Summer is coming, bringing heat, humidity, and for large swaths of Northern Indiana, a deluge of cottonwood seeds. Cottonwood trees, also known more broadly as poplar trees, produce a steady supply of fluffy, white seeds that travel through the air and build up anywhere there is space for them. In areas dense with cottonwood trees, the seeds can almost completely cover the ground and look like a thin layer of snow lasting throughout most of the summer months.
It can be an interesting sight, but cottonwood can also prove to be a major problem for businesses, especially ones that rely on compressors to keep their operations running. The fluff from cottonwood seeds can very easily clog up filters, block coolers, and contaminate the airflow – all of which can cause overheating, damage to the machinery, or even lead to a full breakdown and thousands of dollars in lost productivity.
Cottonwood can be a menace – one that compressor owners have to manage on top of the usual challenges posed by the heat and humidity. Fortunately, some simple maintenance can keep any compressor in top shape and ready to brave the summer.
One of the first and most important steps is to ensure your compressor’s coolers are cleaned and free of blockages. A dirty cooler means that the compressor’s running temperature increases, causing a chain of problems that forces the system to run hotter and less efficient than it normally would. There is no strictly defined schedule dictating how often coolers should be cleaned – it is best to connect with a service provider with expert technicians such as CompressAir to ensure the process is done right.
The same principles apply to compressors’ air filters and condenser on a refrigerated air dryer, which are magnets for cottonwood. As the cottonwood fiber builds up, your compressed air system’s performance will drop – resulting in higher energy costs and long-term damage to the machinery. At minimum, a compressor’s air filters (and oil filters) should be changed every 2,000 hours of use. If your machine is operating in an area dense with particulates such as cottonwood, the frequency might increase.
Another key maintenance practice is to ensure your compressors thermal valves are working properly. Be on the lookout for elevated discharge temperatures, as they could indicate a problem with the valves.
The number one daily procedure you should be checking on your compressor and dryer are the operating temperatures. Other daily procedures, such as checking fluid levels, looking for air or oil leaks, and monitoring for unusual sounds, vibrations, or temperature spikes, can all help to ensure your compressor beats the summer heat.
To make sure your machine is ready for the summer, consult with CompressAir. Its team is equipped to keep your compressor in top shape with an emergency service team that is ready to deploy 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To learn more, visit compressair.net.
