Flow Control Group (FCG) is the leading solutions provider focused on technically oriented products and services for the flow control, industrial automation and life sciences with locations throughout North America.
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3915 Shopton Rd
Charlotte, NC 28217
Phone: 800.690.3650
Email: info@flowcontrolgroup.com
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Compressed air equipment installed outdoors or outside a traditional compressor room needs protection from weather, corrosion, and changing environmental conditions. The material used to build the enclosure plays an important role in how well that protection holds up over time.
Fiberglass has been used for decades in demanding applications including marine vessels, bridges, tanker trucks, and chemical tanks. Its combination of structural strength, corrosion resistance, relatively low weight, and insulating properties also makes it a practical material for modular compressed air enclosures.
FibreVault from Central Air Equipment applies these material properties in a modular, all-weather enclosure designed to house compressed air equipment.
Why Fiberglass Is Well Suited for Equipment Enclosures
Fiberglass offers several characteristics that are useful when protecting industrial equipment from challenging environments.
Lightweight With Structural Strength
Fiberglass provides structural strength while weighing less than steel. For modular enclosures, lower weight can make transportation, handling, and installation easier, particularly when the enclosure must be delivered to an existing facility or positioned around installed equipment.
Resistance to Corrosion
Unlike ferrous metals, fiberglass does not rust. This makes it useful in applications exposed to rain, humidity, corrosive environments, or other conditions that can accelerate deterioration of metal surfaces.
Because corrosion is not managed in the same way as it is with exposed steel, fiberglass enclosures may also reduce the need for maintenance activities such as corrosion treatment and repainting.
Electrical Non-Conductivity
Fiberglass is electrically non-conductive. This characteristic can be beneficial when the enclosure surrounds compressed air equipment that also contains motors, controls, wiring, and other electrical components.
Thermal Insulating Properties
Fiberglass also provides natural thermal insulation. In an outdoor enclosure, that insulation helps separate the internal equipment environment from changing external temperatures.
The actual temperature inside any enclosure depends on the complete system design, including ventilation and environmental conditions, but fiberglass provides an insulating enclosure material that can support outdoor equipment protection.
Why Fiberglass Works in Modular Compressed Air Enclosures
The advantages of fiberglass become particularly useful when combined with a modular enclosure design.
Protection From Outdoor Conditions
Fiberglass is resistant to weather exposure and does not rust when exposed to moisture. It also provides resistance to UV degradation, helping protect the enclosure and the compressed air equipment inside from outdoor conditions.
This can make a fiberglass enclosure useful where equipment needs to be installed outside the main facility or where building a conventional compressor room is not practical.
Flexibility for Changing Equipment Requirements
A modular enclosure can provide more flexibility than permanent construction when compressed air requirements change. Instead of constructing a dedicated building around the equipment, a modular system can be configured around the installation and expanded as operating needs evolve.
FibreVault is designed as a customizable modular enclosure for compressed air equipment. Depending on the project and local jurisdiction, modular construction may also reduce some of the complexity associated with conventional building projects. Permitting requirements should always be confirmed locally before installation.
Reduced Maintenance Compared With Rust-Prone Materials
Because fiberglass does not rust, it avoids one of the common maintenance concerns associated with exposed metal enclosures.
This can reduce the need for repainting or corrosion treatment over the life of the enclosure. Actual maintenance requirements will still depend on the installation environment and operating conditions.
Where Modular Fiberglass Enclosures Can Be Applied
Modular fiberglass enclosures can be used to protect compressed air equipment in industries such as food processing, mining, and manufacturing.
The right enclosure depends on more than material selection alone. Important factors include equipment configuration, available space, environmental exposure, temperature conditions, service access, and the potential need for future expansion.
A Proven Material Applied to Compressed Air Systems
Fiberglass is not a new industrial material. Its use in modular compressed air enclosures applies established characteristics such as corrosion resistance, structural strength, relatively low weight, electrical non-conductivity, and thermal insulation to a different equipment application.
For facilities that need to protect compressed air equipment without constructing a conventional compressor room, a modular fiberglass enclosure can provide a practical alternative. Solutions such as Central Air Equipment’s FibreVault show how these material properties can be incorporated into an enclosure designed specifically for compressed air installations.
AIR TECHNOLOGY & SERVICES