Air Compressor Installation Checklist

Floor load capacity calculated at 2x equipment weight. This multiplier accounts for dynamic loads from operating vibration. Screw machines have relatively smooth vibration. Piston machine reciprocating inertia forces hit the foundation harder. Foundation treatment methods differ between the two machine types. Flatness deviation controlled within 0.25 inch per 3 feet. Exceeds this range, shim adjustment not enough.

Machine room clear height is equipment height plus 3 feet. This space is for hoisting and overhead piping. If electric hoist or crane is configured, rail elevation and hook travel need to be factored in. Leave 3 feet passage around equipment, 6 feet clear in front of cooling surface. Passage width also needs to consider large component replacement path. Oil separator, cooler cores, these parts aren't small. Need enough operating room during removal and installation.

Entry door width 1.5 feet wider than equipment's largest dimension. Old factory retrofit projects often run into door opening not big enough. Demolishing wall or crane lifting in are both extra cost. This requirement should be coordinated with civil engineering during equipment selection phase.

Intake opening area needs calculation. Heat dissipation, allowable temperature rise, air velocity, plug these parameters into formula. Calculation itself isn't hard. Key is heat dissipation data needs to be accurate. Values marked on equipment samples sometimes correspond to specific conditions. Actual heat generation during full load continuous operation is often higher. Exhaust opening area enlarged to 1.2x intake opening. Machine room forms slight negative pressure state. Hot air exhausts outward instead of circulating inside.

Intake opening location is easier to trip on than area calculation. Position marked on drawings looks reasonable. On-site walkthrough discovers next to it is material yard, machining shop, or boiler room. Dust, oil mist, flue gas, these contamination sources don't show on drawings. Exhaust opening orientation and relationship to adjacent buildings also needs on-site confirmation. High temperature airflow and low frequency noise complaints are troublesome to handle.

Machine room in building interior zone or basement, natural ventilation basically hopeless. Mechanical ventilation becomes standard. Fan selection looks at room volume and air change rate. Fan position and duct routing considered together during layout phase.

Power capacity configured at 1.5x equipment power. Current peak during line start reaches several times rated value. This surge needs power capacity to absorb. Models using VFD start or soft start have much gentler starting current. Capacity margin can be tightened accordingly.