Horizon Engineering

Multistage reciprocating compressors use cylinders of different sizes – cylinder 1 pumps the air up to one pressure, then moves to a smaller cylinder to achieve a higher pressure. Due to the increased and higher pressure, these models may require an air cooler or heat exchanger.

In a two-stage reciprocating air compressor, the air is compressed and expanded in separate cylinders, each of which is driven by a different engine or electric motor. Each cylinder of the two-stage compressor houses one of the four pistons. In order to lower noise and vibration levels, two-stage compressors run at greater revolutions per minute (rpm) than single-stage compressors. Due to their ability to sustain low pressures during expansion, two-stage compressors provide air of a higher quality and are more effective.