The general mechanism of an air compressor is a piston or rotary element (e.g. rotary screw or vane) that draws in air, which is compressed into a storage tank. Naturally, since the piston or rotary element needs to move consistently and smoothly because of this to function, it generally needs to be lubricated.

In a lubricated air compressor, there is lubricating oil which keeps the piston or rotary element running well without damaging the mechanism. The lubricant also really helps to dissipate Water Lubricated Air Compressor temperature and keep maintaining air compression efficiency.

Oil-free air compressors also use a piston or rotary element, but they bypass the lubrication problem by coating the compression component with a pre-lubricating materials like Teflon. Some oil-free compressors may also use water in place of oil for the lubricating and cooling process. These alternate materials safeguard the pump and invite the mechanism to move smoothly without the need for any oil-centered or synthetic lubrication.