Both gas booster and gas compressor can increase gas pressure and discharge higher-pressure gas flow through compressing gas. The difference between the two is mainly reflected in the three aspects of driving mode, output pressure and discharge flow.
Normally, gas compressors are powered by 380V three-phase electricity. And the gas compressor discharge flow is very large, reaching one to several cubic meters per minute. However, the output pressure generally does not exceed 10MPa. The output pressure of the multi-stage gas compressor can reach 30MPa, but this results in huge dimension, extremely complex structure and soaring costs. Moreover, for flammable and explosive gases such as oxygen, hydrogen and methane, the gas compressor must be oil-free and explosion-proof, which will lead to a further increase in costs.
The gas booster is driven by compressed air and does not require electricity, so it is explosion-proof. It uses exhaust air to cool itself, which is self-cooling. Therefore, there is no need to install a bulky heat dissipation and cooling system, so it is compact. Gas boosters can safely pressurize most gases up to 160MPa including flammable gases. However, the discharge flow of gas boosters is much less than that of gas compressors, generally less than 1 cubic meter per minute. If a larger output flow is required, multiple gas booster pumps can be connected to form a gas booster skid.
The gas compressor has a complex structure and huge volume, and requires dedicated personnel to operate, manage and maintain it. This makes the gas compressor expensive price and high maintenance costs. It is suitable for large-scale compressing gas and transporting gas in industry, such as large chemical plants, energy production enterprises, etc.
In contrast, the gas booster is compact in volume, simple in structure, easy to operate and much cheaper. Therefore, the gas booster is a low-cost alternative to the gas compressor, and also called gas booster compressor. Gas boosters are suitable for occasions that require small scale or medium-scale compressing gas, transfer gas, filling gas and gas pressure test, such as laboratories, workshops and small or medium-sized factories.
