What exactly makes a compressor oil-less ?

[Externet]

Hi.
Which way it is built; how does the friction is dealt with ? What components are in there that use no lubrication ? Any internal pictures ?
I believe Rix and Bauer make oil-less types... a mystery to me how can they work with no lubrication. Light please ?

 

[Akimbo]

Some use non-lubricated Teflon piston rings, like RIX, and others use a diaphragm that deflects. Low pressure diaphragm compressors use rubber-like materials and HP high purity compressors use a stainless steel diaphragm.

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[iain/hsm]

There is a single word used to describe this complex process. The details of which would fill the forum for a month and bore the pants off everyone (apart from engineers I guess)

The term is Tribology.

The general purpose is wear, tear, friction and lubrication of materials.
To take your two examples on the Bauer oil less units these can only achieve low pressure oil less and max out around 40 Bar. On the Rix oil less units you suggested these can achieve 415 Bar 6000 psi. Go figure. Its in the design detail.

In a single sentence oil-less is achieved by the compression rings being manufactured from solid lubricant.
The details and structures of which are pretty much IP and wont be discussed on an open forum.
But the advantages of an oil-free, oil-less high pressure compressor design for breathing gas is a subject that can be discussed but would take another month to fully discuss in detail.

Discussing how it is done in detail on an open forum without leaking some of the intelletual property that would be useful to others is more difficult hence why its never discussed in detail.

 

[Externet]

Thank you, good explanations.