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Filters and Lubricators

Filters and Lubricators

1. Filter

Devices with 5 and 40 μm filtering are actually a combination including a centrifugal separator and a fine pre-filter.

Compressed air arriving at the supply port is initially directed downwardly and thus flows by a vortex insert which is shaped like a windwheel or a turbine wheel.

This causes the air to rotate quickly, and coarse contamination, water, and oil are thus slung onto the collecting bowl by means of centrifugal force. The air then flows through the filter cartridge, from the outside to the inside, then upwards, and finally horizontally again towards the working port.

The filter cartridges can be regenerated several times by washing them out.

All filters are equipped with a condensate drain at the bottom which allows for occasional discharging of accumulated condensate. The drain can be actuated in two ways: manually or automatically.

a. Condensate Drain

The layout of the manual condensate drain is quite simple. A drain plug is simply attached at the bottom of the collecting bowl, which can be opened to discharge accumulated condensate and then reclosed. As opposed to this, the functioning of the automatic drain requires a detailed explanation.

Condensate drips from the top down onto the protective cap, which is designed to prevent contamination or clogging of the valve, or it runs down along the inside wall of the filter bowl and accumulates in the bottom portion of the bowl.

The automatic condensate trap can also be manually actuated. The manual actuator is pushed up to this end. As a result, the internal slide with the drain seal is moved up until condensate can drain off between the drain seal and the automatic piston. After releasing the manual actuator, the return spring closes the drain.

It’s important to know that the filter bowl is under pressure during operation. This pressure passes through the valve and into the automatic piston’s internal pressure chamber, and together with the spring causes the automatic piston to move down rapidly allowing the condensate to drain off.

 

2. Lubricators

Lubricators are used to supply pneumatic consumers and other components with defined amounts of oil for lubrication purposes. Wear can be reduced in this way, and special features are supported such as low-friction and slow-motion operation of pneumatic components.

On the other hand, over-lubrication may result in negative consequences such as clogging and sticking of drives, actuators, filters, silencers, and other pneumatic components.

Generally speaking, pneumatic manufacturers now develop products that can be operated without oil. Nowadays, the air is only lubricated in exceptional cases. This is due on the one hand to economic reasons because operating costs are thus reduced, and on the other hand, it prevents oil from being discharged into the atmosphere along with exhaust air from a lubricated system in an uncontrolled fashion, and above all from being continuously inhaled by the people who work in the affected area.

a. Layout and Function

Oil is pumped from a reservoir and released into the flowing air droplet by droplet. The desired quantity of oil which is to be released into the air during a specified period of time can be selected with an adjusting screw at the top of the lubricator. A sight glass is installed within the stream of air for monitoring purposes.
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