I'm interested to hear which portable compressors have worked best at considerable altitude. Am planning something to some very high lakes and will need a workhorse of a compressor to get tanks filled that far above sea level. Thanks.
Compressors for altitude diving
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I don't have any experience with compressors at high altitude but logic says the first stage would suck in less air with each stroke so the compressor would be de-rated. This might not be bad because the engine would also be sucking in less air with each stroke so would be producing less horsepower, unless you are talking something with a turbo. I suspect the capacity lost would be the only effect. It would be the same as mixing nitrox with a restricted stick. Any intake absolute pressure loss will reduce the pumping rate on the engine or the compressor.
Are you asking about the compressor itself, or perhaps the engine to run the compressor?
I suspect the main impact on the compressor itself could be that it would take a bit more time to compress the air to the desired pressure.
But, if you are asking about the power to run the compressor, that could be another issue. If for example you are considering compressors powered by gasoline engines, you're probably well aware that some engines do not perform as well at elevation.
How high in altitude are you considering?
I suspect the main impact on the compressor itself could be that it would take a bit more time to compress the air to the desired pressure.
But, if you are asking about the power to run the compressor, that could be another issue. If for example you are considering compressors powered by gasoline engines, you're probably well aware that some engines do not perform as well at elevation.
How high in altitude are you considering?
Namreg 58
Contributor
A gasoline engine will lose about 3% HP for every 1,000ft elevation so it is just a matter of leaning off the fuel mixture ratio to compensate for the less dense air and maybe getting a higher HP engine to make up for massive altitude HP losses instead of super or turbocharging modifications.
If you want proven reliability combined with light weight at high altitudes, you can't beat a Walter Kidde or Noah Howden compressor which was designed to work in jet aircraft.
As you are located in China, this will be an impractical suggestion as the cheap Chinese pumps will win on price alone.
If you want proven reliability combined with light weight at high altitudes, you can't beat a Walter Kidde or Noah Howden compressor which was designed to work in jet aircraft.
As you are located in China, this will be an impractical suggestion as the cheap Chinese pumps will win on price alone.
Here in Colorado, we tune our cars for optimal performance at altitude. We have compressors that fill large banks for dive centers at 5500 feet elevation, , and we refill tanks with portable compressors at altitudes up to 10,000 feet. NO special equipment is needed, just proper tuning for altitude. We also use our altitude adjusting dive tables for dive planning. But other than that we just like real divers at sea level.
DivemasterDennis.
DivemasterDennis.
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