10 December 2020
Coalescing filters – cleaning up air for demanding applications
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
The latter contains particulates as well as aerosols and, in the case of oil-injected compressors, oil vapors. These contaminants are often microscopically small but can have a damaging – and costly – impact on the sensitive equipment that uses compressed air.
Particulates, for example, are tiny pieces of solid materials, e.g. dust, dirt or small pieces of metal caused by pipe corrosion, that can damage the end product.
Aerosols are small droplets of liquid in compressed air that are created from the lubricant, such as oil, and can harm products and people if not properly removed. Vapors consist of any liquids in the compressed air system, like the lubricant, that have been converted to gas.
There are applications for which these contaminants do not matter a lot. For example, they are not a major problem when you use compressed air to inflate a tire.
Watch this video to know more about the next generation of filtration solutions
Coalescing filters are a must for high-quality compressed air
The amount and type of filters depends on the application and the quality of air.
One effective way to remove aerosols and particulates is the installation of a coalescing filter. These filters produce cleaner and dryer compressed air by bringing small droplets of liquid together in order to form larger droplets. As these droplets increase in size, they fall from the filter and are caught in a moisture trap.
Caution: Not all filters remove all contaminants. For example, coalescing filters are not effective in getting rid of vapors. For removing particulates and aerosols, however, they are often the right choice – especially the innovative UD+ coalescing filter from Atlas Copco.
UD+: two-in-one
This new system combines two filtration steps offered by Atlas Copco’s DD+ and PD+ filters into a single unique technology. Thanks to its design and the media used, a UD+ filter achieves an air purity that is equal to that obtained by the two conventional filters in line. But it not only meets the air quality standards of many applications, it also saves money.
The unique Nautilus filter technology has a pressure drop that is 40% lower than that of a conventional filter line combination, which in turn results in 40% higher energy efficiency.
And, because two filtration concepts are combined in one filter, it reduces the required installation space, which makes UD+ oil coalescing filters ideal for applications in tight spaces.
Ask an air system professional about the best solution for your needs.
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