What does the daily maintenance of an air pump include

The daily maintenance of air pumps is a core link to ensure the safe operation of the equipment, extend its service life and reduce energy consumption. It should be carried out around four dimensions: parameter monitoring, cleaning and maintenance, status inspection and safety protection. The following are the specific maintenance contents, methods and implementation standards:

First, operation parameter monitoring (dynamic perception of equipment health)

Pressure and flow monitoring

Inspection method:

Pressure gauge reading: Record the exhaust pressure per hour (fluctuation range ≤±5% of the set value, for example, a 0.8MPa system allows a fluctuation of 0.76-0.84MPa).

Flowmeter calibration: Compare the actual flow with the rated flow (deviation ≤±3%). If the limit is exceeded, leakage or load changes need to be investigated.

Exception handling:

Continuous pressure drop → Check the intake filter element/check valve;

Insufficient flow → Clean the pipeline or replace the worn valve plate.

2. Temperature monitoring

Key points:

Motor housing: ≤70℃ (Infrared thermometer, over-temperature may be due to overload or poor heat dissipation).

Bearing part: ≤85℃ (thermocouple, if the temperature exceeds the limit, the machine needs to be shut down for lubrication or axial force inspection).

Associated faults:

Motor high temperature → cooling fan failure or abnormal voltage;

Bearing high temperature → grease failure or excessive clearance.

3. Vibration and noise monitoring

Simple test:

Vibration amplitude: There is no obvious tremor when touching the pump body by hand (for precise detection, a vibration meter can be used, and the vibration speed is ≤4.5mm/s).

Noise decibel: ≤85dB (At a distance of 1 meter from the equipment, a sudden increase in noise may be due to rotor imbalance or loosening).

Typical case: The anchor bolts of an air pump in a certain factory broke due to excessive vibration (up to 12mm/s), and the machine was shut down for maintenance, which took 6 hours.

Second, cleaning and lubrication (keep the equipment "breathing" smoothly)

1. Clean the air filter element

Cleaning cycle:

Dust environment (such as textile factories) : ≤500 hours per time;

Clean environment (such as laboratory) : ≤2000 hours per time.

Cleaning method:

Compressed air back-blowing (pressure ≤0.3MPa, avoid blowing through the filter paper);

Resistance test: If the pressure difference is greater than 0.05MPa, replacement is required (for example, the initial pressure difference of the KLEENGUARD filter element is 0.015MPa).

Failure consequences: The clogging of the filter element causes the exhaust temperature to rise by 15-20℃ and the motor load to increase by 20%.

2. Lubrication system maintenance

Oil level check

Observe the oil gauge every day. If the oil level is lower than the lower limit (1/3 of the oil window), add oil to the middle line (for example, the Atlas Copco GA75+ model requires ISO VG 46 lubricating oil).

Oil quality testing

Acid value: Test monthly. If it is greater than 2mgKOH/g, change the oil (acidification of the oil will corrode the bearings).

Viscosity: Tested quarterly. If the change is greater than ±10%, replacement is required (kinematic viscosity at 40℃ : 41.4-50.6mm²/s).

Oil change standard:

First oil change: After 500 hours of operation;

Subsequent oil change: every 4,000 hours or once a year (whichever comes first).

Third, inspection of the condition of mechanical components (to prevent "hidden" faults

Inspection of transmission components

Belt/Coupling

Belt tension: When pressing the belt with a force of 200N, the sagging amount should be ≤15mm (such as V-belt Type B).

Coupling alignment: Check with a laser alignment instrument every quarter. The radial deviation should be ≤0.05mm and the angular deviation ≤0.2°/100mm.

Failure consequences: Poor alignment leads to intensified vibration, shortening the bearing life by more than 60%.

2. Sealing and leakage inspection

Inspection method:

Soapy water method: Apply soapy water to the pipe joints and valve bodies. If the number of bubbles within 1 minute is greater than 5 per cm², it indicates leakage.

Ultrasonic testing: Locate tiny leaks (with a sensitivity of 0.01mL/min, such as in the SDT270 device).

Allowable leakage rate: ≤0.5% rated flow rate (for example, the allowable leakage of a 10m³/min air pump is ≤0.05m³/min).

3. Inspection of valves and pipelines

Check valve

Manual test opening pressure (≤0.05MPa), reverse seal without leakage;

Spring fatigue test: Compress the spring to half of its free length. If the rebound force attenuation exceeds 20%, it needs to be replaced.

Pipeline support

The vibration amplitude of the pipeline should be no more than 2mm (1m away from the fixed point). If it exceeds the limit, anti-vibration supports need to be added.

Fourth, Electrical and safety protection (Ensuring the safety of personnel and equipment)

Electrical system inspection

Motor insulation

Test with a 500V megohmmeter every month. The insulation resistance should be ≥1MΩ (≥2MΩ in a humid environment).

If the insulation drops by more than 30%, drying treatment is required (such as heating the motor winding to 120℃ for 8 hours continuously).

Grounding resistance

Annual inspection, ≤4Ω (in explosion-proof areas, ≤1Ω, using a grounding resistance tester).

2. Verification of security accessories

Pressure gauge

It should be calibrated once every six months, with an accuracy grade of ≥1.6 and a measurement range of 1.5 to 3 times the working pressure.

The pointer is stuck or out of tolerance and needs to be replaced (for example, the allowable error of the Y-100 pressure gauge is ±1.6%).

Safety valve

Manual take-off tests are conducted annually. The setting pressure is 1.05-1.1 times the working pressure (for example, the 0.8MPa system is set to 0.84-0.88MPa).

The pressure for returning to the seat after jumping is ≥0.9 times the set pressure.

3. Environment and Protection

Ventilation and heat dissipation

The exhaust air volume is ≥6 air changes per hour, and the CO concentration is ≤30ppm (if the explosion-proof area needs to meet GB 50058-2014).

Motor heat sink cleaning (compressed air blowing, no oil stains blocking).

Protective device:

The coupling protective cover is complete and undamaged (the aperture of the protective net is ≤12.5mm, in compliance with GB/T 8196-2018).

Fifth, key principles of daily maintenance

Prevention first: Potential faults can be detected in advance through means such as vibration analysis and oil detection (for example, early faults in bearings can be identified by spectral analysis at a characteristic frequency of 1000Hz).

Standardized operation: Develop the "SOP for Daily Maintenance of Air Pumps", clearly defining the inspection items, methods, cycles and acceptance criteria.

Data-driven: Establish equipment health records, recording historical data such as pressure, temperature, and vibration for trend analysis and life prediction.

By strictly implementing the above maintenance contents, the failure rate of the air pump can be reduced by more than 60%, energy consumption can drop by 10% to 15%, and the service life of the equipment can be extended to more than 1.5 times the design value.