Low Pressure Air

For over 30 years, Nuvair has been an industry leader in the manufacturing of low pressure breathing air systems for the working diver. We offer standard and custom configurations for a wide variety of stationary and portable installations.

Nuvair can create customized compressors to meet your specific needs and guide you through the many configurations compressor packages can be purchased in. Our sales staff understands that needs, budget and comfort level lead to the choices one makes on the type, brand and model of compressor you want to use. Nuvair offers custom configurations of internationally recognized compressor brands combined with electric motors, gas or diesel engines of the same caliber.

Our commercial diving low pressure compressors are broken down into the four categories listed below: Light Duty, Medium Duty, Heavy Duty, and low pressure industrial compressors from Champion and FIAC.

This webpage is designed to guide you through the different compressor packages and options available to you. We realize that not all options are pictured or described, which is why we encourage you to call and help us create the perfect compressor package for you.

All Nuvair compressor packages are manufactured in-house at our California production facility and tested before leaving Nuvair. From start to finish, our technicians make sure your machine is inspected, tested and delivered on time and as you specified.

Standard Features and Options

• OSHA, ADC, IMCA, Army Corps, CE, UL, ASME, TUV, CSA compliant equipment by request
• ABAC, Champion, Quincy, Rotair, Comp Air compressor blocks
• Baldor, Weg, Honda, Deutz, Kohler, Kubota or Yanmar electric motors, gas or diesel engines
• Aluminum, steel or stainless-steel frames with vibration mounts, drip pans, and belt guards that encapsulate the compressor package
• Base, tank mount and onsite installation options as well Lifting eyes, forklift slots, raised feet, wheels, and handles are options provided for ease of transportation
• Hankison or Norgren breathing air filtration systems
• Air coolers, refrigerated dryers, desiccant dryers, and volume tanks in steel or stainless steel, ASME rated
• Analyzers and sensors for moisture, high temperature, carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and oxygen (O₂), with or without alarms and automatic shutdown
• Head unloaders or Load Genie^®
• Diver manifolds and regulators
• Audible and visual alarms combined with mechanical and digital readouts, both panel and component based
• Automatic shutdowns and air bleed valves
• Third-party lab air analysis
• Nuvair food grade synthetic oil

Low Pressure Breathing Air Compressor Categories

Light Duty Breathing Air

Our light duty commercial compressors are ideal for shallow work in depths of 20 feet (7 m) or less. Lightweight, low cost and portability are the main reasons for choosing a light duty compressor. You can choose between oil-free or oil-lubricated compressors. The oil-free designs are light, easy to move around and do not require some of the options necessary with oil-lubricated compressors to meet OSHA breathing air regulations. Diver air filtration does not come standard with our light duty compressors. Air filtration is an important option to consider. Filters should be installed on any breathing air compressor system.

One final consideration when purchasing a light duty compressor would be your planned use. If you plan to use the compressor for continuous duty work or have multiple divers in the water, it will be important to get a compressor that meets the demands of the cubic feet or liters per minute (CFM or L/min) and pressure (psi/bar) you will need. As always, give us call and we will guide you through the decision process to be sure your purchase meets your requirements.

Medium Duty Breathing Air

These low pressure continuous-duty compressors can support multiple surface-supplied divers in shallow water or a single diver at depth. Medium duty compressors provide air at 18 to 50 CFM (510-1416 L/min) and are often used for inland diving or on small boats. We use Champion, Quincy and Rotair blocks with either electric motors, or gas or diesel engines to build these compressors for working divers.

Heavy Duty Breathing Air

Deep, surface-supplied commercial diving operations call for our 50 CFM and higher (+1416 L/min) heavy-duty, low pressure compressors that are built for offshore diving and for putting multiple divers in the water. The Quincy 5120 is our primary block for these packages, producing 85 to 95 CFM (2407–2690 L/min).

For more CFM we are now supplying rotary screw packages that can deliver hundreds of CFM (over 2830 L/min). We can design a heavy-duty package to meet your specific needs.

Surface Supply Systems

Here at Nuvair we sell both hookah systems and surface supply systems. Much of the diving industry refers to hookah systems as “surface supply diving systems,” which they technically are, but we like to draw a hard line between “hookah systems” and “surface supply systems.” In this category we bring together all of our compressors that are—or can be modified to operate like—a surface supply system.

We define a “surface supply system” as any system that is not a hookah system. While surface supply systems can be used by recreational divers, they are generally used for commercial purposes (including offshore operations), can support multiple divers, can generate enriched air nitrox, are heavy (some weigh over a ton!), and are expensive. Nuvair manufactures a wide range of surface supply systems including the pictured Nuvair EK76-Q325D Kubota Diesel Low-Pressure Nitrox Surface Supply System (SKU 7069DKU-EK76-325). Our smaller surface supply systems include the Bamax Twin Tank Industrial Compressor Series (SKU BAMAX-TWINS).

Hookah Systems

Nuvair carries a range of oil-less hookah compressors. Perfect for shallow diving fun or work, like hull cleaning, pool maintenance, golf ball recovery, coral reef preservation, and underwater photography, divers breathe air directly from the compact receiver safely thanks to the included breathing air filtration system. Because Nuvair also manufactures professional grade surface supply systems, we generally define a "hookah" as an affordable, lightweight, and portable device powered by gas engine or electric motor that is used to supply air to divers for recreational or limited commercial purposes.

Low Pressure Industrial & Medical Air Compressor Manufacturers

Champion Compressors

Nuvair is an authorized distributor for the entire Champion^® compressor line. Find information on the many different "series" of Champion solutions available, including several Champion custom-built, breathing air compressors designed and fabricated by Nuvair on this page.

Champion low-pressure compressors are proven units, known for their reliability over decades of use. We know our products and understand how they operate in many different applications and environments. No matter the application, Champion gets the job done.

Champion knows and understands the application of its products in many different operating environments. Champion compressors are engineered to deliver industrial-rated dependability at an affordable price. Champion compressors are proven units, known for their reliability over decades of use. No matter the application, Champion gets the job done.

Examples of Low Pressure Air Compressors