Aerosols, dust, and even oil vapors are present in large quantities in compressed air systems, contaminating the air and end users. The compressed system and the ambient air used in it can contain contaminants. It is possible to eliminate undesired pollutants from the air system using the appropriate air compressor filter and drier.
The amount and kind of filter and dryer required will depend on the level of air quality required by your process or operation. For example, a dry particle filter that filters down to 1 or 0.01 microns can typically support compressed air used for pneumatic applications.
However, a dryer, pre-dyer, activated carbon final filter, and final filter would be required if the process involves oil vapor elimination and safety approval. If you want to learn more about compressed air dryer filters, you’re at the right place. Keep reading to find out!
What are Compressed Air Dryer Filters?
An air drier is a piece of machinery or drying system that eliminates moisture from the air. Since compressed air raises the relative humidity of a space, compressed air drying equipment or devices are necessary for facilities having a compressed air system.
Depending on the setup you have, air dryers function differently. Nonetheless, they all remove moisture from the air to prevent condensation and maintain the peak performance of your system. The methods used by air dryers to eliminate excess water from the air include refrigeration, absorption, diffusion, and filtration.
Water vapor is usually present in compressed air, and it can reach the dew point temperature under the correct conditions. Water vapor can condense after this dew point is achieved, causing moisture to accumulate and damage the machinery.
Significant problems might result from this, including contamination of products or machinery, frozen pipes, or corrosion. Therefore, by eliminating water from the air, compressed air dryers lower the dew point of the compressed air.
For air compressor systems to work correctly, air dryers are necessary. With air compression, moisture is unavoidable; it is a natural consequence of the system. If you don’t remove it, your facility may quickly develop a moisture problem. Here are some of the benefits of using an air drier for compression systems:
Different Types of Compressed Air Dryer Filters
Here are some common types of compressed air dryer filters you should know about:
Compressor Intake Compressed Air Filter
The compressor intake compressed air filters serve as the initial filtering step. As a result, the intake filter has a significant impact on the effectiveness of your systems. This filter purifies the air entering it, ensuring the cleanliness and efficiency of your machinery. Moreover, it also provides your blowers and air compressors to operate efficiently and silently.
Activated Carbon Compressed Air Dryer Filter
Activated carbon filters are also commonly known as vapor removal filters. The name accurately describes how carbon draws in and immobilizes gaseous pollutants. Due to its substantial surface area, carbon is a robust type of filter.
Yet, to maintain the same level of filtration, the pressure must decrease as the filter becomes more saturated. Therefore, you must occasionally change the carbon filter to keep the pressure at a suitable level.
Vapor or activated carbon filters are typically used to produce breathing air and prepare food items.
Coalescing Compressed Air Dryer Filter
Coalescing Compressed Air Dryer Filter removes aerosols, water, oil, and other lubricants from the air. These devices use the tortuous route operating principle and pressure drops to coalesce aerosols into droplets.
Moreover, coalescing air filters also capture particulates due to their adaptable operating method. The particulates are captured with the aerosol particles, drained, and sent through an oil-water separator to prevent contamination.
Like activated carbon filters, you must routinely replace coalescing compressed air dryer filters to prevent the pressure from falling too much.
Pro tip: although a coalescing compressed air dryer filter effectively filters out aerosols and other substances, it is expensive. Therefore, you can use a mist eliminator as a cost-effective alternative to it. Although it won’t offer as much precision or filtering as coalescing filters, it does provide fewer pressure dips. Therefore, you can run systems at lower pressure levels while saving energy expenses.
Dry Particulate Compressed Air Dryer Filter
Dry particulate filters are often used to remove desiccant particles. You can also use them to filter out corrosion-causing particles from compressed air at the point of usage. Like coalescing filters, dry particulate compression air dryer filters capture and hold particles.
Vapor Removal Compressed Air Dryer Filter
After the refinement process, coalescing compressed air dryer filters typically leave gaseous lubricants, airborne chemicals, and other gaseous lubricants behind. Therefore, vapor removal filters are essential to prevent impurities from harming your air compressor systems. These filters use carbon cloths and granules to properly absorb and remove impurities.
Final Word
To make compressed air usable, ambient air pollutants like dust, oil, and moisture are filtered out using compressed air filters. They are an essential component of the air treatment process, just as air dryers, to ensure that your compressed air is safe to use and to prolong the life of your equipment.
Clean, high-quality compressed air prolongs the life of air tools, ensuring that pneumatic equipment and control systems work at their best while keeping pipelines and valves free of debris. Compressed air filter dryers are commonly used in industries like health care, food, and beverage, painting operation, etc.
If you are searching for a high-quality, affordable, and durable compressed air dryer filter, visit Super Dry Systems today. We offer a range of products that eliminate up to 99% of contaminants present in compressed air. We have over 25 years of experience in adsorption technology, making us one of the top suppliers of compressed air dryers.
You can contact us by clicking here. You can also email info@super-dry.com or call 1-888-828-1122 to learn more about our services.