Air preparation teams
Compressed air treatment
Pneumatic devices that are gaining more and more popularity on the market need an appropriate power source. This can be ensured by a properly selected air preparation team. Why do we need them? All because of the polluted air that our compressors and compressors produce. In order to avoid unpleasant situations related to various types of breakdowns and faults, we should choose the appropriate air preparation block for our device. Today's market gives us a very wide selection of compressed air treatment plants, which guarantee proper air preparation. Hence, it should be properly thought out. So that its parameters match, among others to the devices in which we will use it and does not generate additional costs. In addition, it must meet all standards related to health and safety at work. So that working with compressed air is safe not only for our devices, but also for ourselves.
What are the tasks of the compressed air preparation team?
The air generated by compressors and compressors is heavily polluted. Why? This process is influenced by two factors: external and internal. The first of them occurs when our compressor or compressor sucks air from the atmosphere along with impurities such as dust, various types of organic and inorganic particles and other harmful substances. The internal factor, on the other hand, occurs when contaminants related to its operation, such as rust, sealing particles or oil, which occurs mainly in reciprocating compressors, have arisen inside our compressed air preparation station. Apart from cleaning, the air must also be properly prepared in terms of humidity and saturated with oil mist. An exception here is, there may be systems in which actuators do not require lubrication.
All these elements that we mentioned above must also meet the appropriate parameters. Otherwise, such air may be responsible, inter alia, for damage to our compressed air tools. To prevent this from happening, and our device to work reliably, we must equip the compressor or compressor with a compressed air preparation unit. It is it that is designed to prepare the air so that it can safely power the device.
What does the air preparation unit consist of?
The compressed air preparation unit consists of three elements: an air filter, a reduction valve and a lubricator, also known as an oiler. The air filter is the first element of the air preparation system. Its task is to clean the air, mainly of solid particles. The drying process also takes place there. The air reducer is the part thanks to which we can control the pressure at the outlet from the air preparation system, e.g. to a pneumatic device, which should have a constant value. This should control, among others valve, which should protect the device from pressure surges. The last element of the air preparation unit is the lubricator. Its task is to create an oil mist. It prevents the occurrence of many faults in the entire system, extends their life and reduces the possibility of corrosion. An increasingly common solution is to integrate compressed air preparation stations into at least two elements. The first is a filter-reducer that cleans and dries the compressed air, and at the same time controls its pressure. The second part is the lubricator responsible for the oil mist.
How does the air preparation system work?
The principle of operation of the compressed air preparation system is very simple. The compressor sucks air from the atmosphere, after which a special piston in the cylinder reduces its capacity, thereby increasing the air pressure. The compressed air goes to the filter, where it is cleaned of solid particles and larger oil particles by means of centrifugal force. During this phase of air preparation, water is also precipitated out, thereby drying it. Then, under an appropriately set pressure, it goes to the lubricator, which is supposed to saturate them with oil mist. The air prepared in this way can be fed to the pneumatic device.
The benefits of equipping a pneumatic device with air preparation stations
Each of us would like our tools and devices to enjoy a long service life. For this to happen, we should first of all properly use them in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and provide them with appropriate facilities for work. It is no different in the case of pneumatic devices whose primary source of power is compressed air. To maximize their quality and duration of operation, they should be supplied with air of appropriate quality, which is guaranteed by the air preparation station. It is not only about its purity, but also with oil mist enrichment. The power source prepared in this way protects our tools, among others against moisture, unwanted contamination and pressure surges. In addition, it provides adequate lubrication of moving parts, which additionally ensures that our tools are properly maintained. Thanks to this, the possibility of failure is minimized. We, on the other hand, can enjoy their long life.
The big advantage of compressed air treatment plants is their quick and easy installation. They also have many security features, which in many cases eliminate the risk of their use by unauthorized persons. Thanks to their compact design, they are very comfortable and have an aesthetic appearance. Some models also have protective covers for condensate and oil.
Compressed air preparation unit selection
The selection of a compressed air preparation station or unit is not usually important for the functioning of our devices. Due to the fact that there are many products of this type and of various designs on the market, it will be different when we need it for tools in a home garage, and different when it is used in industry. So what should we pay special attention to when choosing an air preparation unit?
Parameters and parts of the air preparation station
First of all, parameters such as the size of the connection or the range of compressed air intensity are important. It is good to choose such an air preparation kit as required by the manufacturer. Although the bigger it is, it does not adversely affect the operation of pneumatic devices. Only its operating costs are higher. When selecting a compressed air preparation block in more advanced systems, it is also worth paying attention to the sequence of individual parts in the block. The first should be an air filter, then a pressure reducer and finally a lubricator. In less advanced systems, you can meet the elements of the filter - reducer, which combines the elements of the air filter and the reduction valve. It can be used when we want to reduce the costs of our station and its dimensions.
We should pay a lot of attention to the material from which the station we want to buy is built. Does it meet all basic standards. Our safety depends on it. If we need a compressed air treatment unit for more advanced units, then we can select elements with a higher level of safety. They have a much stronger structure and tear-resistant materials.
Types of valves and reducers
The drain valve is also important. There are several types of them: automatic, semi-automatic and manual. The semi-automatic valve requires frequent venting, and the manual valve, despite the use of various safeguards, may be inappropriately used by unauthorized persons. Therefore, when choosing this solution, we should carefully pay attention to what locks it has. Taking into account all these elements, an automatic valve seems to be the optimal solution. However, we must remember that then we do not have such a great influence on its regulation as in the case of manual or semi-automatic valves.
When choosing a reducer, we must first of all pay attention to its security. Manufacturers equip them with various locks and safety handles that protect them from sliding out or turning. In addition, such protection means that the parameter settings will not be changed without our knowledge.
Compressed air purity class
The purity class of compressed air plays a key role as a source of energy for pneumatic devices. Hence, it is important to us how our air tools will be powered with clean compressed air. This is because their functioning and whether they will not be exposed to various types of faults depends on it. When choosing an air preparation station, we must familiarize ourselves with the information about the air class that should be delivered to our device. Thanks to this, it will be able to efficiently supply our tools with which we will work. This standard will be different for each device. It is usually provided by the manufacturer of the product we have purchased. Compressed air quality standards are defined in ISO 8573-1: 2010 and usually it is class 3 purity. We will also find there, among others the maximum allowable level of pollutants for each class.
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