Air compressor
Supplies dry, filtered compressed air for the optical sorter and pneumatic stations.
What this machine does
Compressed air is an industrial utility, not an accessory. In a cashew processing unit it mainly feeds the ejection nozzles of the optical sorter — which demand stable pressure and very short pulses — as well as cleaning stations, cylinders and certain conveying devices. The quality of that air directly governs the operation of the equipment that depends on it.
Three parameters define a correct installation: flow, expressed as air volume drawn per unit of time; working pressure, which must hold during consumption peaks; and air quality, that is, its moisture and particle content. On that last point the rule is absolute: moist or oily air destroys ejection nozzles and contaminates food product. Dryer and filtration are therefore components of the system, not options.
See the sector CashewAt a glance
- ReferenceCAJ-CMP
- SectorCashew
- PurposeSupplies dry, filtered compressed air for the optical sorter and pneumatic stations.
A detailed PDF data sheet will be available in the document centre once produced.
The parts that do the work
Compression unit
Piston or screw compressor according to the flow and duty cycle required.
Buffer receiver
Vessel absorbing consumption peaks and limiting motor starts.
Dryer and filtration
Removal of moisture and particles, indispensable for food applications and for sorting electronics.
Distribution network
Pipework sized with falls and drains, to prevent condensate accumulating.
Technical data and configurations
| Characteristic | Indicative value |
|---|---|
| Flow | according to the consumers connected |
| Working pressure | stable, matched to the equipment supplied |
| Air treatment | dryer and filtration mandatory |
| Receiver | buffer volume sized on peaks |
| Energy | three-phase electric |
| Drains | manual or automatic on vessel and network |
| Regulations | pressure equipment subject to inspection |
| Environment | ventilated, dust-free room |
These are usual design ranges for this type of machine, intended to guide early thinking. The contractual characteristics of the equipment actually manufactured — throughputs measured at acceptance, absorbed power, real footprint and weight — are established by the SOTIC design office and stated in the technical offer.
Available configurations
- Piston compressor for intermittent duty, screw compressor for continuous duty.
- Refrigeration or adsorption dryer according to the dryness required.
- Ring main for workshops with several consuming stations.
Installation requirements
- Ventilated, clean room: the air drawn in is the room's air, and its dust ends up in the network.
- Network with falls and drain points: condensate must be able to escape.
- Acoustic insulation if the room adjoins workstations.
- Statutory inspections of pressure equipment to be arranged from commissioning.
Maintenance and safety at the workstation
A machine lasts as long as its maintenance does. The points below appear in the preventive maintenance plan handed over at acceptance and are covered during operator training.
Preventive maintenance
- Daily draining of the receiver and of the network low points.
- Periodic replacement of filters and checking of the dryer.
- Oil change and unit inspection to the manufacturer's schedule.
- Check the safety valve and the statutory components.
Safety
- Never work on a pressurised network without isolation and depressurisation.
- Never direct a compressed-air jet at a person, including for dusting down.
- Comply with the statutory inspections of pressure equipment.
Before ordering this machine
Yes, provided it is sized on the sum of the peaks rather than the average of the consumptions. The classic risk is sharing with the optical sorter: at the very moment it needs stable-pressure pulses, another use causes the pressure to drop and sorting silently becomes incomplete. Where optical sorting is a critical station, a dedicated compressor is justified.
Because compressed air carries the moisture of the ambient air, concentrated by compression, and that moisture condenses in the network. Downstream, this water blocks nozzles, corrodes components and contaminates product in food applications. The dryer is the cheapest insurance a pneumatic installation can have.
Request a quote: Air compressor
Tell us the throughput you are aiming for, the material to be processed and the energy available on your site: we come back with a reasoned configuration and a price, rather than a catalogue rate.
- Technical answer: we first check that this machine genuinely matches your need.
- Tailored configuration: size, drive, options and wear parts defined with you.
- Complete pricing: equipment, transport, erection, commissioning and training.
- Next steps: civil works, connections and maintenance where required.
First reply target: 48 working hours.
Other machines in the Cashew
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Automatic shelling line
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Semi-automatic sheller
Assisted shelling station: measured investment, flexibility and a high whole-kernel rate.
Optical colour sorter
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