Guidelines for a high purity compressed air filtration installation

The foundation of achieving Class 0 air quality starts with using a Class 0 oil-free air compressor. These compressors are designed to produce oil-free air, which is essential for maintaining the purity of the air throughout the filtration process.

By eliminating the risk of oil contamination, you can ensure that the air remains clean and free from oil.

A Class 0 oil-free compressor is typically used in combination with a desiccant dryer to remove moisture from the air. Moisture can carry particles and contaminants, so it's crucial to dry the air thoroughly before it enters the filtration system.

Desiccant dryers are highly effective in achieving low dew points, ensuring that the air is dry and ready for further filtration.

In the electronics industry, the afterfilter is often linked to the dryer and serves as a reference point.

However, in many other industries, this same filtration step is commonly referred to as a pre-filter. This is because it acts as a preliminary filtration step, removing larger particles before the air undergoes final filtration. This terminology highlights its role in preparing the air for the final filtration process. 

To achieve Class 0 air quality, you need to install a final filter after the afterfilter. The final filter consists of membrane technology and is designed to capture even the smallest particles, ensuring that the air is free from contaminants. This step is critical in achieving the highest level of air purity.

The choice of piping material can significantly impact the air quality. To reach Class 0 particle-free air, it is recommended to use stainless steel piping with a qualitative surface finish from the dryer onwards.

Carbon steel or galvanized piping generates too many particles themselves, making it difficult to achieve compliance with Class 0 air quality. Stainless steel piping minimizes the risk of particle generation and maintains the purity of the air.

When installing the piping, ideally use flanged connections instead of threaded connections. Threaded connections are known to be bigger particle generators, which can compromise the air quality.

Flanged connections provide a more secure and particle-free connection, ensuring that the air remains clean throughout the system.

Before putting the filtration system into operation, it's essential to clean and flush the entire installation downstream of the final filter. This removes any residual particles and contaminants that may have accumulated during the installation process. This step ensures that the system starts with a clean slate, maintaining the highest level of air purity from the beginning.

Having appropriate equipment to measure particles is crucial for maintaining clean air quality. The smaller the considered particles are, the less it is supported by measurement technologies.

Therefore, an investment in high-quality particle measurement equipment is necessary to accurately monitor the air so you can ensure it meets the required standards.