Kirloskar Pneumatic has commercially launched HYDRINO, what has been described as the first oil-free water-injected screw compressor, developed with support from the Ministry of Heavy Industries and the Pravriddhi program at the Indian Institute of Science( IISc).
The compressor meets ISO 8573 Class 0 oil-free air standards, delivering contaminant-free compressed air for sectors including pharmaceuticals, food and beverage processing, and electronics manufacturing. The technology uses water instead of oil for cooling, sealing, and lubrication within the compression chamber and bearing system.
Oil-free compressors have historically been dominated by European and Japanese manufacturers. This is inline with the driving focus on reducing reliance on imported equipment in a segment where demand has grown with the expansion of pharmaceutical and food processing industries.
For quality-sensitive industries, compressed air quality is non-negotiable. Any oil contamination can compromise product integrity, trigger regulatory violations, and cause costly batch rejections. HYDRINO’s water-injection design promises high reliability, energy efficiency, and continuous oil-free operation in a compact, low-noise configuration.
Pravriddhi program, run by the Foundation for Science Innovation and Development at IISc, provided both grant funding and technical mentorship to accelerate development and validate the technology against global benchmarks. The program aims to bridge the gap between academic research and commercial manufacturing, strengthening Indian position as a manufacturing base.
