Pneumatic valves and cylinders are not cheap, so it makes good financial sense to protect them from premature failure. Water separators have no internal filter element, they rely on centrifugal motion. These will only collect liquids that have already condensed. They may be installed prior to a coalescing set to reduce the work load on the filter elements.
Generally the air standard for a mildly complex pneumatic system would be ISO 8573–1.4.1. All this will tell is that the particle content should be ≤ 0,10 micron, the water content should be to a dew point of 3°C and the oil content ≤0,01 mg/m³. For a coalescing filter to do this reliably and consistently is not difficult.
Coalescing filters use impact, Brownian motion and direct impact to provide this level of filtration. Solids are retained in the core of the filter, while liquid oils are deliberately allowed to permeate the outer anti re-entrainment sock to drip into the quiet zone of the filter bowl. It is normal for oils to saturate the bottom third of the filter element as this is the area where the oils coalesce from fine vapours into a concentrated liquid oil.
The hallmark of a good quality filter casing and element is that it is manufactured in high grade aluminium with a treated bowl to prevent corrosion. This has a reliable internal float drain or an external timed automatic drain and colour coded socks on the element for easy grade identification. The filter should ideally have a pleated filter media retained within an inner and outer stainless steel cage and the element life should be about one year.
A pleated filter media has at least 40% more surface area than a simple fibreglass tube or a filter that has the filter media wrapped around a central core. An added bonus would be a differential gauge that highlights when the element has reached the end of its useful life.
If you decide that oil-free air is required and that you want to use an activated carbon filter, at least two coalescing filters should precede the activated carbon filter. Activated carbon elements are designed to remove the last vapours of oil from the compressed air stream. If installed in isolation they will be overcome by the liquid oils and be saturated in days. An activated carbon filter normally will require change-out at three to four months. Unlike a coalescing filter, the oil is retained in the carbon and not released into the bowl area. To check
the status of an activated carbon filter, crack open the manual drain slowly and if liquid oils are ejected into your hand it’s time for an
element change. Activated carbon filters are not normally fitted with a differential pressure gauge.
Prices of good quality filters can vary considerably so check the primary cost and the secondary cost, often it’s the secondary element prices that will hurt your budget. Artic Driers has a very cost-effective range of coalescing and activated carbon filters at highly competitive rates.
It’s full steam ahead for SKF’s sustainable leak detection solution SKF South Africa
Pneumatic systems & components
One of SKF’s key customers based in Cape Town, which depends on steam systems for its production processes, was facing costly challenges related to high energy consumption and excessive maintenance hours. SKF recommended the TKSU 10 ultrasonic leak detector as a more streamlined, user-friendly alternative.
Read more...A guide for compressed air dryer selection Artic Driers International
Pneumatic systems & components
Clean and dry compressed air is essential in today’s modern operating environment. Without an air dryer and filter bank in line, the downtime created by condensate can be substantial. However, there are issues about air dryer selection and the impact of geographic location that need careful consideration prior to placing an order.
Read more...Easy to use energy management tool for compressed air Comtest
Pneumatic systems & components
For the efficient management of plant operations, the critical considerations include product quality, safety, downtime, and energy use. A production plant in Germany has set a greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal of 25% by 2030, and turned to the Plant Energy manager to help deliver that target.
Read more...Compressed air solutions for efficient pneumatic conveying
Pneumatic systems & components
Moving goods through pipes from one point to another using air - pneumatic conveying - is an extremely efficient method of transporting a great variety of products, provided that the right system is used, and that it’s done correctly.
Read more...Compressed air preparation Artic Driers International
Pneumatic systems & components
The choice of compressed air dryers is driven by the air quality demands of your plant.
Read more...Compressed air treatment do’s and don’ts Artic Driers International
Editor's Choice Pneumatic systems & components
As a long-established importer and manufacturer of air dryers, Artic Dryers often sees the results of poor installation and issues with aftercoolers that create serious problems in air drying systems.
Read more...Next-gen air compressors for plastics manufacturer
Pneumatic systems & components
Integrated Air Solutions has reinforced its partnership with global compressor manufacturer, ABC Compressors by facilitating the installation and commissioning of two next-generation direct-drive ABC machines for a prominent plastic manufacturer in South Africa.
Read more...Acoustic imaging detector for gas leaks and partial discharge Artic Driers International
Hydraulic systems & components
The new SUTO iTEC S532 acoustic imaging detector provides an easy and effective way to locate pressurised air and gas leaks and partial discharge (PD) in industrial high-voltage environments.
Read more...Seamless compressed air supply
Pneumatic systems & components
The efficient performance of compressed air systems is the foundation for seamless production processes and sustainable business. The adoption of a comprehensive service plan delivered by an OEM like Atlas Copco is key to overall compressor performance, efficiency, reliability, and long lifecycle.
Read more...Selection of two-port valves: an open and shut case SMC Corporation South Africa
Pneumatic systems & components
Little consideration is generally given to two-port valves because they are often perceived as simple devices that only open and close to control downstream fluid supply. Although this is mechanically true, choosing the optimal two-port valve for your application can make a big difference, saving space, weight and energy consumption.
printer friendly version