On a university campus, compressed air powers everything from cutting-edge scientific research to day-to-day maintenance. If you’re running a cleanroom, a CNC lab, a paint booth, or a pump house, your compressed air supply isn’t just “infrastructure.” It’s a mission-critical utility that impacts compliance, uptime, and cost control.
Here’s how to ensure your university system is delivering clean, reliable air at the lowest possible cost.
Diverse Compressed Air Applications Across Campus
The compressed air needs of a university are always unique. The on-campus requirements for compressed air quality, flow rate, and pressure vary widely from department to department.
Research & Laboratories
In labs and research facilities, air quality is critical. Many experiments rely on compressed air to power sensitive instrumentation. For this reason, labs need compressed air at ISO 8573-1 Class 0, oil-free quality. Additionally, the supply must be ultra-dry to prevent compromising sample quality and analytical instruments.
Workshops & Engineering Departments
Building and testing prototypes is a hands-on experience for students and researchers alike. Powerful compressed air at high flow rates fuels pneumatic tools, CNC machines, 3D printers, and robotics actuators in workshops and engineering departments. Equipment downtime can cause delays for student projects and research, so reliability is of the essence.
Medical & Dental Schools
In medical and dental schools, the compressed air supply is ultra-dry, low-noise, and hygienic. Compressors for medical and dental schools are designed for high-performance use in realistic training environments. Dental handpieces and sterilisation processes require specific conditions to meet healthcare industry standards.
Facilities & Campus Maintenance
The reliable operation of key building systems depends on compressed air. It powers HVAC controls, pneumatic tools for building repairs, and equipment for the maintenance of the university’s vehicle fleet.
Each of these environments places different demands on your air system. To stay compliant, efficient, and operational, your setup needs to deliver on four key fronts.
Key Criteria for University Compressed Air Systems
To meet these diverse demands without driving up cost or risking downtime, your air system must meet four essential criteria.
1. Air Quality and Purity
For any laboratory or cleanroom, contaminated air is not an option.
- ISO 8573-1 Class 0: This is the highest standard for air purity, certifying 100% oil-free air. It eliminates the risk of oil aerosols compromising experiments or damaging sensitive equipment.
- Filtration and Dryers: Achieving this purity requires more than just an oil-free compressor. A complete system with high-efficiency air filters and dryers is essential to remove particulates and moisture.
2. Energy Efficiency and Cost Management
Facility managers are aware that compressed air can account for more than 10% of the electricity bill. In cost-sensitive facilities, efficiency is a top concern.
- Variable Speed Drive (VSD): The new VSD compressors can automatically modulate the motor speed to meet air demand. This can reduce energy consumption by half or more compared to fixed-speed compressors. This is perfect for the variable demand profile across campus.
- Heat Recovery: A compressor can convert more than 80% of electrical energy into heat. Waste heat can be recovered and reused to generate hot water or heating for campus buildings. This significantly cuts overall energy costs and helps meet sustainability targets.
3. Reliability and Low-Noise Operation
Compressor downtime can stop critical research and affect teaching schedules.
- Predictive Maintenance: IoT-enabled remote monitoring, such as Atlas Copco’s SMARTLINK, allows facilities teams to monitor performance and predict potential faults before they occur. This optimises service schedules.
- Quiet Performance: If compressors are close to classrooms, libraries, or laboratories, they have to be low-noise. Oil-free scroll compressors and sound-dampening enclosures reduce noise to a level comparable to a quiet conversation.
4. UK Compliance and Safety
Universities are subject to stringent UK regulations when it comes to pressure systems.
- PSSR 2000: Most compressed air systems are legally bound by the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR). This requires a Written Scheme of Examination (WSE), a formal document, and a periodic examination of your system by a competent person to ensure it is safe.
- HSE Requirements: Risk assessments of all compressed air installations are required by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).
Selecting the right equipment can be critical - especially when reliability, compliance, and sustainability are at stake. As an Atlas Copco Premier Distributor, Anglian Compressors specialises in equipment designed to meet the unique challenges of the academic sector.
Atlas Copco Equipment for University Applications
- ZT & ZR Oil-Free Compressors – Best used for cleanroom environments, pharma labs, and medical schools where ISO 8573-1 Class 0 air is essential to avoid contamination and meet compliance.
- GA & GA VSD⁺ Screw Compressors – Ideal for workshops, CNC machinery labs, and extensive mechanical engineering facilities where centralised, energy-efficient air is needed.
- SF Scroll Compressors – A wise choice for laboratories near learning spaces, where quiet, compact units reduce noise disruption.
- Dryers & Filtration – A full range of desiccant dryers and multi-stage filters to guarantee air purity at the point of use.
- AIRnet Piping Systems – Corrosion-free aluminium or stainless steel pipework that preserves air quality and is easily expanded, making it ideal for evolving university campuses.
- Nitrogen Generators – For electronics research labs or facilities that require high-purity nitrogen for laser cutting, on-site nitrogen generation provides a reliable and cost-effective supply of nitrogen.
Your Specialist Partner for University Air Systems
Universities often require specialised assistance when specifying, installing, and maintaining a campus-wide compressed air network.
Anglian Compressors has provided reliable solutions for universities in Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, and East Anglia since 1977.
We start by auditing your complete system to identify your specific needs. Then we design, install, and maintain bespoke energy-efficient systems, including compressed air servicing for universities to maximise uptime and help you stay fully compliant with all UK regulations. Our team of Atlas Copco-certified engineers provides 24/7 breakdown support, ensuring your critical research and teaching facilities never miss a beat.
Thousands of pounds in downtime, contamination, and energy waste can add up. Let’s make sure an outdated piece of equipment or poor air quality doesn’t hold your campus back. Our certified engineers will audit your system for efficiency, compliance, and reliability absolutely free of charge.