The basics of compressed air are very simple. Compressed air is just air kept under pressure that is greater than the atmosphere. The technology of compressed air has been around for decades, but as with any technology, it has developed. Not only is it widely used commercially and residentially, but the industrial applications of compressed air technology are immense.
An air compressor works similar to that of your car engine. In your car engine, pistons push down on an air and gasoline mixture. The mixture compresses and it then ignited which produces power. In the simplest form, an air compressor does the same thing. A piston in the compressor pushes air down, pressurizing it, and stores it in the tank underneath. Because of technology, the air compressor used today is able to store large amounts of pressurized air in its tanks.
Industry requires air compressors for many of their uses. For example, air compressors are used for air driven tools like paint sprayers, sanders, drills, etc. This is especially common in automotive shops where compressed air is run throughout, allowing easy access from the different car bays. In the home, air compressors can be found inflating toys, pools, car tires, and even powering some pneumatic tools. Because the technology has developed, the demand has grown, and the price has gone down over the years, many more homes now have air compressors. Typically, home air compressors are smaller than industrial models. The tools for these air compressors are sometimes sold with them, or can be easily bought locally, making the convenience of having a personal air compressor real. Pressure washers are perfect examples for air compressors. A pressure washer consists of an air compressor and a garden hose attached, combining the water and pressurized air to make pressurized water. This is used often for cleaning concrete, cars, siding and decks.
A newer use for compressed air has been with consumer electronics, especially computers. Computers, due to their static nature, attract large amounts of dust which may cause the computer to not work properly or sometimes not even at all. Compressed air can be found in cans with a straw to direct the air, and is easily used to clean the outside and inside of a computer, television, or even the dashboard of a car.
Air compressor technology has been dramatically upgraded over the decades. Because of technology advancements in manufacturing, now air compressors can be made to very specific measurements. Improvements on already existing parts in the air compressor have all but solved any air or oil leakage issues of the past.
