Already on the cutting edge for the last hundred years, Mattei Group has always invested in research, development, and new technologies. Specialising in the production of vane compressors, the Vimodrone-based group has introduced three technologies capable of maximizing energy savings, controlling temperature, ensuring efficiency over time, and even remote communications related to functionality.
These three technologies can be combined to create extremely high-performance compressors with a longer life cycle, low environmental impact, and capable of producing quality compressed air.
Let's see how these three technical innovations work and what benefits they offer.
Injection Technology: perfect lubrification with smaller amounts of oil
In vane compressors, lubricant does not require any accessory device for proper circulation; aided by internal pressure gradients, oil flows into the compression chamber either through the injection nozzles or the oil recovery system.
Lubrication is essential to reduce friction between mechanical parts, particularly between the stator and vanes. This decreases the power required to drive rotation and results in a lower internal temperature of both the mechanical parts and the injected air, eliminating heat loss and improving efficiency.
While conventional injection systems rely on the lubricant inlet/outlet temperature differential to reduce compression chamber temperature, the patented Xtreme Injection Technology (XIT) focuses on maximizing air volumes in the compression chamber and reducing the amount of lubricant used in the compression process.
Atomized particles introduced through spray injection increase the contact surface area available for heat exchange between lubricant and air and thus help control temperature during the compression process. The injection system involves a series of nozzles regularly distributed on the compressor surface to inject the lubricant evenly inside the compression chamber.
The extreme efficiency of the system, combined with the architecture of the compression chamber and the effectiveness of the oil recovery and collection system, help to improve compressor efficiency, and reduce the amount of lubricant used during the compression cycle by nearly 50%, ensuring lower maintenance costs and, above all, a lower environmental impact.
Efficiency is also improved by using a standard three-phase TEFC induction motor (IE 3 or IE 4), which is very high-performance and avoids costly customization of electric motors.
Xtreme Thermal Management Technology: temperature management is key to efficiency
We have seen how many and in what ways Xtreme Injection Technology improves the efficiency of Mattei rotary vane compressors. Let us now explore thermal management technology and how it too contributes to improved efficiency.
The operating temperature of a compressor has a considerable impact on energy consumption and lubricant change intervals. The higher the temperature, the higher the energy required for operation, and the more frequent the lubricant changes. Lubricant life decreases by 50 percent for every 11°C increase in compressor operating temperature. The hotter the compressor gets, the more frequently the lubricant requires changing, resulting in maintenance and downtime costs.
With Xtreme Thermal Management Technology (XYMT), temperature and pressure are monitored and controlled. In fact, the thermostatic valve allows the temperature of the lubricant to be regulated during transient operating phases, maximizing the cooling system's efficiency, and ensuring proper lubrication of the compression system.
Xtreme Thermal Management Technology, in short, controls the operating temperature by harmonizing the opening of the thermostatic valve with the fan rotation speed in order to achieve the most efficient operating conditions of the compressor system.
If the electronic thermostatic valve is fully open at high loads, the fan rotation speed increases until the optimum operating temperature is reached.
This control and regulation capability means no energy is dissipated because the fan speed and thus the required power is calibrated to the desired temperature.
Xtreme Communications: remotely connected
Lubrication optimization and precise management of operating temperatures help improve the efficiency of Mattei compressors, but the Xtreme Communications technology is one of the keys to their success and operation.
The MAESTRO XC controller is a communication and control center using IoT 4.0 that monitors, manages, and controls Mattei's winning trifecta of technological advances.
With MAESTRO XC, compressors are connected to the Mattei Cloud, enabling information collection and delivery.
XCT technology enables real-time data investigation and delivery and historical data export, providing a comprehensive report on the performance of connected compressors.
It is also possible for operators to remotely intervene to verify and possibly modify settings. MAESTRO XC is also equipped with a sensor to check lubricant acidity and consequently schedule its replacement, optimizing its use.
From Vane Magazine 20, July 2022