All of compressed air, by the engineers who work with it
15 structured articles: sizing methods, technology comparisons, ISO standards, annotated saving calculations and audit guides. The technical material our teams base their decisions on.
Quiet compressors: the real decibels, family by family
The quietest compressor in the catalogue is not the one you would expect, and oil-free does not mean quiet: rotary tooth machines rank among the noisiest. Here are the levels measured model by model, and what a decibel really changes.
What does your cubic metre of compressed air cost?
Compressed air is free at the intake and expensive at the outlet. The formula fits on one line, and the figure that drives it, specific power, varies by about 20% between two screws of the same power. Here is how to calculate it for your installation.
Screw or piston compressor: the wrong question
The two are usually set against each other as two ways of doing the same job. In practice, they no longer cover the same ground: the screw has taken over the factory air network, and the piston holds the pressures no screw reaches: 30 to 60 bar for the dry piston, 300 and 500 bar at high pressure.
CEE 2026-2030: financing a VSD compressor with France's energy savings certificates
The CEE scheme (France's energy savings certificates) funds part of the extra cost of a variable speed compressor. You still need to know the right operation sheet, how to calculate kWh cumac and how to choose the right délégataire (the intermediary who handles the claim). Full method, worked example on 75 kW.
Compressed air and Scope 3: decarbonising the forgotten utility in industrial climate plans
Compressed air accounts for up to 10% of European industrial electricity consumption. In a decarbonisation plan, it is a systemic source of Scope 2 reductions and an indirect Scope 3 lever through suppliers. Methodology and worked examples with figures.
How to calculate and reduce pressure drop in a compressed air network
A 1 bar pressure drop costs around 7% in energy across the whole compressed air installation. Here is how to calculate it, measure it and reduce it: pipe diameter, network layout, filters, dryer, fittings.
Compressor heat recovery: up to 84% of the electricity can be reused
A screw compressor converts electricity into compressed air… and into heat. That heat accounts for 80 to 93% of the energy consumed, and 50 to 90% of that heat can be recovered to heat a building or a process. Method and calculation.
Predictive maintenance on air compressors: indicators, alerts, gains
Predictive maintenance eliminates 70 to 75% of breakdowns on average, according to the US Department of Energy, and extends component life. Here are the indicators to monitor and the alert thresholds.
How to size an air compressor: flow, pressure and storage
Sizing a compressor properly is not a matter of picking a power rating in kW: it means calculating the real flow, the right pressure and suitable storage. A 4-step method, with a worked example.
Two-stage screw compressor: around 10% less energy than a standard screw
A two-stage screw compressor compresses air in two steps with intercooling in between, close to the theoretical isothermal cycle. Around 10% less energy than a standard screw at constant load; with a permanent magnet drive, on a variable load, the two gains combine.
PSA nitrogen generator vs cylinders: at what volume should you switch?
Producing your nitrogen on site or having it delivered in cylinders: the cost items to compare, and how to find the switch-over point for your profile.
ISO 8573-1: the complete guide to compressed air quality classes
ISO 8573-1 grades compressed air quality against three criteria, particles, water and oil, each on its own scale starting at Class 0. Which class suits which application? Full table and examples.
Permanent magnet VSD: what the drive really saves
What a permanent magnet drive changes on a varying load: idle hours removed, and the annual gain to be worked out from your own load profile, across 6 typical power ratings.
Refrigerant dryer vs adsorption dryer: when should you switch to adsorption?
A refrigerant dryer covers most industrial applications with a +3 °C pressure dew point. Adsorption goes down to −40 or −70 °C but consumes compressed air. When should you switch?
Lubricated screw or oil-free compressor: Class 0 describes the air, not the machine
Most comparisons set two machines against each other. The standard, however, judges the air at the point of use. A lubricated screw followed by a treatment chain can deliver oil-free air at the point of use, at a significantly lower purchase cost; class 0 itself remains that of an oil-free machine. Here is the order in which CEZIUM selects each technology.