During a recent Audit at a Glass manufacturing facility. AirAudit engineers found condensate and oil all flowing from a manual drain installed on main line. Why? because there was no DRYER installed. Watch Below:
Moisture is Damaging
Moisture in compressed air used in a manufacturing plant causes problems in the operation of pneumatic systems, solenoid valves and air motors and can adversely affect the process or product being manufactured. For many years, problems from moisture in compressed air lines were simply tolerated as unavoidable. Moisture:
- Causes rust and increased wear of moving parts in production equipment as it washes away lubrication
- Can adversely affect the color, adherence, and finish of paint applied by compressed air
- Can jeopardize process industries where many operations are dependent upon the proper functioning of pneumatic controls. The malfunctioning of these controls due to rust, scale, and clogged orifices can result in damage to product or in costly shutdowns
- Can freeze in control lines in cold weather, which may cause faulty operation of controls
- Causes corrosion of air or gas operated instruments, giving false readings, interrupting or shutting down plant processes.
Cause and Effect of Compressor Oil in the Air Lines
Compressor oil in the air lines is not good because it indicates that you have a developing problem with your air compressor pump, and it also isn’t good to have compressor oil in the air lines because the oil that lubricates the air compressor pump is not a suitable lubricating oil for other compressed air equipment, including your air tools.
The compressor oil in the air lines will migrate down the lines to all your air using equipment. Depending on what the parts inside the air tools are made of the air compressor oil may interact with them, making seals brittle, or swelling them to the point where the tool may not work properly.
Having compressor oil in the air lines is even more of a problem if the compressed air is flowing through an air filter or lubricator and then on to a high-cycling air valve, many of which may contain plastic components and all of which will likely react negatively to the additives in the compressor lubricating oil.
That’s Why Compressed Air Systems Do Need Dryer!
All atmospheric air contains some water vapor, which will begin to condense into liquid water in the compressed air or gas system when the air or gas cools past the saturation point, i.e., the point where it can hold no more water vapor. The temperature at which this happens is known as the dew point. This dew point becomes all-important in determining how much compressed air drying is needed.
About Author
Imtiaz Ali Rastgar is an entrepreneur and is founder and chair of Rastgar Group. A manufacturing specialist and a consultant for marketing and exports. He is one of the best-known entrepreneurs of engineering sector in Pakistan.
