An air receiver is an integral part of any compressed air system. The main purpose of this is to act as temporary storage to accommodate the peaks of demand from your system and to optimize the running efficiency of your plant.
Your air compressor installation can in theory run without a receiver, but not having one in your air system can increase the loading and unloading cycles on the compressor making the compressor work harder. It is important to remember that load/unload cycles will depend on the demand fluctuation within your facility. Air receivers, commonly referred to as vessels or tanks are used to store compressed air before it enters into the piping system and or equipment. In simpler terms, air receivers act as a buffer mechanism between the compressor and the fluctuating pressure caused by the changing demand. Some air compressors can be "tank-mounted", which means that they come as a package and are mounted on top of the air receiver. This type of a set-up is highly preferred at facilities where space comes at a premium. Having a tank mounted compressor can save on both space as well as initial installation costs associated with commissioning a stand-alone dryer. This is most commonly seen with smaller range compressors, mainly up to 26kW or 35 HP. Larger air compressors are not suitable for tank mounted option, as they become top heavy and could pose a safety risk. Hence air receiver is mandatory compressors above 22 kw.
