ABSTRACT
The selection of the plant that will supply the various gases to the laboratory needs to be targeted at the specific demands of the equipment being used. The equipment currently available for providing oil-free clean instrument air uses basic principles to compress, cool, dehydrate, and filter to supply a relatively clean and dry instrument air source. Compressor types are reciprocating compressors, oil free screw compressors, water injected screw compressors, scroll compressors, hook and claw compressors and centrifugal compressors. The driving forces that will promote the purchase of one type over another include pressure, price, longevity, locality, and atmospheric conditions, local support, system design, flow requirements, and quality. The level of moisture vapor will directly affect the air stream and in a laboratory. Cylinder manifolds provide continuous gas supply in automatic, manual, and single cylinder configurations, these manifold connections are suitable for large multi-cylinder manifolds with independent banks of cylinders.
