40 HP air compressors: 160 to 234 CFM for full plant air

A 40 HP rotary screw delivers 161 to 195 CFM fixed speed and up to 234 CFM variable speed. This is a single machine running a whole mid size plant: a 40 bay dealership or fleet shop, a wood products plant with multiple CNC routers and sanders, a foundry or forge with air hammers, a bottling or packaging line, or a blast room with two operators. Everything on this page except the Champion duplex is a rotary screw or scroll, and everything is three phase.

What is on this page

Fixed speed rotary screw: Atlas Copco GA15-30 series (GA30 at 161 to 195 CFM in 100, 125, 150 and 175 PSI builds), Chicago Pneumatic CPCg 40 gear drive at 180 CFM in 100 to 175 PSI builds with and without an integrated dryer, and Quincy QGS 40 at 125 PSI. Variable speed: Atlas Copco GA30 VSDS at 234 CFM, Atlas Copco GA30 VSD at 208 CFM, Chicago Pneumatic CPVSM 40 at 187 CFM, and Quincy QGSV-40 at 145 CFM and 175 PSI. Duplex piston: Champion Duplex R-Series 40 HP (two 20 HP pumps) at 175 PSI. Oil free scroll: Chicago Pneumatic COAIRE CSOF-S 40 multi scroll for oil free plant air.

Gear drive, belt drive and integrated dryers

At 40 HP the drive design starts to matter for service cost. The Chicago Pneumatic CPCg and the Atlas Copco GA series are gear driven, which removes belt tensioning and replacement from the maintenance schedule. The CPCg is also offered with a factory integrated refrigerated dryer on the same base, which saves floor space and a second electrical drop. Variable speed is worth the premium at this size in nearly every plant that does not run a single steady process, because a 40 HP motor unloaded still draws 25 to 30 percent of full power on a fixed speed machine.

Power, receiver and dryer

Expect 104 amps at 230 volt three phase or 52 amps at 460 volt; specify 460 volt where it is available. Use a 400 gallon receiver for fixed speed and 240 gallons for variable speed. Size a refrigerated air dryer at 200 to 250 CFM unless the CPCg dryer package is chosen, and add a desiccant dryer on branches that feed paint, powder or instrument air.

Related pages

• 30 HP air compressors
• 50 HP air compressors
• 20 to 50 HP rotary screw air compressors
• 185 CFM air compressors and 200 CFM air compressors
• Fixed speed rotary screw air compressors
• Shop by HP, Shop by CFM and Shop by PSI