Air Compressor History
Air compressors are devices used to pressurize ambient room air which is then used to power other devices. Some of the earliest air compressors are still used today, bellows. Bellows are still a common item in households to stoke the flames in your natural fireplace. The earliest versions of bellows were made from animal lungs and date back to around 5,000 BC when man began smelting metal tools and weapons.
Most early bellows were put into use to produce hotter/longer burning fires. The first instance of an air compressor used besides fire management shows up in 1762, as a “blowing cylinder” powered by a water wheel producing only 14 psi. A water-cooled version of this later appears in 1872.
By 1799, Englishman George Medhurst invented the first motorized air compression system that was used primarily in the mining industry. Medhurst’s engineering feats led to the first atmospheric railway, a compressed-air-powered rail system. In 1852, Isambard K. Brunel designed a pressurized caisson for workers in the Chepstow railway bridge project that prevented water and mud from entering the work space. Englishman Thomas Cochrane invented a compressed air rock drill in 1857 for use in tunneling.
Throughout the 1800s, advancements became essential to compressed air systems. In the industrial age, compressed air also became a means to transport energy. As the demand for specialization in compressed air use increased, which included the need for different pressures and the use of electric motors, the technology diverged.
The divergence in engineering throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries provided the groundwork for the three most common types of modern compressor systems found in industry today. The reciprocating compressor uses a piston that draws air through an intake valve and then pushes the air out through an outlet valve. These devices are used for general industrial purposes, such as in blast furnaces. Rotary compressors consist of enclosed fans that take air in at the center of a bladed wheel, or impeller, and blow the air out through a shaft. These compressors are used primarily in cooling systems. Finally, jet compressors use either pressurized water or highly pressurized gas or vapor to force air outward from a cylinder called a diffuser. Jet compressors have no moving parts and can produce great force.
The divergence in engineering throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries provided the groundwork for the three most common types of modern compressor systems found in industry today. The reciprocating compressor uses a piston that draws air through an intake valve and then pushes the air out through an outlet valve. These devices are used for general industrial purposes, such as in blast furnaces. Rotary compressors consist of enclosed fans that take air in at the center of a bladed wheel, or impeller, and blow the air out through a shaft. These compressors are used primarily in cooling systems. Finally, jet compressors use either pressurized water or highly pressurized gas or vapor to force air outward from a cylinder called a diffuser. Jet compressors have no moving parts and can produce great force.
Whether applied directly or placed behind a movable object, compressed air can supply a powerful force that cannot be conveniently produced by other means. At Lee, we install, service and repair all makes and models of air compressors and air treatment systems. We provide 24/7 service as well as emergency rental compressors.
Learn more about our air compressor and mechanical capabilities here.
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