The general mechanism of an air compressor is a piston or rotary component (e.g. rotary screw or vane) that draws in air flow, which is compressed right into a storage tank. Naturally, since the piston or rotary component needs to move regularly and smoothly because of this to function, it Water Lubricated Air Compressor generally must be lubricated.

In a lubricated air compressor, there is lubricating oil which will keep the piston or rotary component running smoothly without damaging the system. The lubricant also really helps to dissipate heat and keep maintaining air compression efficiency.

Oil-free of charge air compressors also use a piston or rotary element, however they get around the lubrication problem by coating the compression component with a pre-lubricating material like Teflon. Some oil-free compressors may also use water in place of essential oil for the lubricating and cooling process. These alternate materials protect the pump and invite the mechanism to move smoothly without the need for any oil-centered or synthetic lubrication.