A compressor tank stores compressed air and has a relief valve to release pressure. Tank size is identified by volume and can be vertical or horizontal. Heavy duty pipe plugs, legs, and an information label are welded to the tank. Water can damage the tank and is expelled through a drain.
A compressor tank is a device used to store compressed air. The air compressor pump is commonly mounted on top of the compressor tank and directs air into the tank via a hard line. Hardline can be made of copper, aluminum or steel and is designed to withstand high tank pressures. There is usually a relief valve fitted in a cap on the compressor tank which is meant to release if the pressure within the tank gets too high. It is customary for a tank manufacturer to print an expiration date on an information label mounted somewhere on the tank.
In most applications, the volume of a compressor tank is used to identify tank size. There are two distinct types of tanks: vertical and horizontal. This refers to placing the motor and pump on the tank and placing the tank on the floor. The upright tank is tall, with the engine and supercharger perched on a mounting plate welded to the top of the narrow end of the tank. The horizontal tank has a lower position and the motor and pump are mounted on a plate welded to the top of the long side of the tank.
The heavy duty pipe plugs are welded into the supercharger tank to provide secure mounting locations for gauges, air inlets and outlets, as well as an exhaust. One cap is reserved for installing the pressure relief valve. Along with the compressor pump and motor plate, other devices welded to the compressor tank are the legs. The legs are commonly heavy steel units that include a hole to accept a mounting bolt to hold the tank securely in place on a concrete floor. An information label welded to the tank includes information on the tank manufacturer, date of manufacture and tank volume.
Water is the enemy of any supercharger tank and can cause rust to weaken the tank. A drain is typically located at the lowest point of the tank and is used to periodically empty the accumulated water from the tank. Water getting inside a compressor tank is usually caused by condensation from heated compressed air entering the cooler tank. This water builds up and is expelled from the tank as water vapor in the air hose. This water can damage air tools, ruin paint jobs, and cause damage to the tank pressure relief valve and gauges.
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