Compare TANK MOUNTED AIR COMPRESSORS. Tank mounted air compressors are for low volume compressed air requirements. Tank mounted compressor power ranges from a fraction of a horsepower motor to over 10 hp, tank capacity ranges from a few liters for portable compressors to 400 liters (100 gallons) for large shops.

The compressors are piston or rotary and most are splash lubricated. The piston compressor was the standard for this application, but screw compressors are gaining more popularity because of their reliability and smooth pressure output. The single or duals piston compressor needs a tank to dampen the pressure pulsations created when the piston opens and releases the air. Also, for all compressors, the storage time in a tank allows the air to cool and to release oil and water droplets to the bottom of the tanks to be drained off.

Piston compressors can be single or two phase. In the single phase, both cylinders release the air into the high pressure tank. In the two phase configuration, the output from one cylinder is fed into the input of the second cylinder giving a higher pressure output, but at a lower capacity

Capacity FAD is the measure of free air delivery which is the air volume drawn into the compressor.