), resulting in significant downtime and operational losses, in addition to excessive initial and running costs. The ELGi AB Series offers pharmaceutical manufacturing customers reliability and high performance at temperatures beyond 50-degree C due to the water injection inside the compression chamber. The AB Series delivers Class ‘0’ quality air, while the water in the closed circuit is insulated with proprietary material to ensure zero contamination due to corrosion. The ELGi AB Series operates with a single airend, as opposed to conventional oil free machines that operate with dual airends. This results in lower foot print, fewer rotating components and lower maintenance costs. Fitted with stainless steel rotors for better performance, every ELGi AB series air compressor comes with standard bearings for ease of maintenance. Additionally, the AB series range operates at a lower RPM, resulting in less wear and tear of rotating parts, low noise levels and reduced power consumption. Additionally, the low noise levels ensure the AB series does not require a dedicated compressor room and can be placed right next to the application area, thereby reducing costs involved with the build-up of additional infrastructure and compressed air supply systems. Rajesh Premchandran, Director, ISAAME (India, South Asia, Africa and Middle East) said, “The AB Series is a disruption in oil free compressed air technology, offering pharmaceutical customers a no-compromise, oil free solution at reduced lifecycle costs when compared with prevailing oil free technologies. With the AB Series compressors, pharmaceutical installations get the purest form of compressed air with higher efficiency, increased reliability and quicker return on investment.”
For more details, visit www.elgi.com