Everything You Need to Know About Compressed Air Treatment
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Air treatment is like life insurance for your air compressor; the more protected your system is, the longer it will last, and the less it will cost you in the long run.
After all, getting clean, dry air is cheaper than ruining your jobs, buying a new compressor, or replacing your tools.
This article covers the important things you need to know to keep your investment protected and fully operational for years to come.
The air treatment process cleans up and dries the compressed air you use to do work, along with regulating the temperature, too. If you don't use filtration, whatever materials that get into your storage tank can end up on your project and cause damage to your compressor system and air tools over time.
More importantly, hazardous particles (like atomized oil) can be sprayed into the air if an oil-separator isn't used, creating health concerns for anyone not wearing a respirator.
Filtering compressed air also plays a large role in the cost efficiency and longevity of your compressor, since clean air won't damage your air tools or cause leaks in your air lines from particulates scraping the walls in the air piping. After all, finding and fixing air leaks in your compressor system is more costly than preventative maintenance.
Cleaning up and filtering compressed air can be done in multiple ways, and, if your compressor is properly sized, more air treatment is better than less. Each part of an air treatment system does a unique job, but all compressor components work together to give you the cleanest, dryest air possible. See the piping diagram below for a sample design of an air compressor system fitting together.
When air is compressed it gets hot, and water vapor that was in the air is squeezed out of it (like wringing out a sponge) - condensing into a liquid mixture of water and oil.
Water separator line filters are specifically designed to remove that moisture from your air supply before it goes through your lines or storage tank, ensuring a dry, clean stream of air moves through the hose and your air tool.
Air compressor water separators usually come before the air tank in your air system.
Even with a separator, moisture will still build up in your tank over time. To prevent buildup, it's important to release this moisture from the tank. A convenient and efficient upgrade is to install an automatic drain valve, which automatically opens the drain and empties water without user intervention.
After excess moisture is removed from the air, other types of air compressor air filters can be used to further filter out remaining contaminants and particulates.
General-purpose air compressor filters are a good place to start since they can be used to remove moderate amounts of water, oil, and dirt from the line.
However, depending on your application, you may need a more powerful filter capable of removing contaminants as small as 0.01 microns, and combination filtration systems that remove both oil and water at the same point in the line are often used for these applications, called water-oil separators.
Pharmaceutical plants and labs often use carbon air filters (activated carbon filters) to remove oil vapors and odors from the air.
High-efficiency oil coalescing filters will go one step further and remove water and oil aerosol particulates up to 0.01 microns in size, effectively removing more than 99 percent of particulates from the compressed air, making them ideal for applications like auto-painting.
Lubricators are normally used to lubricate air tools and are attached right before your pneumatic tool/equipment.
Depending on the application, some pneumatic air tools need lubrication to operate correctly, and often times when air tool oilers are used, they are paired with a water separator to prevent moisture from getting into the air and causing damage to expensive equipment.
Although lubricators don't affect the overall treatment of the air, they are important to mention because they can be paired with other types of air-line filters or be used in custom setups in an industrial compressed air system, such as being used in tandem with a pneumatic actuator or solenoid valves.
Compressed air dryers remove moisture from compressed air traveling through your air system and prevent damage to pneumatic tools, machinery, and in some cases, the product being worked on. Refrigerated air dryers are the best at removing the most water.
There are multiple varieties of compressed air dryers that serve different purposes, ranging from cycling and non-cycling refrigerated air dryers, non-cycling high-temperature dryers made to handle the high-heat setups when using compressors without an aftercooler, as well as membrane and desiccant air dryers that use different technologies to remove moisture from the air.
To ensure the correct operation of a desiccant dryer, an oil-coalescing filter must be placed before it in the air system.
There are many additional devices that can be installed to further clean the air and regulate airflow and pressure (PSI and CFM). After the treated air is dried, filtered, compressed, and stored, it will eventually travel through air delivery piping to the hose and air tool, called the
point-of-use.
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Regulators and lubricators can be installed along the air piping line, giving you further control over air treatment as it gets to your air tool.
Heavy copper and black steel piping used to be the only options for building air lines to transport compressed air. It was expensive and labor-intensive to install in workshops and industrial spaces, and when air leaks occurred, it was difficult to repair or replace part of the line.
Today, new advances in piping technology make it much cheaper and easier to install and change the piping configuration of your piping to get compressed air where you need it.
Companies like RapidAir and Transair have created air delivery systems that use aluminum and polyethylene piping with detachable joints that can bend and interlock in almost any configuration you can imagine, making it simpler than ever to change or replace a part of your line with much less effort.
Regulators regulate air pressure and flow, and allow you to control the outlet pressure for precision and to avoid pressure spikes and drops at the point-of-use. They work like an air checkpoint that helps keep air pressure at the levels required for efficiency and safety.
Air regulators can be attached to any section of your air piping system, however, the best results are by installing them near the point of use. Regulators can control and restrict the airflow if necessary, and help prevent damage to your air tools due to pressure levels being too high for the tool.
No matter what size your shop is, air treatment is critical to maintaining a long-lasting, dependable, and clean compressed air system that will continue to deliver year after year. However, just like the filter in your furnace, compressed air filters need to be cleaned and changed regularly, or they won't make much of a difference in the long run.
They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and with air treatment, this is true. Routine maintenance and the use of the filtration devices above will ensure your compressor is healthy and up to the task, no matter what your next project will be.
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By Melissa C.
Air Compressor Expert
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Choosing the right air compressor or pump for your commercial or industrial facility can be challenging. Understanding the difference between the two will help you make the right choice for your company. Here are some important points to consider.
Both air compressors and pumps are used to move materials through a system. This capability is used in flood-control systems, hydraulic lifts, HVAC units, pneumatic tools and common appliances and industrial systems. Many of the activities of contractors and companies are made possible by the power of air pressure created by the right compressor or pump. Compressed air offers flexibility and safety benefits compared to alternative sources of energy, such as electricity. Air compressors and pumps are essential to the construction, agriculture, HVAC, energy and manufacturing industries.
As their name suggests, air compressors are designed to move gases and to compress them to change their temperature or to produce a more condensed gas. Pumps are more versatile and can move both liquids and gases. However, they do not usually put pressure on these materials. Instead, they simply propel the liquid, or gas, in a specific direction to convey it to the desired location. This is essential for irrigation systems, water treatment plants and other industrial applications where water or another fluid must be processed sequentially.
Air compressors, by contrast, can only move and compress gases. Pneumatic air tools used in construction applications are one of the most common examples of the practical use of air compressors. They are also used in motor vehicles of all types and in the energy industry. HVAC applications also use compressors to put pressure on refrigerant and to produce the cold air needed to keep interior spaces comfortable.
While pumps and air compressors may be sold separately, they are usually used together in the industrial environment. Combining industrial pumps and air compressors offer the greatest degree of control for agriculture, manufacturing and many other industries.
Pumps are often used to remove water and other liquid materials from one area and transfer these liquids to another area. They can also transport gases and slurries, which consist of solids suspended in a liquid medium. Pumps are usually categorized by the mechanism used to move the liquid.
Reciprocating pumps use the principle of positive displacement to move water through a system of pipes. They are generally reserved for low-flow and high-pressure applications in the industrial environment.
Rotary pumps intake fluid and then press it out in a circular motion. These pumps are used most often to produce continuous flow with minimal pulsation, which makes them an ideal choice for many HVAC applications in the commercial and industrial marketplace.
Pumps are also divided into categories according to the way they move water or gas. Some of the most common types of pumps include gravity, direct lift, velocity and displacement pumps. Each of these types of pumps are used in the industrial environment to manage the flow of liquids and to promote the most efficient delivery of fluids to their desired destinations. In the industrial environment, compressor pumps offer the best of both worlds for end users. These advanced combination tools can propel and compress gases and fluids to provide end-to-end functionality for commercial and industrial concerns across the United States.
Understanding the various types of industrial air compressors will ensure that you choose the right option for your company. Like industrial pumps, air compressors are generally divided into reciprocating and rotary varieties. Reciprocating compressors are the more efficient air compressor as they compress the same amount of gas with less energy input. This is important for industrial air systems whereas for home use it may not be as important.
Reciprocating compressor pumps are divided into one-stage and two-stage compressor types:
compress air twice before going into the tank. A two-stage compressor pump typically has different cylinder diameters that are designed to increase or relieve pressure as the fluid or gas travels through the compressor.
After the first compression, air cools in a heat exchanger tube and then compresses again before going into the tank. 2 stage air compressors are used in larger industrial applications and are suitable for continuous use. They are often used to power pneumatic tools with pressure readings over 100 psi in the normal course of operation.In general, one-stage air compressors are used in smaller applications that may include small-scale metalworking, carpentry and a wide range of repair and do-it-yourself activities. Multi-stage compressor pumps, i.e. either two-stage or three-stage compressor pumps, by contrast, are used in auto plants, beverage manufacturing facilities and aerospace applications. In industrial and commercial situations, two-stage compression is the starting point as it is necessary to maintain consistent power and force needed in larger-scale operations.
ISC Sales offers an extensive lineup of industrial air compressor options that are designed to suit the needs of our customers across the United States. Some of the most practical and popular industrial compressors we distribute include models from these four categories:
Oil-free air compressors feature pre-lubricated cylinders and Teflon coatings designed to allow them to run without constant oil lubrication. This can eliminate the need for regular oil changes and other maintenance tasks that can be time-consuming. Oil-free air compressors are also simpler in their design than oil-lubricated models, which usually results in a lower weight and easier handling in the industrial environment. Available in both one-stage and two-stage models, oil-free air compressors are often used in medical, dental and laboratory environments to provide a cleaner and contaminant-free solution for these applications.
Shop NowReciprocating air compressors are also referred to as piston air compressors because they use a piston-like motion to build up pressure on air. These units typically have a high compression efficiency and are ideally suited for use in home workshops, auto repair shops and in construction sites to power nailers and other pneumatic tools.
Shop NowRotary-screw air compressors are designed to compress air between two interlocking and rotating rotors. This innovative design allows them to run continuously, which can significantly improve productivity and can reduce maintenance requirements to a significant degree. Rotary-screw compressors are best suited for commercial and industrial environments where continuous operation and high-pressure air is required.
Shop NowAir compressor pumps deliver compressed air where it is needed most. These pumps are designed to work with a range of compressor types and to provide the necessary power for pneumatic tools, HVAC systems and many other elements necessary in the industrial and commercial fields.
Shop NowAt ISC Sales, we take pride in delivering the best air compressor options and in providing the most accurate information and guidance for our customers. Our Product Specialists have the knowledge and the proven experience needed to recommend the solution that is right for your needs.
ISC Sales has been in business for over 30 years, offering the best customer service. We offer a comprehensive lineup of air compressors and pumps designed to supply you with the right pneumatic tool. To learn more about our suite of compressed air products and components and to allow us to provide a customized recommendation, give us a call today at (877) 602-. Our team of customer service specialists are here to serve you now and in the future.
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