Airpol CompactPrime 11 DRY Screw Compressor with Compressed Air Treatment System (11 kW, 500 L Receiver)

1. Purpose and Operating Principle

How air treatment works:

• The ASU screw block (designed and manufactured by Airpol) compresses the air; the oil-air separator ensures residual oil content at the compressor outlet of less than 3 ppm.

• The cyclone separator immediately removes most of the water-oil condensate, reducing the load on the dryer.

• The refrigerated dryer cools the air to approximately +3 °C; the remaining moisture condenses and is removed.

• The 500 L receiver stores air, smooths consumption peaks and reduces the number of compressor starts and stops.

This “all-in-one” layout saves space in the compressor room, reduces installation costs and is suitable for small and medium production facilities, workshops and pneumatic automation lines.

2. Technical Specifications

Manufacturer data (Airpol CompactPrime & CompactPrime DRY 3–15 kW technical datasheet):

⚠️ Clarify when ordering. Capacity and dimensions depend on the pressure version: before ordering select the required working pressure (8, 10, 13 or 15 bar) and check the exact data for that version. Also clarify: which version is offered in Moldova, warranty terms, service intervals and oil grade, scope of supply (installation and commissioning, optional filter package), requirements for acceptance and registration of the pressure vessel in Moldova. Air purity class according to ISO 8573-1 for dried air at +3 °C corresponds to class 4 for humidity; classes for solid particles and oil require filters (see section 5).

3. Design Features

Designation decoding:

Design solutions:

• ASU screw block of Airpol’s own design with modular construction for easy service access; the block is combined with the oil separator and filter, reducing pressure losses and the number of external connections.

• Efficient oil separation system — residual oil content at the block outlet less than 3 ppm.

• High-efficiency oil-air cooler — compressed air temperature approximately +10 °C above ambient.

• Belt drive from a European-made electric motor, IE3 class, IP55 protection.

• Sound-insulating enclosure absorbs up to 80 % of noise, level not exceeding 72 dB(A); vibration isolators reduce transmission of vibrations to the foundation.

• Receiver manufactured by Airpol according to Directive 2014/68/EU from high-strength steel, supplied with documentation for technical supervision.

• Cyclone separator and refrigerated dryer — dew point +3 °C.

• OPTI Airpol Power Control controller with intuitive interface: mode selection, calendar scheduling, 12 interface languages, software update via USB, cascade or sequential operation of up to 4 compressors in a network.

• Built-in web server on the controller: remote monitoring via browser in the local network, without cloud or data transmission outside; load statistics, event history and service counters are available.

4. Installation Recommendations

• Location. Place the compressor on a level, rigid foundation in a dry room at temperatures from +5 to +45 °C. To protect the dryer and condensate drain from freezing, avoid sub-zero temperatures.

• Ventilation. Provide approximately 1800 m³/h of cooling air intake and warm air exhaust; do not block the grilles and do not place the compressor flush against walls.

• Electrical supply. 400 V, 3-phase, 50 Hz; recommended cable cross-section 5 × 4 mm², protection 32 A. Connection must be performed by a qualified electrician according to the documentation.

• Air connection. Outlet G ¾ (cylindrical BSPP thread): seal on the face, without PTFE tape; use fittings with G thread and washer. If the network has R (BSPT) thread, apply PTFE tape to it. Check the thread type before connection ⚠️.

• Condensate drain. Connect the drains of the cyclone separator and dryer to a system for collection and disposal of oily condensate; do not discharge it into the sewer.

• Safety devices. Do not interfere with the settings of safety valves and pressure switches; maximum pressure is determined by the version.

• Pressure vessel. Requirements for registration and periodic inspections of the receiver are determined by local legislation ⚠️; clarify before commissioning.

• Start-up. First start, rotation check and adjustment must be performed by a trained specialist; before start-up check oil level and absence of leaks.

• Maintenance. Oil, oil filter, air filter and separator replacement intervals are defined by the manufacturer’s manual ⚠️; monitor the service counters on the controller.

5. Analogues and Comparison

We have no verified cross-references, so direct analogues are not listed. When selecting a compressor compare:

Comparison with other models in the series (manufacturer data):

Differences between versions:

• CompactPrime 11 (without DRY) — the same compressor on receiver without integrated dryer.

• CompactPrime 11 DRY — with integrated cyclone separator and dryer, dew point +3 °C.

• Airpol T 11 — without receiver, but with dryer and two integrated filters: pre-filter (99 % of particles larger than 3 μm) and fine filter (99 % of particles larger than 0.1 μm, residual oil content up to 0.1 mg/m³).

• The same filter package can be optionally installed on CompactPrime DRY if higher purity classes are required ⚠️ (clarify configuration and lead time).

6. Common Mistakes

1. Selecting by power only. Capacity of an 11 kW unit strongly depends on pressure: 108 m³/h at 8 bar and only 55 m³/h at 15 bar. Determine the required pressure and flow rate.

2. Insufficient ventilation. The compressor needs about 1800 m³/h of cooling air; in a cramped room temperature rises and protection trips.

3. Installation in a room with sub-zero temperature. Permissible range is +5 to +45 °C; frozen condensate damages the dryer and drain.

4. Undersized cable cross-section and protection. Recommended 5 × 4 mm² and 32 A circuit breaker; thin cable overheats and causes nuisance trips.

5. Expecting higher purity class without filters. The dryer provides class 4 for humidity; for low residual oil and particle concentrations filters or the T model are required.

6. Discharging condensate into the sewer. Oily condensate must be collected and disposed of properly.

7. Using mismatched G ¾ / R ¾ thread in the network. Mixing cylindrical and conical threads does not guarantee tightness.

7. Application Area

• Small and medium production facilities

• Workshops and automotive service stations

• Pneumatic and automation lines

• Applications requiring dry air (dew point +3 °C) without additional treatment equipment

• Spaces with limited room — compact receiver-mounted layout

8. Expert Opinion

“CompactPrime 11 DRY is a practical plug-and-play solution for medium-sized workshops and production sites. The integrated dryer and 500 L receiver eliminate the need to purchase and install separate equipment. Important: choose the correct pressure version at the order stage — capacity drops significantly at 13–15 bar.”

Vitalie Boluchevschi, Lead Engineer, Acvatron SRL, 18 years of experience

9. FAQ

1. Which working pressure should I choose?
It depends on the application. For most pneumatic tools and automation 8–10 bar is sufficient (108 / 90 m³/h). For special applications (laser cutting, etc.) 13 or 15 bar may be required.

2. Is an additional dryer needed?
Not for typical applications. The integrated dryer provides a dew point of +3 °C (class 4 for humidity according to ISO 8573-1).

3. What air purity classes are achieved?
Humidity: class 4. For solid particles and oil additional filters are required (or the Airpol T 11 model which has them integrated).

4. What is the noise level?
72 dB(A) — relatively quiet thanks to the sound-insulating enclosure.

5. Is registration of the receiver required in Moldova?
Requirements are set by local legislation. Clarify before commissioning.