Could an Altaros compressor be made to use two air compressors? EDIT: SOURCES?

[Taso1000]

Hello All,

 I just had a crazy idea.  Would it be possible to separate the two air systems that the Altaros compressor uses?  One air system is used to drive the compressor and the other system is used to supply the air that is used to fill your carbon fiber tank.

My thinking is that you can use any high flow rate compressor to drive the Altaros and then a small oil free compressor to supply the hpa side?

The benefit of this is that you don't have to worry about cooling, drying and filtering the high cfm air.  You could then get a small oil free compressor that would have smaller filtering, drying and cooling requirements.

What brought this to my attention is that I setup a filtration system for a Shoebox compressor and it only has .2 cfm air requirement.  The lower cfm filters are much cheaper than the high cfm counterparts.

I am assuming that the Altaros has similar requirements for its hpa supply side.

I've not seen an Altaros compressor in person so I don't know how both air systems are connected.  It shouldn't be impossible to do.

What do you think?

Taso

[Brian10956]

With Altaros there is no need for an oil less compressor as it doesn't get hot enough for dieseling. You may get better performance I would think if you ran 2 compressors in parallel but the total air flow and psi should have to be within Altaros parameters.

[Taso1000]

Brian,

Thank you but maybe I can reword what I'm trying to say.  What I was trying to say is use high cfm air to run the compressor side of the Altaros and low cfm air to supply the hpa side. 

The hpa side could make use of a smaller compressor and water filtration system that won't have the generated heat and moisture that a high cfm compressor creates.

Taso

[Tims229]

I don't think you can separate to two air sources.  Someone posted a graphic of the airflows through them awhile back and it goes every-which-way in that system.  I'll see if I can find the thread back.

[Tims229]

Here's the thread, but I noticed that you posted in it so you have already seen it.  It's great info though

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=122385.msg1188661#msg1188661

[rsterne]

I just looked at the functional animated diagram of the Altaros, and it appears the two air systems are separate.... The air from the feed compressor is split into two circuits, one drives the booster and cools it, the other that supplies the air to the compressor circuit.... It shows a "T" in the animated .gif but I don't know what the actual fitting looks like that splits the air supply....

I had asked the same thing, because I wanted to know if you could run Helium or Nitrogen into the compressor circuit.... but I never received an answer to that post.... I just looked at the photos of the Altaros, and at the air inlet there is an oil/water trap, and on the outlet of that a "T" fitting that splits the air to the two circuits.... The air that is to be compressed goes through a separate drying filter, the air that runs the booster does not....

It look to me like it should be simple to separate the two circuits, and use Helium or Nitrogen (or another compressor) to supply the air that is compressed.... If you were using He or N2, you would have to run it through a regulator to reduce the pressure first, of course.... to not exceed the feed pressure to the first compressor stage....

Bob

[Taso1000]

Hi All,

Yeah, I see the tee in the working diagram, which is super cool by the way!, but I don't know if it is a hose tee that can be altered or a tee integrated into the housing. 

I'm not looking to get an Altaros but I figured if the supply could be separated the hpa side could be conditioned easier for current or future owners.

Thanks,

Taso

[rsterne]

There is already a "T", right at the beginning of the air supply.... It would just be a matter of disconnecting the lines and separating them and reconnecting.... Not only that, but the intermediate pressure cycles from about 20-45 (maybe 50) bar, so you might even be able to feed the high pressure stage only, with He or N2 (or air) at about 700 psi.... That MAY make it ideal for boosting Helium.... Check out this video....



Bob

[Taso1000]

Bob,

Thank you!  I see that the air supply tee's at the filter outlet.  So it would be very easy to drive with air and supply the compressor side with helium or super clean and dry air.

Taso

[RAJOD]

Bob,

Thank you!  I see that the air supply tee's at the filter outlet.  So it would be very easy to drive with air and supply the compressor side with helium or super clean and dry air.

Taso

You guys crack me up. Helium?  Its a freaking pellet gun air is free.  Lets not make it more complicated than it has to be.

[Tims229]

Bob,

Thank you!  I see that the air supply tee's at the filter outlet.  So it would be very easy to drive with air and supply the compressor side with helium or super clean and dry air.

Taso

You guys crack me up. Helium?  Its a freaking pellet gun air is free.  Lets not make it more complicated than it has to be.

There are advantages to using helium over regular compressed air since it is lighter you get more velocity from it in PCPs.  Many of the big bore shooters that sling large hunks of lead at high speeds would definitely see the advantage of compressing helium to higher pressures for their rifles.

[Back_Roads]

 Question about helium , does it change the guns report to a higher pitch , kinda like mickey mouse saying bang ?

[Tims229]

Question about helium , does it change the guns report to a higher pitch , kinda like mickey mouse saying bang ?

  funny

[allan_wind]

Helium, if you don't know, is expensive, and more so recently.

[TerryH]

Helium, if you don't know, is expensive, and more so recently.

Doesn't really seem like something being expensive ever stops us. lol....

[Taso1000]

Exactly right Terry!  We always do our cost to benefit analysis and research other options.   

Taso

[MJP]

Its a booster, and with a modification it could easily compress helium.
I use helium from time to time with my guns, it turns a 390J gun into a 590J gun just by swapping gas.
Fun and all that's fun costs money, guns, girls, cars, and so on.

Marko

[KnifeMaker]

The problem is in the electronic sensing unit and the switching mechanism. this would have to be addressed. The plumbing is not a big problem.

Knife

[MJP]

I see no problem there, just end switches on the pump stroke to reverse direction, solenoid valves. If there is any input pressure sensor it'll be removed or rewired.

Marko

[rsterne]

I have been in contact with Ondrej at Altaros, regarding the use of their booster for Helium, and he says it should not be a problem.... We discussed two methods, both of which are feasible.... The hose between the medium and high pressure stages could be removed, and Helium at a regulated pressure of up to 650 psi could be piped into the high pressure stage.... The medium pressure stage would continue to discharge a small amount of air, which would not be used.... This would not allow you to drain the Helium tank below whatever pressure would allow the HP side of the booster to provide the output pressure you need, so you would be returning a partially full tank, not the most economical solution.... Alternately, the air supply for the compressor section of the booster could be separated from the drive air portion, just as we have discussed in this thread.... The Helium would have to be regulated down to 150 psi and fed into the medium pressure stage.... This would be the more economical solution, allowing you to use 95% of the Helium in the supply tank....

Obviously, this same method can be used with Nitrogen, or dry air.... If you are interested in configuring your Altaros booster, simply ask them during the order process, as they already have a heads-up what we are seeking.... A welding regulator should be usable to reduce the Helium pressure to that required for the booster input....

Bob