Rotary Screw Compressor Coolers

Rotary Screw Compressors use 2 types of coolers: Oil Coolers and Aftercoolers. Oil coolers are used to maintain the proper temperature of the oil that circulates through the rotating airend. The aftercooler is used to reduce the temperature of the discharge flow of compressed air.

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Water Cooled Coolers

Some manufacturers built their equipment with the coolers that have fixed tube sheets, such as those illustrated below. The tube bundle can’t be removed for cleaning, so customers often treat this style as a “disposable” cooler.

The more robust, longer lasting coolers are the shell and tube design, which are found on larger machines or in situations that require an upgrade for more reliability. This style of cooler, like the example below, is built to ASME Code. It will have a removable tube bundle for easy cleaning as well as water heads that can be refurbished for continued service.

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Air Cooled Coolers

The air cooled coolers are a fin radiator design, which utilizes a built in fan to move air through the fins. Some manufacturers have separate radiator coolers for the oil and the discharged compressed air. Others use a “combo” cooler, which is both units built into a single radiator.

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