Rotary Vane Air Compressor A rotary vane air compressor consists of a cylindrical housing vessel containing a set of adjustable rotating vanes and exchanging air through an inlet and outlet. The vanes are set on an eccentric drive shaft which faces the outlet. As the drive shaft rotates, the length of the adjustable vane closest to the outlet shortens, compressing the air within the spinning chamber. This air then escapes through the outlet and can power further subsequent processing. Rotary vane air compressors are ideally suited to small and quiet applications such as the automotive and agricultural industries. They are less suitable for applications requiring oil-free or otherwise uncontaminated air, or for use in potentially contaminated environments such as wood shops.