No matter if you are in food processing, agriculture, plastic, water treatment, or packaging – roots blowers are an essential part of your manufacturing process.
These devices are particularly efficient in handling bulk materials or providing the backbone of dust collection processes in aeration, dehydration, pneumatic conveying, and central vacuum cleaning settings – but who manufactures these blowers, and what is best for your application?
Roots Blowers vs Positive Displacement Blowers
While roots blowers have become the generic term coined for positive displacement rotary air blowers, which are prevalent in many industrial settings, the name comes from the Howden Roots manufacturer. There is only one single Roots™ blower manufacturer, and the main manufacturing facility is located in Connersville, Indiana.
In 1860, the Roots brothers patented the first Roots blower after years of troubleshooting and designing their rotary blowing machine. The design was so useful that it continued to rise in popularity and receive iterative improvements, and thus the Roots blower is still in use today.
Dresser Roots Blower
Previously, roots blowers were also manufactured by Dresser Industries, as this company briefly owned the Howden brand in 1944. As a result, you may see older units featuring the Dresser logo. In 2015, the company was acquired by the Colfax Corporation, and is again part of the Howden company.
Other Brands of Positive Displacement Blowers
Other brands and manufacturers may manufacture positive displacement blowers, however, none of them match the design and efficiency of a Roots blower.
Other brands of positive displacement blowers include Wilden, Blackmer, Tufthill Pumps, CAT Pumps, among others. Still, Roots remains one of the top manufacturers due to their sophisticated design.
The Origin of Roots Blowers
Philander and Francis Roots founded the Roots Blower Company after a chance encounter working at a foundry powered by a water mill adjacent to the Whitewater Canal in Connersville, Indiana.
The brothers were looking for a way to improve the power provided by the water wheel that powered the foundry. They believed they discovered a solution to their problem until the wood used to create the blower warped under water, causing them to go back to the drawing board.
With the help of the superintendent, however, they discovered this warped design could be used in a different part of the plant to help melt the iron directly, rather than working as a water wheel. The rest, as they say, is history.
How to Choose the Right Roots Blowers for Your Systems
While the Roots company is the only manufacturer producing true Roots blowers, they have multiple designs available to accommodate their wide range of industrial applications.
Choosing the right roots blower for your systems can greatly increase production and improve process efficiency. Unfortunately, with the number of roots blower designs sold on the market today, it can be difficult to choose which type is right for your system. In this section, you will learn about the roots blower specifications and how they affect the final setup and efficiency flow.
At Best Blower, we are happy to provide expert advice whenever you need it, such as our guide for SCFM vs ACFM. Our team has 33 years of experience working with roots blowers and industrial machining specifications, meaning when you purchase from us, you’ll get expert customer service whenever you need it.
Identifying the amount of Volume Flow and Pressure Head
If your system requires a higher flow and pressure but reduced power consumption, it can be difficult to calculate the amount of flow and pressure head you should look for when purchasing. The overall goal of a Roots blower is to efficiently convey your materials onto your production line or provide the backbone of the dehydration, aeration, or vacuuming process.
Understanding the required pressure and flow rate allows you to assess which blower suits your system requirements. The reason for this is that the pressure ratings of roots blowers are measured in kPa, which indicates their performance against the flow.
Vetting Roots Blower Distributors? Choose Best Blower
When shopping for a Roots blower, you’ll quickly find that manufacturers like Howden Roots does not sell their blowers directly to customers. Instead, they sell their blowers through reputable and authorized distributors to connect their product with process industries. Best Blower is among the top distributors of roots blowers, providing top sales and repair services to companies looking for a one-stop shop for blowers.
Best of all, our team is headquartered in Virginia which is local to many process industries. This allows us to respond quickly to customers like you and provide transparent communication about timelines, costs, and roots product requirements. For local industrial customers, we also provide field service in addition to our in-house repair work.
Roots Blower Specifications
Roots blower specifications can vary based on their size and horsepower. Roots blowers are particularly useful in the industrial setting for their convenient maintainability and lower energy consumption.
Most of all, many brands of roots blowers available on the Best Blower site can be used for OEM purposes, allowing your team to save more and prevent downtime delays when repairs are on the horizon, replacing just one part with precision.
Need help calculating the specifications of your roots blower? Our team can help. Talk to us about your project specifications and we’ll gladly assist you in finding the right blower based on your needs and application conditions.
How Roots Blowers Help in Various Systems
Roots blowers are a commonplace component for a wide range of industries because they are efficient at vacuuming, compressing air, and producing humidity-controlled airflow.
Pneumatic Conveying Systems – When you are working with pneumatic systems, roots blowers provide access to clean, pressurized, or vacuumed air into the system. This is particularly important when production must be oil-free, which is often the case with water treatment, mineral processing, and food processing or roasting.
Central Vacuum Cleaning Systems – Many industries utilize a central vacuum cleaning system whether it’s for product line maintenance or use within the production process. Most commonly, this system is used in eliminating workplace dust and waste pollution. Roots blowers provide an effective means of suction based on your system’s needs.
Aeration Systems – Roots blowers are essential in aeration systems because they can help moderate the temperature and moisture of any storage space; this prevents mold development and insect activity, which is particularly a problem in food processing plants. Roots blowers are used in other industries such as cement and mining or water treatment for aeration processes as well.
Dehydration Systems – Dehydration systems are one of the most popular ways to preserve products, typically foods and powders for further production. Root blowers are popular in this industry because they can preserve in a quick, safe, and cost-effective manner while retaining the freshness and chemical properties of the food as best as possible.
Make the Right Choice: Best Blower
At Best Blower, we understand how important it is to make the right choice. From calculating your installation requirements to ensuring your blower has enough power to get the job done, Best Blower is here to make sure you get the right product for your needs. We are a US-based one-stop shop with exceptional customer service and a full repair, sales, and service department ready to help you. View our Roots Blowers or contact us for a repair today.