Look for These Five Properties in High Quality Compressor Lubricants

Proper compressor maintenance includes replenishing lubricants with fluids that are engineered for optimal performance in their dedicated functions. Choosing a poorly performing lubricant can lead to lower cooling efficiency, poor stability and insufficient protection, which could damage your air compressor’s internal components.

A high quality lubricant optimizes the performance of a compressor and reduces maintenance needs, resulting in a longer life for a low operating cost. There are five chemical additives present in high quality compressor lubricants that support base lubrication requirements and interact in multiple processes within the compressor. A high quality lubricant can operate for thousands of hours at optimal performance levels with the proper blend of the following properties:

Air release

These additives facilitate air separation and reduce oxidation within the lubricant. Reducing oxidation is important to lengthening the life of your lubricant; a reduction in oxidation results in longer drain intervals even under heavy duty conditions.

Anti-foaming

Low oil carry-over reduces the risk of contamination. Anti-foaming properties in high quality lubricants work to efficiently separate the air from the lubricant by maintaining a lubrication film.

Anti-wear 

These additives produce a film that protects metallic surfaces against wear under high loads.

Demulsification

These detergent properties facilitate the water-oil separation in the internal circuit and efficiently remove the condensate to decrease external pollution. This is especially important when operating in a dusty or aggressive environment.

Anti-oxidant

These properties stop the development of acids that cause the formation of deposits and changes in viscosity. Having these properties present in your air compressor lubricant will slow down lubricant aging and extend its lifetime.

High quality compressor lubricants result in a longer operating life for your compressor while extending the time between service calls. And, more time between service calls means more money on your bottom line. If you’d like to learn more about Atlas Copco’s full line of compressor lubricants, contact us or visit the Atlas Copco service page of our website.