What is an industrial air blower?

Industrial air blowers complete many essential tasks across a range of different industries. Their primary function is to supply large volumes of air, at pressure, to the desired process within a system. Unlike an industrial fan which will move air into the atmosphere, air blowers will push air through a system at positive pressure. 

They are a crucial feature in making large-scale production possible, effective, safe and efficient. As well as being key to scaling up production and productivity, industrial air blowers are a big investment due to the amount of energy required to power them. In some cases, up to 80% of a blower’s life cycle cost is consumed by its energy usage. It’s vital that you select the right air blower for the job to avoid unnecessary costs and wasted energy.  

So, how does an air blower work? And how do you know which type of industrial air blower is right for your industry? 

Read our guide to the different types of air blowers available, which industry they are suited for and discover our air finance packages and air blower maintenance offerings too.

Which industries use them?

Air Blowers can be used for a variety of processes and the task at hand will dictate the kind of blower you need. Some examples of these applications and industries include: 

–       Wastewater treatment 

–       Cement and dry powder conveyance

–       Fermentation

–       Pneumatic conveying

–       Heating or cooling of materials. 

–       Recycling plants 

–       Glass manufacturing 

–       Pharmaceutical applications

–       Food and beverage industry

Choosing the right size and type of blower for your industrial application is key to  helping you make huge savings on your energy costs. It’s also important to make sure you choose an option that will deliver good, energy-efficient performance for the necessary running time (uptime). We supply a broad range of air blower solutions for you to view. We also cover: 

–       Air Blowers Supply & Installation

–       Air Blowers Maintenance

–       Air Finance Packages

How does an Air Blower work?

We offer positive displacement technologies (screw blowers and lobe blowers) and centrifugal technologies (high-speed turbo blowers and multistage blowers). All our oil-free air blower technologies are designed to offer you quality air and maximum uptime of your process, safeguarding the quality of your end product. Find out more about our range and how they work. If you need support and guidance regarding which option is best for you, our team are on hand to guide you through your options and make sure you get the one that is right for you.

Screw blowers: High uptime, low lifecycle costs

The intricate, helical design utilised in screw blowers means they offer an incredibly efficient way of producing high-pressure output. In some cases, they can be 30% more energy efficient than a lobe blower and they’re very versatile – used across a range of different industries. They are small, robust, compact and easy to maintain. Our ZS series screw blowers combine Atlas Copco oil-free screw technology with our latest innovations in controls and high-efficiency drives, delivering you Class 0 certified oil-free air up to 1.5 bar(g) / 22 psig at the lowest life cycle cost.

Lobe blowers: High uptime, low capital costs

Lobe blowers, also called rotary lobe blowers or Roots blowers have two rotors (lobes) spinning in opposite directions. They suck air in, circulate the air and then it is pushed back out again producing a high volume of air at low pressure. 

Low capital and maintenance costs make our ZL lobe blowers a cost-effective solution for all applications that require an air supply between 0.3 and 1 bar(g) / 4.4 and 14.5 psig. Thanks to the innovative design, our units require a minimum amount of floor space and are suited for use in harsh environments such as those with ambient temperatures of +50°C / 120°F. These also offer Fixed or variable speed and an optional Elektronikon® controller.

High-Speed Turbo Blowers: Unique design, proven efficiency

High-speed turbo blowers are known for their highly efficient operation, resulting in low energy consumption and total cost of ownership. They have a high-speed permanent management motor with variable speed drive, delivering Class 0 certified oil-free air. With our ZB+ range, we offer you a premium, reliable solution that delivers you Class 0 certified oil-free air up to 1.4 bar(g)/20.3 psig, at the lowest life cycle cost.

Multistage centrifugal blowers: A flexible solution adaptable to your needs

Multistage centrifugal blowers increase the pressure of air or gas using centrifugal force powered by an electric motor. They offer either fixed or variable speed and are flexible enough to be used with air, gas, pressure or vacuum applications. They also boast some impressively low maintenance costs. In thousands of installations around the world, our oil-free ZM multistage centrifugal blowers and exhausters are a reliable compressed air source for all applications up to 1.4 bar(g) / 20.3 psig.

Get the right tools for the job

Enormous energy savings and productivity gains can be made by choosing the right type and size of air blower for your applications. If you’re looking to scale up production or find a more energy-efficient air blower system in your industry, get in touch with us today to find out how we can help you.