Atlas Copco has announced that its ZD high pressure compressors are the first in the world to offer PET packaging production the security of 100-percent certified oil-free air with a Class 0 certification. Risk of any contamination by oil is effectively eliminated during PET bottle blowing for the bottled water, soft drink, fruit juice and beverage industry.

Atlas Copco is now the only compressor manufacturer to have all of its oil-free air technologies certified ‘Class 0’. The Atlas Copco ZD remains the most energy-efficient and silent 40 bar compressor available, whilst maintaining the flexibility and reliability required by the high-volume PET blowing market.

Testing for the ISO 8573-1 Class 0 certification was carried out using the most stringent test methods available, simulating realistic industrial environments. At all test conditions, no traces of oil could be detected and the compressed air was certified to be in the category 'Class 0' in terms of oil content.

The importance of 100-percent oil-free air 
Oil contamination is an invisible enemy in all bottling installations and aseptic environments. Many bottlers take extra steps toward purity with decontamination after blow molding of the preforms. Even the slightest traces of oil can result in altered or toxic product batches and health hazards for the consumers, recalls and reputation damage, as well as costly production downtime and cleanup. Atlas Copco's 40-bar ZD compressor eliminates the risks of oil contamination by virtue of the design itself.

Testing of the Atlas Copco ZD compressor was carried out by the renowned independent Technische Überwachungs-Verein (German Technical Monitoring Association, or ‘TÜV’), using the most stringent test methods available. All possible forms of oil contamination as liquids, aerosols and vapors, were measured at three different temperatures (20°C, 40°C and 50°C) and at different pressures (25, 30 and 40 bar(e)) at the measurement point. Even so, no traces of oil were found in the output air stream.

The ZD 40-bar compressor is the latest of Atlas Copco's oil-free technologies to obtain the ISO 8573-1 CLASS 0 certification with regard to oil content. The first manufacturer to obtain the Class 0 certification for its Z series of oil-free rotary screw compressors in 2006, Atlas Copco quickly confirmed its leadership with the certification of other oil-free technologies: the centrifugal, tooth, scroll, piston and water-injected screw. Together these span the pressure range from 300 mBar to 40 bar and up to 26000 m³/h. This last certification highlights Atlas Copco's ongoing commitment to the purity of air and the quality of its customers’ production.

”The ZD reflects what Atlas Copco calls ’Reliability by design,’” explains Ronnie Leten, Atlas Copco's Business Area President, Compressor Technique. “The ZD's unique combination of oil-free rotary screw technology for the first two stages and piston technology for the last two stages has resulted in the best-in-class product in terms of safety, energy efficiency, reliability and flexibility.”

Reliability
The high volumes of PET production lines and their continuous operation mean that the reliability of PET blowing compressors is extremely important. Atlas Copco produces high-pressure air in four stages, achieving lower pressure ratios per stage. This means less wear-and-tear and reduced maintenance costs.

Reducing energy costs 
Atlas Copco’s ZD with integrated heat of compression dryer has an unmatched specific energy requirement. With the ZD, Atlas Copco pioneered 4-stage compression in the industry (thermodynamically, the four stage build-up helps to lower energy consumption by 7% compared to a three stage build-up). Another innovation is the offer for an integrated variable speed drive (VSD), which is particularly useful if bottle sizes change frequently. With the VSD, up to 35% energy savings can be achieved. Suitable for all re-injection installations, the RI VSD model can provide extra energy savings.

Reduced installation costs
With a model at 76.4 dBA , the ZD is the most silent high-pressure compressor available. Atlas Copco was the first company to fit all of its ZDs with silencing canopies as standard, therefore eliminating the need and cost for a separate compressor room. The ZD is delivered with a concrete base-plate to absorb vibrations, so no foundation or fixation bolts are required; handling is via forklift.

The flexible ZD can simultaneously deliver both high-pressure air for blowing needs and medium-pressure air for labeling, instrumentation and capping; this eliminates the supplementary investment in a standalone medium pressure compressor. Both segments of the ZD can be installed directly adjacent to the blower. With the ZD, Atlas Copco has innovated to provide the safest, most energy efficient compressed air solution for the PET blowing industry.

Atlas Copco is a world leading provider of industrial productivity solutions. The products and services range from compressed air and gas equipment, generators, construction and mining equipment, industrial tools and assembly systems, to related aftermarket and rental. In close cooperation with customers and business partners, and with 135 years of experience, Atlas Copco innovates for superior productivity. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, the Group’s global reach spans more than 160 markets. In 2007, Atlas Copco had 33 000 employees and revenues of BSEK 63 (BEUR 6.7).

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