Compressed Air is the 4th utility, a staple in manufacturing and production. It enables you to work in areas that may have been dangerous and lets you take your power with you. The versatility of applications makes it a precious utility, especially in industries where cleanliness is vital. Having quality compressed air is a necessity that may not always be at the front of everyone’s minds, and keeping tabs on it will set you and your air system up for success.
Regarding these systems, the output is only as good as compressed air quality. The ambient air around us contains small amounts of particulates, moisture, and even oil vapors, which don’t even include the oil from the compressor itself. Once this air has been compressed, the widespread molecules of those particulates and moisture become concentrated and condense together. Increased concentrations can cause moisture buildup in the pipes, making your air completely unusable in applications like food.
Contaminated air can cause a problem in every compressed air application as it can deteriorate the system from the inside, increase the necessity of maintenance, and shorten the lifespan of your equipment. Still, it can be the difference between production and being completely shut down in applications requiring clean air. Industries based around human consumption, food, breathing air, and pharmaceuticals are just a few industries highly dependent on clean air. Oil, dirt, or water getting into products would be detrimental to the users’ health and the company’s reputation.
With wasted production comes wasted money. This can be the difference between your company feeling financially comfortable or stretched too thin. When machines are poorly maintained or simply inefficient, they can be responsible for large amounts of wasted money on utility bills. Unclean compressed air is the culprit behind unnecessary financial problems and problems in your system, but it can also reduce the lifespan of pneumatic tools and increase the maintenance required.
The air around us is full of particles that, in small amounts, don’t cause any problems. However, when that air has condensed, the concentration of the particles increases and can cause problems. How do you get rid of those molecules, moisture, and muck in your air system? Prevent those particulates from getting stuck in your pipes, machinery, and equipment, making your life harder. Getting rid of those particulates comes down to getting the right equipment, but you need to know the air quality you need before choosing the right equipment.
Choosing the quality of your air depends on a straightforward thing and that is how you are using your air. How you use your air determines how clean it needs to be, plain and simple. Most industries have requirements that align with ISO Purification Standards. Providing a guideline on how to properly clean your air and what the maximum concentrations of particulates are acceptable for each class.
ISO standards ensure your system produces Quality Compressed Air for your compressed air application. These standards will give you a goal to aim for with your air quality, along with the necessary information to make the right decision in purchasing your equipment.
Now that you have an idea of what you are looking for to produce high-Quality Compressed Air, it might be helpful to understand what it is. High-Quality Compressed Air is ambient air that has been compressed down in a compressor and then passed through a series of condensate treatments, moisture removal, and filtration to remove particulates from the air.
For air to be considered Quality Compressed Air, it needs to have trace amounts of particulates, contaminates, and water while having a low enough dewpoint that condensation will not form when exposed to the ambient air. Quality is determined by parts in the air; the more pure the air is, the closer to Class 1 Air.
Following these guidelines will ensure that you a clean system, smooth production, and quality compressed air. With a basic understanding of the benefits of removing particulates, oil, and water from your compressed air stream, you may now be wondering how you ensure that you are following the ISO Standards to produce clean compressed air. The solution to creating quality compressed air is the proper equipment in the right spots downstream.
Moisture and particulates have no business in an air stream, including yours. They provide no benefit to air production or movement and do not belong at the point of use. Removing these contaminants involves two significant pieces of equipment in every air system: a dryer and filters. These pieces prevent damage to your system and extend the life of your equipment while avoiding wasted energy.
The mortal enemy of moisture in your air system is a dryer. These dryers can come in many different models with different means of drying air. Dryers typically come in one of three styles, refrigerated, desiccant, and membrane. Most traditional applications are going to use either a desiccant or refrigerated. The type of dryer depends on the application, as both refrigerated and desiccant excel in different applications.
When choosing between the two, the deciding factor typically is the air’s dewpoint. Refrigerated, or condensing dryers, are commonly used when Class 4 air is the maximum air quality required. For lower dewpoints, a desiccant dryer would be the necessary equipment to properly dry your air. Desiccant Air dryers excel for applications requiring Class 3 air and up.
Drying your air is the most critical step to removing moisture from your air. It can help remove vapors and moisture molecules. Reducing the air’s dewpoint requires a lower temperature for the moisture molecules still in the air to turn into condensate. Lowering the temperature to -70℃ makes it nearly impossible for the moisture to condense when it is exposed to ambient air or is at the point of use. This is beneficial to the end user, not having to worry about moisture and for the overall health of your system.
While dryers are responsible for removing moisture from the air, dryers do not remove oil, dirt, and other particulates from the air. A solid filtration system is needed to remove particulates and oil from your air stream. Now it may sound like a simple solution; throw some filters on your system downstream, and all the particulates will be cleaned out. If only filtration worked in such a simple manner.
When it comes to filtering your compressed air, you must pay attention to the little things. Filters are classified by the filterable material and the size of the holes in the filter. Filters that can stop dirt and particulates are called particulate filters, while coalescing refers to filters that take oil out of the compressed air as it passes through. Both types of filters can come in an array of Micron sizes from upwards of 70µ down to .01µ.
Problems can arise during filtration based on the sizing of the filters. If a smaller filter is in front of a larger filter, the large molecules will clog up the filter and cause a pressure drop. A large enough pressure drop can ruin the filter. The finer the size of the filter, the later downstream it needs to be. Like the idea of nesting dolls, you have to go through the bigger ones to reach the smallest layer. The lifespan of your filters needs to have proper filtration before the filters with finer filtration.
Start with your largest-sized filter, which is typically a particulate, to remove the big particles of dirt and dust flowing through the air stream. Following your particulate filter, you would want to use a finer filtration than the previous one but not so small that it would end up getting clogged. It is imperative to know the size of your filtrations so that you do not clog up your filters and cause problems downstream.
When it comes to filters, there are just as many variations and options as there are compressors; therefore, it is essential to be aware of your system’s needs when adding equipment to it or changing out pieces that were in use. Knowing the individual details is vital to making changes to your air system and adequately servicing them. If you don’t do this, you won’t be able to produce high-quality air.
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