Champion FRL Series Modular Compressed Air Filter – Particulate, Coalescing & Carbon (1/4" to 1" NPT)

The Champion FRL Series is Champion Pneumatic's modular air preparation line: compact point-of-use filters that mount right at the machine, the tool drop or the panel inlet. This listing covers all four filtration grades across seven body-and-port combinations from 1/4" through 1" NPT. Every unit uses a quick-disconnect metal bowl with a sight gauge and a safety warning latch, and every body shares the same modular face, so filters, regulators and lubricators bolt together into a complete FRL station without adapters.

Select your body size and filtration grade from the dropdowns above.

Four Filtration Grades on One Body

• 5 Micron Particulate (CF Series): The standard general-purpose stage. A turbine-shaped upper baffle spins incoming air to throw out bulk liquid and heavy particles mechanically, a quiet-zone baffle keeps the collected condensate from being re-entrained, and depth-filtration media catches solids down to 5 micron at very low pressure drop. Rated to 200 psig.
• 0.5 Micron Coalescing (CM Series, S element): Coalesces oil aerosols and water mist into droplets that drain away, and removes solids to 0.5 micron. The right choice ahead of air motors, cylinders and general spray work. Rated to 150 psig.
• 0.01 Micron Coalescing (CM Series, T element): High-efficiency coalescing for instrument-quality air. Removes submicron oil aerosol and particulate down to 0.01 micron. Use it ahead of precision instruments, electronics assembly and critical paint work. Rated to 150 psig.
• Carbon Vapor / Odor Removal (CM Series, X element): An activated-carbon bed that adsorbs the oil vapour and hydrocarbon odour that coalescing filters cannot catch. Always install it downstream of a 0.01 micron coalescing filter, never on raw compressor air. Rated to 150 psig.

Model Selection Chart

Key Features

• Quick-disconnect metal bowl: Bayonet-style bowl with a sight gauge and a safety warning latch that vents residual pressure before the bowl can be removed.
• Modular face: Filters, regulators and lubricators in the same body series connect directly to one another using modular sleeves, so a two or three stage FRL station needs no pipe nipples between units.
• Manual drain standard: Automatic mechanical drain available as a field-fitted option on the 16, 26 and 30 Series, and as a piston drain on the 03 Series.
• Four grades, one footprint: Swap filtration class without redesigning the piping run.
• Six body sizes: 03, 16, 26, 30 Series covering 1/4" through 1" NPT.
• Field-replaceable element: A yearly element change keeps the housing in service indefinitely.
• Low pressure drop: Depth-filtration media sized so a correctly selected filter costs you very little compressed-air energy.
• Champion Pneumatic quality: Backed by over a century of compressed-air engineering.

Shared Technical Specifications

Max Flow or Nominal Flow: Which Do I Size To?

Size to the nominal flow figure. Max flow is what the filter will pass before pressure drop becomes unacceptable, measured at a 5 psid (particulate) or 3 psid (coalescing) drop. Nominal flow is measured at 1.5 psid and is the flow at which the filter runs efficiently and the element lasts. Sizing to max flow means you are paying for that pressure drop in compressor energy every hour the machine runs, roughly 1% of compressor horsepower per psid. When a drop sits between two sizes, go up.

Ideal Applications

Point-of-use filtration at machine inlets, tool drops, air-motor feeds and pneumatic control panels. Typical installs include CNC and machining-centre air supply, packaging and bottling lines, automated assembly cells, spray and paint-prep stations, laboratory benches, dental and medical air drops, air-motor and actuator protection, and blow-off and part-ejection stations. On larger plant-air headers, use the inline Champion CFL and XC Series filters at the compressor room and reserve the FRL Series for the last few feet before the machine.

Building a Complete FRL Station

A full Champion air-preparation station is built left to right in the direction of flow: filter, then regulator, then lubricator. Pair this filter with a Champion CR Series regulator and a Champion CL Series lubricator in the matching body series. Where a filter and regulator alone will do, the Champion CCB6 integral filter regulator puts both functions in a single body. Modular sleeves, manifold blocks, 3-way shut-off valves, drains and gauges are listed under Champion FRL Series modular accessories.

Element Replacement and Service

Replace the element annually, or sooner if pressure drop across the filter climbs noticeably, whichever comes first. Coalescing and carbon elements are consumables and should be changed on schedule rather than on appearance, because a saturated coalescing element passes the very contaminant it was installed to catch and a spent carbon bed can release adsorbed hydrocarbon downstream. Matching Champion FRL Series replacement elements are listed separately; the model selection chart above gives the correct element part number for each filter.

Why Buy from Air Compressor Store

Air Compressor Store is an authorized Champion Pneumatic distributor. Every FRL Series filter ships with the full factory warranty, lifetime application support, and access to our compressed-air engineers for sizing and system design.

Also Available by Quote

Champion prices two models in this family on a consult-factory basis, so they are not listed for direct purchase: CM03-02-M00 (03 Series, 1/4", 0.01 micron) and the carbon vapour-removal models CM16-02-GX0, CM16-03-GX0, CM16-04-GX0, CM26-04-GX0, CM30-06-GX0 and CM30-08-GX0. Call us for current pricing and lead time on any of these.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the 5 micron, 0.5 micron and 0.01 micron grades?

They are different jobs, not just different tightness. The 5 micron particulate filter removes solid debris and bulk liquid water mechanically. The 0.5 and 0.01 micron units are coalescing filters: they capture oil aerosol and water mist by merging fine droplets into large ones that drain out. Coalescing filters clog quickly if you feed them raw, dirty air, so a 5 micron particulate filter always goes upstream of one.

Do I need the carbon filter?

Only if oil vapour or odour matters to your process, for example breathing-quality air, food contact, or paint where a fisheye is a scrap part. Carbon adsorbs vapour-phase hydrocarbon that no coalescing filter can catch. It must be installed downstream of a 0.01 micron coalescing filter, because liquid oil will blind a carbon bed in days.

What is the difference between the 03, 16, 26 and 30 Series bodies?

Body size, and therefore flow capacity and element size. The 03 Series is a compact 1/4" unit for small drops. The 16 Series is the general-purpose workhorse in 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2". The 26 Series is a higher-flow 1/2". The 30 Series covers 3/4" and 1". Modular accessories are shared across the 16 and 26 Series.

Does the filter come with an automatic drain?

Manual drain is standard. An internal automatic mechanical drain is available as an option: the float drain for the 16, 26 and 30 Series and the piston drain for the 03 Series. Both are listed under our Champion FRL Series modular accessories.

Can I mount these to a wall?

Yes. Modular sleeves with a wall-mount T-bracket are available and are listed under Champion FRL Series modular accessories.