Patent ID: 7287423

Claim:
A method for evaluating the capacity of a compressor, said method comprising: setting the speed of a compressor to be evaluated for capacity to a constant and predefined value; filling a pressure tank from said compressor so that a first predefined pressure, P 1 , is achieved in the pressure tank and then subsequently fluidly disconnecting the compressor; opening a valve on the pressure tank so that a quantity of air from the pressure tank is bled out through an opening of predefined size; measuring the pressure in the pressure tank as air is bled therefrom; shutting the valve once said quantity of air has been bled from the pressure tank; registering instantaneous pressure, P 2 , in the pressure tank once the valve has been shut; calculating the quantity of air bled from the pressure tank; filling the pressure tank with the compressor until first pressure, Pl, is registered again in the pressure tank; registering the time, tl, which is needed to raise the pressure in the pressure tank from the pressure P 2 to the pressure P 1 ; and generating a error message if the time, tl, lies outside a predefined time range, tr.