Compressed air filter: how does it work and where should it be used?

 Hello good Morning. The topic of today’s episode will be filters.

I will say a few words about the principle of operation of filters and those that are available on the market. About the technical parameters and the method of selecting these filters, because I think this is also always an interesting element of every film. We will break down such basic filters into their prime factors.

When it comes to filters and their division, we have dust filters, i.e. filters that eliminate solid particles from compressed air. We have coalescing filters; these filters are more accurate filters. They eliminate solid particles, as well as partially water and oil particles contained in compressed air systems.

Carbon filters – these filters are the next level of filtration. These are filters that can absorb some odors, some really solid microparticles, and they are also sterile. In addition to filtering compressed air, they are also made of sterile materials. The most commonly used are acid-resistant steel and stainless steel.

As with reducers, these filters are constructed exactly the same. It’s a casing. Then we have a glass. It is also included in this corpus. A glass in which all the undesirable elements in the compressed air system are collected, i.e. solid particles, oil particles, water, because it also precipitates.

It is also not without reason that this glass, despite the metal casing, has sights so that we can see how much water and solid particles are on the filter. Additionally, we see condensate discharge outside. These condensate discharges when it comes to filters can be very different, starting with the simplest manual ones.

These are condensate discharges, where daily maintenance is required. We have to unscrew and drain what collects here, i.e. the water-oil mixture, through a semi-automatic, as in this case, automatic condensate discharge, which works very simply. Namely, here comes compressed air.

This closes the valve located at the bottom of the filter glass. Then this air from the system is admitted. Then the spring causes the float to go up and the condensate that would otherwise accumulate there flows by gravity. Another type of discharge is fully automatic, which is practically unattended.

This is an operation room similar to that in our toilets, i.e. when a lot of condensate accumulates, the valve is opened, the valve is released into the installation from the condensate discharge and in this way the filter is cleaned. It is also impossible to mention an additional element that is installed in the filters, namely a differential pressure gauge

This is an option that I often recommend to our clients because it allows us to visually assess how dirty the filter cartridge is. And how does it work? A very simple method – there is a differential pressure gauge, i.e. we have input and output pressure. When this filter insert is clogged, the pressure gauge indicates a red field.

This means that the flow is limited by contamination of the same filter element. Often, maintenance services, as we see at production plants, ignore such an important element as filtration and ignore the proper operation of these filters. We often encounter the fact that these filters are torn, the inserts are damaged, and then there is practically no filtration and all of this undesirable water-oil condensate or solid particles get into the compressed air installation and go to quite precise compressed air systems.

What I mean here are control valves or actuators. And if we do not have proper filtration, these elements wear out faster, which reduces our budget.

In the practical part, we disassemble one basic and example filter to also show the internal elements of this filter.

Quite an interesting solution that all manufacturers use today. I will also tell you a few words about spare parts.

When it comes to the construction of the filter, as I mentioned at the beginning of the video, I was talking about the body itself, but I’m sure you’re also interested in it. In the middle we have a glass. Here, there is also an O-ring which, by screwing it into the body, seals the system and then we have. And that’s it. The filter element, in this case in a plastic housing with a characteristic additional element, is commonly called a guide, i.e. air flows in, swirls, then cools down and the oil and water parts condense.

Because often this water seems to take away a bit of oil. Then it is created. It creates an oil-water condensate, and the solid particles are built up on the cartridge, which you can see here. It is currently being dismantled. So here we have elements that need an insert, a filter insert and the steering wheel I mentioned. And here we only have the body left, so we can see the air coming in.

Because glasses. This is where the steering wheel spins, oil mist precipitates and then gets onto the steering wheel through the filter. From outside. Our customers often ask whether this cartridge can be replaced? I confirm yes. In the filters we present here and sell, all cartridges are inserted and will be replaced with replaceable ones.

We also have spare parts if anyone needs them. So you can buy just the glass, because it is most often damaged. This is the construction of the simplest filter. For compressed air used in installations, we recommend installing this type of filters in even the simplest vulcanization plants.

They will protect the system against the ingress of solid particles and will certainly save us a lot of money. Blocking the wear of actuators. That’s it for this episode. Feel free to ask questions and comment on our videos. Maybe some topics that concern you about the compressed air filter or any other topics related to pneumatics and pneumatics?

Because we deal with these elements and things. I also invite you from this place to subscribe to our channel and visit our knowledge base to publish our website. On this page you will find this type of filters, both basic and special versions.