air compressor

Steve in VA

Well-known Member
I need assistance from them as is wiser than I. I just received an Ingersoll-Rand Type 30 high pressure unit that was being used to fill SCUBA tanks. Its 2 stage and rated at 3000 psi discharge. Knowing that volume flow rate is as important as discharge pressure, the question is: does this thing have any useful purpose other than filling high pressure tanks? Is it reasonable to use it around the farm or better to donate it to a dive group? Thoughts?
Thanks is advance.
 
Can you post some pics of it? I've never seen a type 30 compressor with that high of a discharge pressure as, best I remember, they are only single stage machines, though they do have multiple cylinders.

That said the typical HP compressor, espedially when you get into the 3000 psi range, will have such a low CFM output that they are pretty much worthless for anything but their designed purpose. Where most pneumatic tools are going to need a minimum of around 15 CFM at 90 or so psi, the HP compressor isn't putting out but 2 or 3 CFM at it's rated psi.
 
Donate it to the local volunteer fire and rescue dept. if you have one they can use it for the breathing apperatus.
 
Okay, I DONT KNOW BEANS ABOUT THAT SPECIALTY COMPRESSOR butttttttttttt

Id think the 3000 PSI is more what the compressor is "CAPABLE OF" delivering into a closed receiver tank (NOT that in your tank theres instantly 3000 PSI developed, it has to pump and fill it to that pressure). When the tank is at atmosphere and you start pumping air into it under pressure it pumps until its pressure is matched or the tank or lines explodes or the relief valve pops open etc. If its a shop compressor that may only be 200 PSI but yours can develop 3000 PSI if left discharging into a suitable receiver system.

I guess what Im saying is if you take its discharge and put it in a regular shop tank and set the shut off pressure switch to 200 PSI it will shut off upon 200 PSI being reached EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE CAPACITY TO GO AHEAD TO 3000. Ive had several compressors that could (if left running) achieve say 150 PSI but my pressure switch shuts them off at 100.

HOWEVER I am guessing it doesnt have much CFM flow capoacity and if you were to try and use it to fill a typical small 30 gallon home shop tank only to 100 PSI (then shut it off) Im afraid it will take a longggggggggg time. A shop air tool may use 100 PSI at say 5 CFM (My big compressor can do like 4 CFM at 100 PSI) and Id guess your compressor has wayyyyyyyyy less CFM capacity???

Okay compressor experts, where am I wrong?? I say it has the CAPACITY to pump to 3000 PSI but could still be used to pump into a tank and shut off at 100 PSI BUT IT HAS A LOWWWWWWW CFM RATING???? Too long to fill a tank and couldnt keep up with a 100 PSI 4 CFM Impact Wrench too well

Talk to us???????

John T Electrical NOT Mechanical Engineer
 
Two stage and 3000 psig discharge pressure doesn't compute as far as I'm concerned. Are you sure of that? Two stage compressors would generally be limited to discharge pressures of less than a couple of hundred psig to keep the compression ratios per stage down and limit temperatures to avoid damaging materials used. In fact, most two stage units max out at 175 psig rated because of that. Typically, such a high discharge pressure would require several stages - e.g. four or five and the capacity would be in cfh not cfm for any reasonable horsepower input. Very low flow and very high pressure capability would have no use around a farm shop. Best to limit it to the service it was designed for - filling dive tanks.
 
I'll get some pictures and repost. Currently it's in the back of a Suburban - now there's a story. Alledgedly 4 men used to move it around the dive shop. It looks pretty heavy to me but not sure how heavy. I've considered going to the Va Tech dive club as well. I also received 8, 300 cuft bottles but the hydro is waaayyy out and honestly the only thing that scares me more than 3000 psi air is a whole lot of it in stored in bottles.

I am chasing the VFD angle but so far everyone has newer bigger gear. I'll pulse the boys down nearer to Lexington/Fairfield to see if they want a reserve unit.
thanks for the sanity check and back soon.
 
Rob,
Yup, the manual cites etiehr 2000 or 3000 psi. I agree with you even in my limited experience that doesn't sound right. I'll report w/ pictures once I get it sprung out of the Suburban.
 
I have a compressor in my fire station that cuts off at 6000 psi. Yes thats six thousands pounds pressure. It is a 3 stage compressor. The final stage has a piston about 1/2 inch in diamenter. This is used for filling scba tanks used in firefighting. we fill our scba tanks to 4500 PSI.
A high pressure compressor has a low cfpm volume.
This is almost useless as a farm/garage air compressor. This unit cost around $40,000
 
Why would you donate it? It's worth a lot of money. Does it have a filter on it to make sure no oil or other contaminants get into the breathing air?
 
Here's a pic of the manual. The unit is still buried in the back of the Suburban. This has been an education and I really appreciate the responses. I do actually have the filters, regulators, et al somewhere in with unit. Supposedly it's ready to re-connect and run.
 
oops lost the pic.
a113242.jpg
 
IF it works and IF it doesn't have a duty cycle that will prevent it from running for long periods of time, you might be able to make a shop air supply by using a really large storage tank. Set it up for 100 to 150 psi max and rely on the volume of the tank to offset the low cfm. Find an old propane tank or something designed for 300 psi or more, and put the tank in a place away from your normal work area.

In other words, sell the thing and get one designed for your uses...

A fire dept won't be interested in that unit, in my opinion. Too much liability. We have one like the other post described at our fire department. Uses four 6000 psi bottles in a "cascade" system. Ours cuts off at 5000 psi. I can fill six 4500 psi bottles without using the compressor.

Whatever you do, don't mess with high pressures like that if you don't have the tools, materials, and expertise. Hurt happens fast with that stuff.
 
That bottom end is common to lots of T30 compressors. If you wanted to go through the trouble, you could remove the cylinders,heads and pistons and replace them with the more common 2 stage parts, but by that time your "deal" may not be much of one, and you"re still left with not much storage capacity.
 

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