| Compressed air filters are designed to remove air | | | | relative to use and differs widely. Air filters |
| borne particles from a moving, pressurised air | | | | therefore need to be selected for the properties |
| stream. | | | | that best match the air quality needed to prevent |
| Compressed air purification equipment is essential | | | | downtime, systems breakdown or low |
| to all modern production facilities; at its best, the | | | | productivity. Where air impurities such as viruses, |
| equipment should provide the optimum balance | | | | bacteria or possibly dust from insecticides present |
| between air quality and low operating cost. There | | | | great danger, the selection of filter and filter |
| are numerous manufacturers offering products | | | | material is of huge importance. The exact grade |
| for the filtration and purification of air; | | | | of air quality required differs therefore, according |
| compressed air filter costs cover a wide range - | | | | to the factors at play. |
| but initial purchase cost cannot always indicate the | | | | Delivering dry, contaminant-free air allows more |
| effectiveness of a piece of equipment. In | | | | efficient, effective and economical operations. |
| assessing the suitability of the product, the | | | | Damage occurs to plant and equipment when |
| purchaser will want to assess: | | | | water, oil, gases and dust enter into systems |
| - delivered air quality required by their application | | | | such as pipelines and fittings; compressed air |
| - environmental impact of use | | | | filters and dryers can help eliminate the conditions |
| - overall cost of operation over the life of the | | | | for such damage/malfunction. |
| equipment | | | | It is generally held that there are 10 major |
| One way to make these assessments is to | | | | contaminants found in compressed air. Nine of |
| compare the performance standards of the | | | | these are removed using filtration technology. |
| different manufacturers' products according to | | | | Filter design is based mostly on what works! In |
| the standards that apply via ISO (the International | | | | other words, development is largely empirical - |
| Standards Organisation) under which there are a | | | | the result of experiment and observation. Filter |
| series of standards covering Compressed Air | | | | material design and specification needs to |
| Quality. There are nine areas of quality | | | | demonstrate better than adequate retention |
| classification for the main air contaminants as well | | | | capacity, separating ability, a stable pressure build |
| as testing methods for them. The air purity | | | | up and low pressure loss. |
| classifications dictate how much contamination is | | | | The type of material and its weight, the thickness |
| allowable per cubic metre of compressed air. | | | | of layer, loss of pressure at nominal volume flow, |
| These classifications are used by manufacturers | | | | volume flow per unit of surface and permissible |
| to rate the air delivered by their products. In this | | | | static pressure difference are all considered in the |
| way, users can easily compare and contrast the | | | | specification of filter material. However, due to |
| performance of different products. The caveat to | | | | the wide range of locations and conditions in which |
| this is that the test methods were originally | | | | compressed air is used, these are only |
| developed to verify air quality in the system | | | | foundational specifications; there are other |
| rather than testing the purification equipment | | | | elements that need to be accounted for such as |
| which means that not all products are tested in | | | | chemical and thermal resistance for example. |
| the same way. | | | | In conclusion, compressed air filters have a wide |
| The selection of the correct air filter for | | | | range of applications and selection of the most |
| compressed air depends on specific parameters | | | | suitable will depend not only on cost (possibly this |
| of use and location. Compressed air quality | | | | is the least important factor) but on the |
| regulations are governed by the widespread and | | | | contaminants to be removed, the operating |
| growing demands of industry. In manufacturing | | | | environment, the air quality delivered, |
| technology (for example, in food and beverage | | | | environmental impact, and the overall cost of |
| production, hospitals, electronics manufacturing or | | | | operation over the lifetime of the product. |
| pharmaceuticals), quality of compressed air is | | | | |