Gas vs Electric Air Compressor: Which one is Better?

Electric air compressors and gas air compressors have different scopes of applications. Therefore, it would be hard to rule out one as better than the other. In this article, we have highlighted some important facts regarding gas vs electric compressors.

Portability

Electric air compressors are generally more compact, lightweight, and easy to install. All you will need is a steady supply of electricity. On the contrary, gas air compressors are comparatively bigger and heavier. Therefore, they are not easy to carry around like electric air compressors.

Power Source

Gas air compressors are better for outdoor use. While electric air compressors are better for indoor use, as some places may not have access to electricity. But, you can use a gas compressor anywhere without worrying about a power source.

Noise

Gas air compressors are known to be noisier. Therefore, you wouldn’t prefer them indoors or within an enclosed space. You will mainly encounter gas air compressors outdoors, and places where noise wouldn’t be an issue to the surrounding environment. But, electric air compressors are usually very quiet.

Air Quality

Electric air compressors offer superior compressed air quality. Since you don’t need any fuel source such as oil or gas, there are minimal chances of contamination. So, they are very widely used in the medical industry, home, and office HVAC systems. However, a gasoline-powered air compressor can contaminate the compressed air.

Efficiency

Gas air compressors have excellent waste heat recovery potentials. You can recycle the waste heat generated by the compressor and utilize it for other purposes. Moreover, gas compressors are very efficient, and heavy-duty compressors with many industrial applications. While electric air compressors are better suited at low load and sophisticated applications.

Hope the aforementioned points would help you get a proper understanding of the differences of gas vs electric compressor.

What Type of Air Compressor Parts are Available at Sunrise Metal?

Sunrise Metal is an expert aluminum die casting manufacturer located in China. We manufacture and supply top-notch quality precision die casting parts to clients all over the world. Our superior manufacturing capability and strong core competency allow us to handle any die casting project at hand.

If the air compressor parts you are looking for can be manufactured by die casting, then you can contact us without any hesitation. We have expert professionals with years of experience, and advanced die casting equipment at our facilities.

Moreover, we also have experience in manufacturing electric scroll compressor parts for the medical industry. Our die-cast electric scroll compressor parts are compliant with all necessary certifications such as ISO 9001 and ISO 13485.

Here are some samples of precision electric scroll compressor parts manufactured by us.

When is Electric Air Compressor a Better Choice?

Electric scroll compressors are versatile and are suitable for any application. Electric compressor usually operates smoothly without any noise and doesn’t contaminate the compressed air. An oil-free scroll compressor is a good example of such an electric compressor.

Electric air compressors are also easy to move around due to being more compact and lightweight. Moreover, electric compressors don’t require any additional storage units for fuel or power sources. So, they are comparatively safer with a minimum chance of hazard in the work area.

Electrically powered compressors come equipped with many smart features. You can precisely control the operation with a computer and program it according to your needs. However, they may not provide the best solution for all scenarios.

Electric air compressors require a steady and powerful enough electricity source. You can’t run operate an electric compressor over normal extension cords. Moreover, even if you do have access to a power source, you also need a proper backup in case of power outages.

Therefore, we can conclude that an electric scroll compressor is better suited for delicate and indoor operations.

When is Gas Air Compressor a Better Choice?

There are different types of gas air compressor technology such as gasoline compressor and natural gas compressor. But, we commonly use natural gas air compressors due to their high efficiency and availability of fuel in the marketing.

Unlike electric compressors, gas compressors have many downsides. They are usually very noisy during operation, thus are not suitable for medical, hospital, home, or office environments. Yet, they are very efficient and the gas compressor technology is more common in larger variants of compressors.

Another important fact is that you can’t use a gas air compressor in an enclosed place. You have to ensure a proper ventilation facility. Because gas air compressors release flammable and harmful by-products in the air. Moreover, the fuel tank powering the air compressor can become a cause of a serious accident if not carefully handled.

Despite all these cons, gas air compressors can be a preferable choice in some conditions. They are common in many industries for large-scale operations. Natural gas is reasonably cheap and makes up for a good power source.

A natural gas air compressor can save up to 25% power consumption by recovering waste heat and they are less impactful than an oil-powered air compressor. So, a gas air compressor can be a good choice for remote locations, and serve as an alternative for oil-powered compressors.