Product Technologies

In a regenerative blower, the compression space consists of a hollow, circular ring between the tips of the impeller blades and the walls of the housing. In operation, the rotating impeller draws in air from the inlet port into the compression space and moves it radially outward to the curved housing by centrifugal force. The action is called “regenerative” because a certain amount of air slips past each impeller blade during rotation and returns to the base of a succeeding blade for reacceleration.

Diaphragm compressors are a variation of standard piston compressors with the primary difference being the addition of a flexible diaphragm membrane in the head of the pump in lieu of a traditional piston. A connecting rod and eccentric shaft convert the rotational motion of an electric motor into reciprocating motion, which moves the diaphragm up and down.

When used as a compressor, as the diaphragm moves down a vacuum is created above it allowing outside air at atmospheric pressure to push open the inlet valve and fill the area above the diaphragm. As the connecting rod and diaphragm move up, the air in the pump head compresses forcing the inlet valve shut and pushes the discharge valve open. The compressed air then moves from the discharge port into the air line or the receiver tank depending on the system design. With each stroke, more air enters the air line or receiver tank and the air pressure rises.

Piston compressors are positive displacement compressors that utilize the same operating principle as an internal combustion engine. Similar to an internal combustion engine, the compressor has a crankshaft, connecting rod and piston, a cylinder and a valve head. The crankshaft, driven by either an electric motor or a pulley, transfers rotational motion into reciprocating motion driving the piston up and down in the cylinder.

As the piston moves down, a vacuum is created above it allowing outside air at atmospheric pressure to push open the inlet valve and fill the area above the piston. Specially designed piston rings seal the gap between the piston and the cylinder wall and as the piston moves up, the air above it compresses forcing the inlet valve shut and pushes the discharge valve open. The compressed air then moves from the discharge port into the air line or the receiver tank depending on the system design. With each stroke, more air enters the air line or receiver tank and the air pressure rises.

Rocking piston compressors are a variation of standard piston compressors. Instead of having a separate piston and rod that are connected via a wrist pin, rocking piston compressors utilize a solid cast piston rod that incorporates both the piston and rod. A flexible cup seal attached to the piston rod provides a seal between the piston rod and cylinder and also guides the piston rod as it is driven up and down in the cylinder. The piston rod is mounted to an eccentric bearing assembly, which converts rotary motion from either an AC or DC motor into the linear motion that drives the piston within the cylinder.

As the piston moves down, a vacuum is created above it allowing outside air at atmospheric pressure to push open the inlet valve and fill the area above the piston. As the piston moves up, the air above it compresses forcing the inlet valve shut and pushes the discharge valve open. The compressed air then moves from the discharge port into the air line or the receiver tank depending on the system design. With each stroke, more air enters the air line or receiver tank and the air pressure rises.

Pumping action is produced by a series of sliding, flat vanes as they rotate in a cylindrical housing. An eccentrically mounted rotor turns and the individual vanes slide in and out of their slots by centrifugal and pressure-loading forces. This creates a series of air compartments of unequal volume against the wall of the housing. These compartments get larger during the suction part of the cycle, creating vacuum at the intake port.  The compartments get smaller during the discharge portion of the cycle, creating pressure at the exhaust port. The vacuum and pressure flows are free of pulsation because the inlet and exhaust ports do not have valves, and the air is moved continuously rather than intermittently.

Gast vacuum generators have a patented design that incorporates a series of venturi nozzles and no moving parts. When compressed air is forced through these nozzles, its velocity increases and a decrease in pressure occurs. Each nozzle has a progressively larger orifice selected to extract the maximum amount of energy from the compressed air while optimizing the levels of vacuum generated.