Air compressors are some of the most common, yet most misunderstood, tools there are in mainstream use. Air compressors come in different styles that are intended for particular uses, and knowing what types of compressors work best for a given situation can make the difference in productivity, costs and safety.
Air compressors fall into three basic categories: continuous-run models, piston drive models and rotary screw models. There are also centrifugal air compressors, although, these are very rarely encountered outside of extremely large, industrial applications, such as those involving mass power generation. These three main types of compressors dominate the market, and while each has features and accessories that can expand or restrict its applications, these models encompass the majority of applications for home, business and industrial uses requiring air compression.
Continuous-Run Compressors