Truck mounted air compressors have become indispensable equipment in the modern dry bulk transportation and logistics industry. Because a truck mounted air compressor can significantly improve your work efficiency and safety whether used for discharging dry bulks, construction, or powering various pneumatic tools. Faced with numerous brands and models on the market, choosing a reliable and cost-effective truck mounted air compressor has become a focus for many users. This guide will provide a comprehensive guide of the types, usage, price, and maintenance of truck mounted air compressors, helping you make a more informed decision before purchasing.
What is Truck Mounted Air Compressor?
Truck mounted air compressor is a very crucial core component in dry bulk transport and discharge systems. It is also called vehicle mounted air compressor, truck mounted compressor for service truck, or trailer mounted air compressor. The truck mounted air compressor is usually installed on a semi-trailer or tractor. It can be driven by a power take-off (PTO) or an independent power source to generate high-pressure airflow. And then the high-pressure airflow transports powdery or granular materials (such as cement, flour, plastic granules, lime powder, etc.) from the tank to a storage silo or tank. That is using high-pressure and clean airflow to realize pneumatic unloading of dry bulks.
Why Truck Mounted Air Compressor Matter?
Why truck mounted air compressor is so important to various industrial business? Because the modern truck mounted air compressor for sale can provide stable and continuous compressed air to drive pneumatic systems. A high-efficiency truck mounted air compressor can reduce energy consumption, shorten unloading time, and effectively reduce equipment wear and maintenance costs. Furthermore, upgraded oil-free mounted air compressors for service truck not only helps improve the operational reliability but also improve energy conservation and emission reduction. Therefore, choosing a high-performance truck mounted air compressor is an important step for enterprises to achieve long-term cost control and sustainable operation.
How to Use Truck Mounted Air Compressors?
- Pre-use Preparation
Before using, please confirm that the truck mounted air compressor is correctly connected to the vehicle engine or a separate power source; ensure the truck mounted air compressor has sufficient lubricating oil and coolant; check that all pipe connections are tight and leak-free; ensure the air tank drain valve is closed; familiarize yourself with the operating procedures, especially pressure settings and overpressure protection measures. - Starting the Truck Mounted Air Compressor
When operate, follow the specific equipment instructions to start the vehicle engine or generator to reach the required speed for the truck mounted air compressor. Then the truck mounted air compressor will start automatically. - Using the Air Compressor
Open the air valve to deliver the compressed air to the required location. And pay attention to monitoring the pressure of the gas tank to avoid too low or too high pressure. Once the pressure reaches the preset value, you must stop the truck mounted air compressor or make it enter standby mode.
What Can Truck Mounted Air Compressors Do?
- Dry Bulk Material Discharging
This is the primary application for truck mounted air compressors. The truck mounted air compressor supplies compressed air into the tank. While the tank pressure added, pushing the powdery or granular materials from the tanker truck into the storage tank or silo. - Pneumatic Conveying
In industrial production, truck mounted air compressors can provide air supply for material conveying pipelines, enabling long-distance conveying of powders or granules. - Construction Operations
Truck mounted air compressors are widely used in the construction industry, especially in scenarios where there is no fixed power supply, a high air volume is required, or field operations are needed. It is an ideal choice for your construction material transportation.
Types of Truck Mounted Air Compressors
The truck mounted air compressors can be divided into ranges of air compressors according to different standards, such as working principle, consists, lubrication system, driven methods, installation location, etc. Below I will introduce several major vehicle truck mounted air compressors for sale on the market.
Truck Mounted Rotary Screw Air Compressor vs. Rotary Vane Truck Mounted Air Compressor
The truck mounted rotary screw air compressor and rotary vane truck mounted air compressor are distinguished by the working principle and rotors.
- Truck mounted rotary screw air compressors
The truck mounted rotary screw air compressors generate and discharge compressed air through the continuous rotation of a meshing helical rotor. - Truck mounted rotary vane air compressors
The truck mounted rotary vane air compressors utilize the centrifugal force of an eccentric rotor to drive sliding vanes within the cylinder, thereby achieving intake, compression, and exhaust.
Oil-Lubricated Truck Mounted Air Compressor vs. Oil-Free Truck Mounted Air Compressor
The oil-lubricated truck mounted air compressor and oil-free truck mounted air compressor are distinguished by the lubrication system.
- Oil-lubricated truck mounted rotary screw air compressors
Oil-lubricated vehicle truck mounted air compressors rely on lubricating oil for cooling and sealing. It offers higher efficiency but increased risk of impurities in compressed air. - Oil-free truck mounted rotary vane air compressors
Oil-free vehicle truck mounted air compressors do not use lubricating oil during the compression process. It can produce impurity-free output air.
Truck Mounted PTO Driven Air Compressor vs. Truck Mounted Diesel Air Compressor vs. Truck Mounted Electric Air Compressor
The truck mounted PTO driven air compressor, truck mounted diesel air compressor, and truck mounted electric air compressor are distinguished by the driven methods.
- Truck mounted PTO driven air compressors
PTO truck mounted air compressors are driven by the vehicle’s transmission and are typically mounted on the semi-trailer chassis. - Truck mounted diesel air compressors
Truck mounted diesel air compressors are driven by their own independent diesel engine and are generally mounted on the semi-trailer frame. - Truck mounted electric air compressors
Truck mounted electric air compressors, on the other hand, rely on an electric power system and can operate independently of the truck or semi-trailer.
Pros and Cons of Truck Mounted Air Compressor
Pros
- High unloading efficiency: The vehicle-mounted air compressor can quickly vaporize bulk materials, avoiding the clogging problems of mechanical unloading. Compared with traditional gravity unloading, unloading time can be reduced by 30%-50%.
- High mobility and flexibility: Installed on a semi-trailer, it can move with the vehicle, providing power to equipment requiring compressed air at any time.
- Easy to use: No need for additional fixed air compressor installation or on-site installation, saving time and labor, and improving work efficiency.
- High degree of automation: Integrated into the semi-trailer’s pneumatic system, it can operate with one-button start, requiring no additional manual intervention. Suitable for non-contact conveying of dry bulk materials, reducing material contamination and loss.
- Convenient maintenance: Modern water-cooled or oil-cooled vehicle-mounted air compressors are durable. Combined with truck engine drive, the overall system integration is high, reducing external dependence.
Cons
- Power limitation: Truck mounted air compressors typically have limited power compared to stationary air compressors
- Increased weight: Truck mounted air compressors will increase the overall weight of the semi-trailer or truck and occupy loading space.
- Limited heat dissipation: Due to space constraints, some truck mounted air compressors have lower heat dissipation efficiency. Especially when working over long distances and for long periods of time.
How Much is the Truck Mounted Air Compressor Price?
According to network data, the truck mounted air compressor price is typically in the $3,000-$10,000 range depending on duty and size.
For smaller truck mounted or auxiliary truck air compressors: around $2,000-$6,000. While for larger truck mounted air compressor or heavy-duty truck mounted rotary screw air compressor (especially diesel-driven, continuous duty, high flow), the price is from $5,000 up to more than $20,000.
Maintenance for Truck Mounted Air Compressors
Proper maintenance not only extends the truck mounted air compressor lifespan but also ensures its stability and safety. Therefore, you’d better maintain your truck mounted air compressor regularly.
For oil-free truck mounted air compressors, you require only regular routine checks. For example, the XW Mech oil-free screw truck mounted air compressor requires almost no maintenance. You just need to check the coolant level or loose connections, and ensure the wiring is tight.
For conventional oil-lubricated truck mounted air compressors, it is best to perform maintenance every 4,000 hours of operation, including bearing lubrication, valve body cleaning, and rotor wear repair.
Word at Last
From the above content, we can see that the truck mounted air compressor play a more and more important role in ranges of industries. Thanks to its high efficiency and good stability, as well as easy use and maintenance, customers will save a lot operation costs and labor. If you are a customer engaged in the industries dealing with dry bulk cargo, you should read this blog carefully. After reading, you will find your answer when buying the suitable truck mounted air compressor for your service trucks or semi-trailers.
