Why should I change mycompressed air filterelement?

ENGINEERING YOUR SUCCESS.

aerospaceclimate controlelectromechanicalfiltrationfluid & gas handlinghydraulicspneumaticsprocess controlsealing & shielding

mb air systems ltd

Parker domnick hunter specialises in purification and separation technologies wherecompressed air and gas purity, product quality, technological excellence and globalsupport are paramount. It designs and manufactures compressed air treatmentproducts, gas generators and ancillary equipment for many key industries where easeof integration, low cost of ownership and energy savings can make a real difference.

Parker domnick hunter compressed air filters can offer significant energy cost savingsprovided that the filters elements are regularly maintained to guarantee the air quality.

Filtration, purification and separation is our businessParker domnick hunter is a world leader in the filtration,purification and separation of compressed air and gases.

Introduction

Maintaining Your Air QualityCompressed air is an essential power source used bymodern industry. Commonly regarded as the 4thutility after Electricity, Gas & Water, compressed air isunique as it is generated on-site rather than deliveredby a service provider. This powerful utility however isnot without it’s problems. The efficiency of thecompressed air system as well as the quality of endproducts can be affected by contamination in the air.Contamination comes from various sources and inmany forms and unlike utilities supplied by a serviceprovider, the quality of compressed air and the costsassociated with its generation are solely in the handsof the user. As compressed air is generated on-site,the level of contamination removal provided isusually governed by the financial constraints of theuser.

Today, many manufacturers offer products for thefiltration and purification of contaminatedcompressed air, with products often being selectedbased only on their initial purchase cost, with little orno regard for the air quality they provide or the costof operation throughout their life.

Compressed air purification equipment is vital forthe removal of system contamination, therefore whenpurchasing this type of equipment, air quality, energyefficiency & lifetime costs must always be considered.

Once installed, compressed air purificationequipment must be regularly maintained to ensurethat it is delivering the required air quality andoperational costs are kept to a minimum. Therefore it is essential that the manufacturers recommendedmaintenance instructions are adhered to and theassociated costs are factored into the annualmaintenance budget for the production plant.

Having already identified the cost to your business of contaminated compressed air and the consequentneed for high quality purification equipment, whycompromise your air quality by not changing yourfilter element?

mb air systems ltd

mb air systems ltd

Compressed air purificationA solution for every contaminant.

Coalescing filtersCoalescing filters are probably the single mostimportant items of purification equipment in acompressed air system. They are designed to notonly remove aerosols (droplets) of oil and waterusing mechanical filtration techniques, but also toremove solid particulate to very low levels (as smallas 0.01 micron in size). Installed in pairs, the firstfilter is a ‘general purpose filter’ which protects thesecond ‘high efficiency filter’ from bulkcontamination. The dual filter installation from Parker domnick hunter ensures a continuoussupply of high quality compressed air with theadditional benefits of low operational costs andminimal maintenance.

Adsorption (Activated Carbon) filtersOil vapour is oil in a gaseous form and will passthrough a coalescing filter just as easily as thecompressed air. Therefore, oil vapour removal filtersmust be employed as these provide a large bed ofactivated carbon adsorbent for the effective removalof oil vapour, providing the ultimate protectionagainst oil contamination.

Dust removal filtersDust removal filters are used for the removal of dryparticulates. They provide identical particulateremoval performance to the equivalent coalescingfilter and use the same mechanical filtrationtechniques to provide up to 99.9999% particleremoval efficiency.

Contamination Removal

Purification EquipmentTechnologies

WaterAerosols

AtmosphericDirt & SolidParticulate

Micro-organisms

Oil VapourLiquid Oil & Oil Aerosols

Rust &Pipescale

Coalescing Filters • • • • •Adsorption Filters •Dust Removal Filters • • •

mb air systems ltd

Maintaining air quality and energyefficiency through regular maintenance

‘Why should I change my filter element?’To achieve the stringent air quality levels required by both modern manufacturing industry and ISO 8573-1 : 2001 the international standard forcompressed air quality, highly specialised filtrationmaterials are employed in the construction of filterelements, which have both a finite capacity and life to retain contamination. It is important to rememberthat when the filter life has expired, the required airquality can no longer be maintained.

Filters are installed to provide contaminant removal to a specific air quality requirement, therefore theprimary reason to change filter elements shouldalways be to maintain air quality and they shouldtherefore be replaced every 12 months.

Many filter housings are fittedwith so called "DifferentialPressure Gauges". Generally, theseare indicators and not precisegauges which offer no level ofcalibration or accuracy. Typicallythese will show an area of greenand red, indicating that if theneedle is in the green,the element

does not require changing.Differential pressure gauges areneither filter service indicators norair quality indicators; they simplymeasure differential pressure andoffer an indication only ofpremature blockage.

During operation, the depth filtermedia used in coalescing and dustremoval filter elements isconstantly bombarded by highvelocity dirt particles whilst alsobeing under extremes of pressure,temperature, and a pulsing airdemand. Coalescing filters alsohave to contend with beingattacked by acidic condensate,which can be anything from hotwater to oil and chemical additivesfrom compressor lubricants.

If the filtration media becomesdamaged, the required air qualitycan no longer be maintained orguaranteed.

Even a hole the size of a pin-pointcan result in the filter mediarupturing. Additionally, large

pressure differentials or “pressurespikes” can also rupture filterelements in an instant, allowing all the contamination to be carriedpast the filter and into thecompressed air system.

If this should happen, the needleon the gauge would alwaysindicate in the green area and theelement would never be serviceduntil the user eventually detectedcontamination downstream.

By this time, it is too late and onceintroduced into the system,contamination is very difficult toremove and may often requirespecialist cleaning of piping andpneumatic equipment before thecompressed air system can beoperated again.

‘My filter is fitted with a differential pressure gauge and theneedle is in the green - why should I change my element?’

What factors reduce filter performance?

A pin point size hole here will rupturean elements media.

mb air systems ltd

A balance between risk and costUltimately the filter element should be replaced as previously stated based upon maintaining airquality. Consideration must also be given to systempressure losses (and therefore operating costs) as the cost of a replacement element is oftensignificantly lower than the energy cost associatedwith operating with higher differential pressures.

Often the users emphasis is on the cost ofmaintenance and replacement parts when in realitythese cost are insignificant to those associated withproduct spoilage should a filter element fail. Whatseems like a cost saving in the short term can turnout to be a costly mistake.

• High quality compressed air - Guaranteed

• Protection of adsorption dryer beds

• Protection of downstream equipment, personnel and processes

• Reduced operational costs

• Increased productivity & profitability

• Continued peace of mind

‘What are the consequencesof not changing filter elements?’What seems like a cost saving in the short term can turn out to be a very costly mistake.Having identified a contamination problem in the compressed air system and the need for purification equipment, what would be the cost to your business of poor air quality?

‘Are adsorption filters affected in the same way?’Adsorption filters, often known as AC or activated carbon filterswork differently to coalescing and dust removal filters. These utilisea bed of activated carbon to remove oil vapours (gaseous oil) fromthe compressed air. Activated carbon has a fixed capacity to adsorboil vapour and once this is used up, AC elements must be replaced.Smaller, in-line style AC filters are often used and are matched to thesystem flow rate and pipe connections. The inlet concentration of oilvapour, the presence of liquid oil as well as the temperature,pressure and dewpoint the air all effect the life of the AC elementand in-line AC elements require frequent changes throughout theyear to provide technically oil free compressed air. Grade AC filters must always be preceded by high efficiency coalescing filters to provide maximum protection and service life.

(continued)

• Damaged adsorption dryer beds requiring unplanneddesiccant changes

• Corrosion within the compressed air storage anddistribution system

• Blocked / frozen valves, air motors and pneumatic tools

• Damaged machinery causing increased productiondowntime

• Contamination exhausting from valves and cylindersleading to unhealthy working environments, risk ofpersonal injury, staff absences and personal injury claims

• Inefficient production processes leading to increased manufacturing costs

• Spoiled, damaged and re-worked products

What are the benefits of regularly changing filter elements?

mb air systems ltd

Are all compressed air filters and dryers the same?Compressed air purification equipment is essential to all modern production facilities. It must deliveruncompromising performance and reliability whilstproviding the right balance of air quality with the lowestcost of operation. Many manufacturers offer products for the filtration and purification of contaminatedcompressed air, which are often selected only upon their

initial purchase cost, with little or no regard for the airquality they provide, the cost of operation throughouttheir life or their environmental impact. When selectingpurification equipment, the required air quality, theoverall cost of ownership and the equipment’senvironmental impact must always be considered.

Air QualityParker domnick hunter has beeninstrumental in the development of both ISO 8573 and ISO 12500, the international standards forcompressed air quality and

Energy EfficiencyIn these times of increasing energycosts, an efficient and cost effectivemanufacturing process is a majorfactor in maintaining the profitabilityand growth of your business. AllParker domnick hunter products are

designed to not only minimise theuse of compressed air and electricityin their operation, but also tosignificantly reduce the operationalcosts of the compressor by minimisingpressure loss.

Low Lifetime CostsEquipment with a low purchase costmay turn out to be a poor investmentin the long term. By guaranteeing airquality and ensuring energyconsumption is kept to a minimum,

Parker domnick hunter purificationproducts can reduce the total cost ofownership and help improveprofitability through improvedmanufacturing efficiencies.

The Parker domnick hunter design philosophy

Parker domnick hunter has beensupplying industry with highefficiency filtration and purificationproducts since 1963. Our philosophy“Designed for Air Quality & Energy

Efficiency” ensures products that notonly provide the user with clean, highquality compressed air, but also withlow lifetime costs and reduced carbondioxide (CO2) emissions.

Reduced CO2 EmissionsMany countries worldwide are lookingclosely at their manufacturingindustries in an effort to reduce theamount of harmful greenhouse gasesreleased into the atmosphere. The useof electricity has a direct impact on

the generation and release of CO2.By significantly reducing the energyconsumption of its products, Parkerdomnick hunter can help you toreduce your carbon footprint andprotect the environment.

compressed air filter testingrespectively. All Parker domnickhunter products are designed toprovide air quality in accordancewith ISO 8573-1:2001, the latestrevision of this air quality standard.

mb air systems ltd

mb air systems ltdCompany Directory:

149 Glasgow Road Wellheads Road Wishaw Farburn Industrial Estate Lanarkshire Dyce, Aberdeen ML2 7QJ AB21 7HG Tel 01698 355711 Tel 01224 723434 Fax 01698 359299 Fax 01224 723545 Fleming Close 8 Burford Way Segensworth East Boldon Business Park Fareham Boldon Hampshire Tyne & Wear PO15 5SB NE35 9PZ Tel 01489 588398 Tel 0191 519 5500 Fax 01489 588381 Fax 0191 537 1105

E-mail sales@mbairsystems.co.ukwww.mbairsystems.co.uk

www.airwinch.co.uk

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