Compressed air filters protect your equipment from dust, dirt, oil and water. Dust will wear down your equipment and can make pneumatic control valves get stuck. Especially when the dirt and dust is combined with oil (which is often the case with compressors), a sticky mess can form inside valves, motors and other compressed air equipment.
To protect your equipment, you need to install the right compressed air filter. And, to maintain efficient operation of filters, the filter elements need to be replaced periodically.
• Activated carbon filters – utilize a composite carbon material to remove gases and odors from the air. They are used in factories where food is produced or for breathing gas.
Unfiltered compressed air frequently contains dust, oil, rust, moisture and other harmful substances, and therefore requires filtration. In the first stage of filtration, the compressed air passes through a tube-shaped mesh filter, which creates a coalescence effect. Here bigger particles are adsorbed on the filter and the water will condense into larger droplets, which can then pass into the separation chamber. The compressed air is slowed down, which makes the particles condense on a honeycomb-like pad, allowing the water droplets to travel to the bottom of the drainage system and through an automatic or electric drain valve to the discharge. In the first filtration stage more than 95% of the water droplets, oil and large particles are removed. This practice is most common for removing water, but is also used for removing oil.
In the second filtration stage, the air is passed through fiber made of cotton generating thousands of small vortices and accelerating the air.
The right compressed air preparation is essential for reducing machine downtime, and for reducing maintenance and energy costs. Following a properly scheduled maintenance is crucial to maintaining not only performance and efficiency, but also maximizing the life expectancy of your compressed air system equipment.
Would you like to be reminded of upcoming maintenance for your equipment? Contact us today and we can put together a parts list and air compressor maintenance checklist program kit for you!
Email our Compressor Parts Department. You can also call us at 800.582.5162.
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