When to use Point Of Use Separators for Filtration of Compressed Air
Compressed air filtration domination continues using compressed air filters with membranes, removing moisture, oil particles, dirt, and debris.
Various products have entered the market in an attempt to replace pint of use filters. The compressed air is spun at a high velocity by separating the loose moisture, oil, dirt, and debris. Thus, collecting these contaminants and then having them settle and then removed.
These systems are very successful but only to a certain particle size level. Because the smaller the size, the less the mass and the more difficult to “spin” and settle out and remove.
Large separators utilizing this principle have been around for years. They are used extensively after air compressors to remove a large chunk of loose moisture. This happens before entering the air delivery system.
But eventually, the idea of smaller designs came into being to address serious moisture problems. This happens particularly at the point of use.
There are several designs on the market, and Nex Flow® offers one as well (The Nex Flow® Super Separator)
Different manufacturers have varying designs, patenting some are spinning the air to remove moisture. And some are tested to ISO 12500 to determine the maximum particle size guaranteed. Designs and sizes will vary, but the principle remains: spinning to remove moisture, debris, and oil.
However, the best guarantee we could find that such designs offer in particle size is 1 micron which may or may not be acceptable for the factory process.
For example, designing typical oil removal filters to remove particles down to 0.3 microns, so one should be dubious of claims to remove oil contamination with such separators.
When to use Point Of Use Separators for Filtration of Compressed Air
Where the units are used best where there is a very high replacement of filter (membrane) cartridges,
Because of moisture and other (larger than 1 micron) contaminants. Due to some problem in the supply or delivery of the compressed air to the point of use. And when the monitoring and maintenance cost of existing point-of-use filters becomes excessive in material cost as well as time and labor.
Nex Flow® typically recommends installing still (or maintaining any existing) filters downstream of the Super Separator.
This way, the separator will do the heavy work by removing excess moisture and more significant dirt and debris, and the other membrane filters will catch the rest.
From experience, if the downstream filters had excessive maintenance or replacement before using the separator. There should be a dramatic improvement in the life of the cartridge by a factor of about five times in most cases but around three times if the problem is primarily oil droplets.
That increased life still makes using the point-of-use separator economical in complicated compressed air delivery systems.
Some claims have circulated that these separators can sometimes replace compressed air driers. Still, that would be highly situational as driers draw out from the compressed air or cool and remove moisture that condenses.
These separators can only remove moisture suspended in the compressed air already.
Such claims depend on the reason the drier was there originally.
But regardless, such point-of-use separators can be an ideal solution to excess moisture, oil, and dirt issues in compressed air systems.
