AIRDRIVE UNDERFLOOR COMPRESSOR

OVERVIEW OF AIRDRIVE UNDERFLOOR COMPRESSOR

The Airdrive underfloor compressor installed in this Land Rover  is based on the Broom & Wade WR100 single stage compressor and is an ITT simplified design of the original WR100. (There is a commonality of parts between the two designs) The simplified design did away with the gear type oil pumps and relies on oil lubrication by forcing the oil around the system, using the air pressure produced by the compressor.  It is a very neat installation of a simple single stage rotary vane compressor. Driven by the engine, in fourth gear, via the gearbox’s centre power take off, under the floor, so it does not affect the vehicle's load space.  (In fourth gear this is a direct drive). 

The final air filter, air taps and air intake filter have been installed in external side lockers to ease access for servicing. We found that on a very hot day cooling the compressors' lubricating oil via an oil radiator in front of the Land Rover’s radiator could cause the engine to overheat. So to avoid this problem we mounted the radiator in the roof rack on top of the cab. Cooling is done very efficiently with a heavy duty electric fan.

The engine speed when the compressor is working is automatically governed by an electronic Zeta engine controller. This adjusts the engine speed to suit the demand for air. (As the Perkins has an almost flat torque curve you can operate the compressor, by unplugging the Zeta controller at the Zeta box and using the mechanical hand throttle in the cab, to give lower volumes of air and less fuel consumption.) The Zeta controller  and electric roof cooler fan are switched on by a pressure switch in the compressors air circuit and electronic circuit. (The Zeta controller has a separate electronic hand governor in the vehicle's cab, if you want to set the engine speed up for something else and a switch to turn off the cooling fan on the roof).   

You have what is classed as a single tool compressor producing 100cfm (2.83 cubic metre per minute) at 95psi (7 bar pressure) with you all the time. Without the problem of having to tow a compressor, fuel it and secure the unit against theft. A good second hand single tool portable compressor would cost about £4,000.