Which Type of Air Compressor is Best for Your Application?

Built almost like an automotive engine, reciprocating compressors have a crankshaft driven by an electric motor. As the shaft turns, it pushes a piston up and down, drawing air into a chamber as it moves in one direction, then compressing it when the piston reverses direction.

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Often called piston compressors because of their construction, reciprocating compressors are very practical for small applications. They are rugged and durable, holding up well when properly sized. Unfortunately, they need to be oversized, because they have a low-duty cycle, needing time to cool off. Heavy use or a high-duty cycle is not recommended. Single-stage models have only one compression chamber and come in sizes from .25 to 5 HP. They are better for low-pressure applications.

Recips are also available in a multi-stage design that uses more than one stage to compress air to the final discharge pressure. Multiple cylinders each perform a different stage of compression. An interstage cooling device reduces the air temperature between the stages of compression, decreasing the work required and the risk of mechanical failure due to excessive heat. Multi-stage compression is more energy-efficient than single-stage compression for high-pressure applications.

Double-acting reciprocating compressors have compression chambers on both sides of the piston and can get much larger, up to 1,000 HP. But while double-acting reciprocating compressors have water cooling that addresses the duty cycle issues, they are becoming less common because they are expensive, require reinforced foundations to handle vibration, and need more extensive maintenance.

Most recipes in use in industrial applications today are two-stage compressors, which are much more durable and can deliver greater pressure and flow, according to Air Compressor Guide. 

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As mentioned above, reciprocating compressors have a limited duty cycle, working best with intermittent or partial duty. They typically run best at 50% duty cycle or less. That's 30 minutes in an hour. Run it longer, and you risk damaging your compressor and shortening its life. As a result, to properly size a recip, you need to consider a compressor with a larger horsepower rating to give the pump time to cool down.

Pistons produce larger air pulses than rotary screws. And, because they just have wiper rings between the air and the oil, they do not have systems in place to prevent oil slugs from passing through. Those are huge disadvantages for painting applications where you want a smooth, even flow of high-quality air to produce the mirror finish your customers want.

And they are noisy. Because pistons are generally open, with loud valves and no acoustical enclosures, reciprocating compressors are noisy, with sound levels usually over 85 dBA, requiring hearing protection mandated by OSHA. In fact, many companies want to isolate them in rooms that become hot and stuffy. Or move up to rotary screw air compressors to reduce the noise and vibration.

I conducted the same search you did and I found the highest flow 120 volt compressor on the market. The version I bought was branded Quincy but it was sold under other names associated with the IMC/Atlas Copco/Bellaire brands. Napa actually had the best deal on it at the time. Below is the link to the version I had.

Anyhow, you'll see it's rated at 7.4 CFM. And it pulled very close to 20 amps when the tank was near full. You just can't make 10 CFM without more power using conventionally available technology without stepping up to a 220/240 volt compressor.

If you are truly limited to 120 volts, but you have access to two circuits, you can get a couple of 5ish CFM compressors and daisy chain them. With how accessible, and cheap, and quiet oilless compressors have become, I'm becoming convinced that's probably the best option for a lot of hobbyists. Of course here on this forum you will here that a big old 5 hp, 60/80 gallon 240 volt compressor is the only option, and that's the direction I ultimately went.

If it needs to be truly portable, you may consider a gas engine driven compressor.

Good luck!

Edit: I just reread your post and I realize that you only need 9 CFM at a max of 28 psi. If you can use a short/fat hose and keep your pressure losses down, a quick boyle's law calculation shows you only need a compressor that makes 3.5 CFM at 90 psi to make your 9 CFM at a static pressure of 35 psi. That's doable with any number of 120 volt "2 hp" oil lubed compressors like the one I linked or even some of the oilless compressors made by California Air Tools or the Harbor Freight versions.

Quincy Single-Stage Portable Electric Air Compressor 2 HP, 24-Gallon Vertical, 7.4 CFM, Model# QVPQ | Northern Tool

Long-lasting Quincy Single-Stage 2 HP, 24-Gallon Vertical Portable Electric Air Compressor is perfect for light commercial ...

I hate to be the one to tell you this but it doesn't exist.I conducted the same search you did and I found the highest flow 120 volt compressor on the market. The version I bought was branded Quincy but it was sold under other names associated with the IMC/Atlas Copco/Bellaire brands. Napa actually had the best deal on it at the time. Below is the link to the version I had.Anyhow, you'll see it's rated at 7.4 CFM. And it pulled very close to 20 amps when the tank was near full. You just can't make 10 CFM without more power using conventionally available technology without stepping up to a 220/240 volt compressor.If you are truly limited to 120 volts, but you have access to two circuits, you can get a couple of 5ish CFM compressors and daisy chain them. With how accessible, and cheap, and quiet oilless compressors have become, I'm becoming convinced that's probably the best option for a lot of hobbyists. Of course here on this forum you will here that a big old 5 hp, 60/80 gallon 240 volt compressor is the only option, and that's the direction I ultimately went.If it needs to be truly portable, you may consider a gas engine driven compressor.Good luck!Edit: I just reread your post and I realize that you only need 9 CFM at a max of 28 psi. If you can use a short/fat hose and keep your pressure losses down, a quick boyle's law calculation shows you only need a compressor that makes 3.5 CFM at 90 psi to make your 9 CFM at a static pressure of 35 psi. That's doable with any number of 120 volt "2 hp" oil lubed compressors like the one I linked or even some of the oilless compressors made by California Air Tools or the Harbor Freight versions.

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