Oil-Free Air Compressors for Air Separation Plants
Reliable compressed air solutions for nitrogen and oxygen generation, PSA systems and industrial air separation applications.
- ISO 8573-1 Class 0 Oil-Free Air
- 6.4–122 m³/min Air Flow
- 45–640 kW Power Range
- Custom Pressure & Flow Solutions
Compressed Air Requirements in Air Separation Plants
Reliable air separation starts with the right compressed air supply.
For PSA nitrogen and oxygen generation, the compressor needs to deliver clean, dry and stable compressed air at the required pressure and flow. Sollant provides oil-free screw and centrifugal air compressor solutions for different air separation applications.
01. Oil-Free Air
ISO 8573-1 Class 0
Minimize the risk of oil contamination in downstream gas generation processes with our own fully certified Class 0 oil-free compressor solutions.
02. Stable Pressure
7–12.5 bar & Customized
Match the compressor pressure to your PSA system and process requirements to ensure stable operation and reliable gas production.
03. Right Air Flow
0.24–122 m³/min
Select the compressor according to actual FAD requirements, gas production capacity and operating conditions—not motor power alone.
04. Clean & Dry Air
-20°C to -40°C PDP
Combine compressors with desiccant air dryers and precision filters to control moisture, particles and oil carryover in compressed air system.
One Air System. Engineered for Your Process.
From oil-free compressors to air dryers, precision filters and PSA nitrogen or oxygen generators, Sollant can configure a complete compressed air solution based on your application.
Tell us your required air flow and pressure. We’ll recommend a suitable compressor configuration.
Air Separation Compressor Solutions
Choose the right compressed air technology for your air separation application. Sollant offers oil-free screw compressors, water-lubricated screw compressors and centrifugal compressors, with customized configurations for different air flow, pressure and operating requirements.
Compressed Air Source
Oil-Free Dry Screw Compressor
Designed for applications requiring oil-free compressed air and flexible capacity control.
- ISO 8573-1 Class 0 oil-free air
- Pressure: 7 / 8 / 10 bar
- FAD: 6.4–46 m³/min
- Power: 45–250 kW
Ideal for: PSA nitrogen and oxygen systems, industrial gas production and applications with variable air demand.
Water-Lubricated Screw Compressor
A water-lubricated compression solution combining oil-free air, near-isothermal compression and corrosion-resistant design.
- ISO 8573-1 Class 0 oil-free air
- Pressure: 8 / 10 / 12.5 bar
- FAD: 0.24–39.5 m³/min
- Power: 5.5–220 kW
Ideal for: applications requiring oil-free compressed air with different pressure and flow requirements.
Oil-Free Centrifugal Compressor
Built for large-volume, continuous compressed air demand in industrial applications.
- 100% oil-free compression
- Air flow: 76–122 m³/min
- Pressure: 0.6–12 barg
- Power: 400–640 kW
- Continuous high-flow operation
Ideal for: large-scale air separation plants and industrial gas applications requiring high-volume continuous air supply.
Air Separation & Gas Generation Equipment
PSA Nitrogen Generator
Produce nitrogen on-site from compressed air using Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) technology.
- Inlet Temperature：5~40°C
- Inlet Pressure：0.6~1.0MPa
- Ambient Temperature：2~45°C
- Nitogen Purity：98~99.999%
- Nitrogen Flow Rate：10~1000Nm³/H
- Pressure Dew Point：≤-40°C
Key Benefits
- On-site nitrogen generation
- Customizable nitrogen capacity and purity
- Designed for continuous industrial operation
- Suitable for integration with compressed air systems
Applications: Industrial gas production, metal processing, electronics, food packaging and other nitrogen-demanding applications.
PSA Oxygen Generator
Generate oxygen on-site from compressed air using PSA technology, providing a flexible solution for industrial oxygen supply.
- Inlet Temperature：15~35℃
- Oxygen Pressure：0.1~0.5Mpa
- Ambient Temperature：0~45℃
- Oxygen Flow Rate：5~300Nm³/H
- Oxygen Purity：(93±3)%
- Air Inlet Pressure0：0.4~0.6mpa
- Oxygen Dew Point：-40~-70℃
Key Benefits
- On-site oxygen generation
- Customizable oxygen capacity and purity
- Continuous oxygen supply
- Integrated with compressed air systems
Applications: Industrial oxygen production, wastewater treatment, metal processing, aquaculture and other oxygen-demanding applications.
Desiccant Air Dryer
Protect downstream equipment and processes by reducing moisture in compressed air.
- Pressure Dew Point: -20°C to -40°C
- Designed for applications requiring dry compressed air
- Available in customized configurations
Precision Air Filter
Remove particles, aerosols and oil contaminants from compressed air before downstream processes.
- Filter Grade: A / H
- Oil Carryover: ≤0.01 ppm
- Multiple filtration configurations available
Compressed Air Quality for Air Separation
Clean, Dry and Stable Compressed Air for Reliable Air Separation
Compressed air quality is critical in air separation applications. Oil, moisture and solid particles in compressed air can contaminate downstream equipment, affect adsorbent performance and increase maintenance requirements.
Sollant provides compressed air solutions designed to deliver clean, dry and stable air for air separation systems, including oil-free compressors, desiccant air dryers and precision filtration.
Key Compressed Air Quality Requirements
| Air Quality Factor | Sollant Solution |
| Oil Content | ISO 8573-1 Class 0 oil-free compressor options |
| Moisture | Desiccant air dryer with pressure dew point of -20°C to -40°C |
| Particles & Aerosols | A / H grade precision filtration |
| Compressed Air Stability | Compressor configurations customized for required pressure and flow |
| System Protection | Multi-stage air treatment before downstream PSA or air separation equipment |
Why Air Quality Matters
Oil-Free Compressed Air
For applications where oil contamination must be minimized, Sollant offers ISO 8573-1 Class 0 oil-free compressor solutions. This helps reduce the risk of oil entering downstream air treatment and gas generation equipment.
Low Moisture Content
Moisture can affect downstream adsorption processes and air treatment equipment. A desiccant air dryer can provide a pressure dew point of -20°C to -40°C, depending on the system configuration and operating conditions.
Efficient Particle & Aerosol Removal
Precision filters remove particles, oil aerosols and other contaminants from compressed air before it enters downstream equipment. A/H grade filtration can be selected according to required air quality.
Stable Pressure & Flow
Air separation and PSA systems require stable feed air conditions. Sollant selects compressor capacity, pressure and air treatment equipment according to the required flow rate, working pressure and operating profile.
Customized Air Quality Solutions
Different air separation processes have different requirements for compressed air quality. Sollant can configure the appropriate combination of oil-free compression, air drying and precision filtration according to your project requirements.
Send us your required air flow, pressure, air quality, pressure dew point and gas application, and our engineers can recommend a suitable compressed air treatment configuration.
Compressed Air Applications in Air Separation Processes
Compressed air is a critical utility in air separation systems. Depending on the process technology, such as cryogenic air separation or PSA gas generation, compressed air can be used as process air, feed air or instrument air to support gas separation, purification and plant operation.
1. Feed Air for Cryogenic Air Separation
In cryogenic air separation units (ASUs), atmospheric air is compressed before entering the purification and separation process. The compressed air is then treated to remove moisture, carbon dioxide and other contaminants before being cooled and separated into oxygen, nitrogen and other gases.
Compressed Air Role:Process / feed air for the air separation unit
Key Requirements:High flow | Stable pressure | Continuous operation | Appropriate air quality
2. Feed Air for PSA Nitrogen Generation
In PSA nitrogen generation systems, compressed air is the feed gas. The compressed air passes through pretreatment equipment before entering the PSA adsorption beds, where oxygen and other components are selectively adsorbed to produce nitrogen.
Compressed Air Role:Feed air for nitrogen generation
Key Requirements:Stable pressure | Sufficient flow | Low oil content | Low moisture
3. Feed Air for PSA Oxygen Generation
PSA oxygen generators also use compressed atmospheric air as their feed gas. After compression and air treatment, the air enters the adsorption system to produce oxygen at the required purity and pressure.
Compressed Air Role:Feed air for oxygen generation
Key Requirements:Stable air flow | Controlled pressure | Low moisture | Effective filtration
4. Air Pretreatment Before Separation
Before compressed air enters downstream separation equipment, contaminants such as oil aerosols, water and particles need to be controlled.
Air treatment equipment can include:Aftercoolers | Precision filters | Water separators | Desiccant air dryers
The appropriate treatment configuration depends on the compressor type, process requirements and required air quality.
Compressed Air Role:Protect downstream separation and adsorption equipment
5. Instrument & Control Air
Compressed air can also be used as instrument air for pneumatic control valves, actuators and other control components throughout an air separation plant.
Stable and clean instrument air helps support reliable operation of automated valves and control systems.
Compressed Air Role:Plant instrumentation and pneumatic control
Key Requirements:Clean air | Low moisture | Stable pressure | Reliable continuous supply
6. Regeneration & Purging
In air treatment and gas separation systems, compressed gas may also be used for purging or regeneration, depending on the equipment configuration.
For adsorption-based systems, proper regeneration conditions are important for maintaining adsorbent performance and system efficiency.
Compressed Air Role:Purging and regeneration of selected process equipment
Sollant’s Compressed Air Solutions
Sollant provides oil-free screw compressors, centrifugal compressors and integrated air treatment solutions for different air separation applications, with configurations available according to project requirements.
Need a Compressor for Your Air Separation Process?
Send us your process type, required air flow, working pressure and gas production capacity, and our engineers can recommend a suitable compressor and air treatment configuration.
Contact Sollant To Learn More About Sollant Air Compressors
Case Studies
Project Case: Instrument Air Purification System for a Coal-to-Chemicals Air Separation Unit
Client: A coal-chemical enterprise in East China utilizing two cryogenic air separation units to supply oxygen and nitrogen to gasifiers.
Pain Points: High oil content in the original instrument air caused frequent valve positioner sticking; unstable dew points led to condensate formation in pipelines during winter; and PSA carbon molecular sieves were prone to oil contamination/poisoning.
Requirements: Instrument air flow of 800 Nm³/h; PSA nitrogen output of 600 Nm³/h (purity ≥99.9%); pressure dew point of -20°C to -40°C; oil content ≤0.01 ppm; and ISO 8573 Class A/H filtration.
Solution: Integrated skid-mounted purification system. Compressed air flows through pre-filtration (oil removal) → adsorption drying → precision filtration (Class A/H). The purified air splits into two streams: one for instrument air and the other for PSA nitrogen generation.
Project Results: Following the retrofit, instrument air oil content and dew points consistently met standards; valve positioner sticking incidents were drastically reduced; the risk of oil contamination in PSA carbon molecular sieves was eliminated; winter pipeline freezing due to condensate was prevented; and the system achieved long-term, stable operation.
FAQ About Air Compressors for Air Separation
The appropriate compressor depends on the air separation process, required air flow, working pressure, air quality and operating conditions.
For medium-flow applications, oil-free screw compressors can be considered. For large air separation plants requiring high-volume and continuous air supply, centrifugal compressors may be suitable. Sollant can recommend the compressor type according to your specific project requirements.
Oil-free compression may be required when the process has strict requirements for compressed air purity or when oil contamination must be minimized.
Sollant offers oil-free screw compressors and centrifugal compressors for air separation applications. The SLTOF series can provide ISO 8573-1 Class 0 oil-free compressed air, subject to the applicable certification and operating conditions.
Screw and centrifugal compressors are suitable for different operating ranges.
Oil-free screw compressors are commonly used for medium air flow requirements and applications with variable air demand.
Centrifugal compressors are generally suited to larger air flow requirements and continuous-duty applications.
The selection should be based on required FAD, pressure, operating profile and project conditions rather than compressor type alone.
The required air quality depends on the specific air separation process and downstream equipment.
Important factors include:
- Oil content
- Moisture and pressure dew point
- Particles
- Oil aerosols
- Air pressure stability
For applications requiring strict oil control, Sollant offers ISO 8573-1 Class 0 oil-free compressor solutions. Desiccant dryers and precision filters can also be integrated to achieve the required air treatment performance.
Yes. Sollant can provide an integrated solution combining:
Air Compressor + Desiccant Air Dryer + Precision Filters + PSA Oxygen Generator
The system can be customized according to the required oxygen production capacity, purity, pressure and site conditions.
Yes. Depending on the project requirements, the compressed air system can include an air compressor, aftercooler, water separator, precision filters and desiccant air dryer.
The air treatment configuration is selected according to the required air flow, pressure, oil content, particle level and pressure dew point.
Yes. Sollant provides customized compressor solutions for different project requirements.
Customization can include:
- Air flow and pressure
- Motor power
- Voltage and frequency
- Cooling method
- Control system
- Air treatment configuration
- Containerized or integrated solutions
- OEM requirements
Our engineers can recommend a configuration based on your process parameters and installation conditions.
To recommend a suitable compressor, please provide:
1. Required air flow: m³/min or CFM
2. Working pressure: bar / barg / psi
3. Application: ASU, PSA nitrogen, PSA oxygen or other
4. Required air quality: oil-free / Class 0 / other specification
5. Operating hours: continuous or intermittent
6. Power supply: voltage and frequency
7. Installation conditions: indoor, outdoor or containerized
If you are not sure about the required compressor capacity, send us your gas production capacity and process requirements, and our engineers can help determine the compressed air requirements.
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