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Breathing air is air specifically purified for human respiration
Breathing air is much cleaner and safer than normal compressed air
FAQ
When people hear the term breathing air, they often assume it’s just the same air we breathe every day, simply pushed through a compressor. In reality, breathing air is a tightly regulated, highly purified form of air designed for life-critical applications, far different from standard compressed air used in industrial environments.
Whether its firefighters entering hazardous environments, divers working at depth, or hospitals delivering clean air to patients, breathing air must meet strict purity standards. Let’s break down what makes breathing air unique, how it’s generated, and how it differs from everyday compressed air.
Breathing air is air specifically purified for human respiration
Breathing air is air that has been processed to meet stringent purity requirements so it’s safe for direct inhalation. This isn’t the same air you’re breathing as you read this, think firefighters’ self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), scuba divers’ tanks, medical air in hospitals, and industrial applications where workers need clean, contaminant-free air.
Breathing air typically comes in two primary forms:
- High-Pressure Breathing Air in Tanks
Used by firefighters and divers, these tanks are typically pressurized up to 5,000 psi. They deliver air for a limited time and require specialized, high-pressure compressors to fill them. These compressors must be paired with bottle containment systems for safety, since the stored energy at such high pressures is significant.
- Low-Pressure Breathing Air Produced by Breathing Air Purifiers (BAP)
Breathing Air Purifiers are used with low-pressure, oil-free compressors. They remove critical contaminants such as:
- Carbon monoxide (CO)
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
- Oil vapor and liquid oil
- Odor
- Moisture
- Particulates
BAP systems are used in:
- Hospitals and medical facilities
- Paint booths
- Sandblasting operations
- Dental offices
- Laboratories
- Manufacturing environments where workers wear supplied-air respirators
A major advantage of BAP systems is unlimited runtime, no tanks to refill, no heavy equipment to carry, and no high-pressure systems to maintain.
Breathing air is much cleaner and safer than normal compressed air
Standard compressed air, especially when produced by oil-lubricated compressors, contains a variety of contaminants:
- Oil carryover
- Water vapor
- Particulates
- Microbial contamination
- Even trace gases
These contaminants make untreated compressed air unsafe to breathe. OSHA, NFPA, and CSA all require specific purity levels for breathing air, far beyond what’s needed for ordinary pneumatic tools or industrial processes.
Breathing air systems ensure the air meets Grade D, Grade E, or other required standards depending on the application.
Yes, you can use the same compressor for both, but only if it’s oil-free and properly cooled
While most compressed air cannot be used for breathing, an oil-free compressor paired with a Breathing Air Purifier can safely generate breathing air. Key requirements include:
- Oil-free compressor: Eliminates the risk of oil aerosols or carbon monoxide from oil breakdown.
- Proper cooling: Air must be cooled before it enters the BAP system to ensure effective filtration.
- A certified breathing air purification system: This is what actually removes contaminants to breathing-air standards.
This setup is common in industrial environments where workers need respiratory protection but companies want the convenience of continuous, on-demand breathing air instead of high-pressure tanks.
FAQ: Breathing air vs. compressed air
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