I am investigating what would be the most appropriate compressed air source (fan/blower/compressor) for designing a separate air compressor system.

The information is as follows:

• the compressed air would be supplied to the lens of an industrial sensing instrument, which is mounted onto a pipe leading into a boiler's furnace

Purpose:

• to provide sufficient pressure in order to prevent accumulation of dust on an instrumentation's lens

• to provide sufficient flow to keep the entire pipe free of contaminants in the first place

Demand requirements:

• flow (800 m³/hour) for all 84 instruments (100 m³/hour for one row of instruments) (8.6 m³/hour for one instrument)
• pressure (40 mbar)

I know that the pressure demand is very little, it simply needs to be slightly above the furnace pressure. However, my concern is that the fans we have been using have not been able to provide sufficient pressure. Meanwhile, the flow is quite large.

Therefore, I am contemplating between a blower (more powerful fan) or a compressor (not sure if an air receiver would be necessary). Which one would be more suitable (for both 100 m³ per hour and 800 m³/hour)? What are the pros and cons of either (in terms of cost and space required and efficiency).

If a compressor, which type of compressor (positive displacement, rotary, reciprocating) would be suggested?