Air filter for the compressor with their own hands

What is a device and what is it used for?

Natural air is always known to contain some amount of water vapor.

The solubility of steam increases with the temperature of the air, that is, the warmer it is, the more humid it can be.

The moisture separator is a device that significantly reduces the moisture in the air passing through it.

Up to 90% efficiency of modern industrial designs.

Method four

The following algorithm can be used for home production of a filtration device:

  • Take an iron box of the right size.
  • Make a lot of small holes in it, there is no need to drill the bottom
  • Making a fixing for the lid. In a rectangular box, the lid can be screwed on.
  • Cut an oval hole in the bottom, corresponding to the hole on the carburetor.
  • Let’s take a grid, cut it to the necessary dimensions and stack it on the bottom of the box.
  • We take the sponge, adjust it to the necessary dimensions, then soak it in special oil for about 1.5 hours.
  • Remove the rubber gasket from the old filter, install it on the carburetor, and attach our box on top.
  • Put a sponge on top of the gauze in the box and wring it out.
  • We close the lid of the box and fasten.
  • On the top of the box of our self-made filtering device put on a simple woman’s stocking, it should not touch the carburetor.

Controlling the humidity

Self-made structures of the air dryer is different in the absence of a device for monitoring the humidity level in the room, which can create certain difficulties in its operation. Production models have built-in sensors which display humidity and temperature values on the screen.

If you use a home-built dehumidifier, the usual thermometer is used to measure the temperature. It is advisable to buy a hygrometer to reconcile the level of humidity.

It can be either digital or dial type. Any suitable model can be purchased in a specialized store. In addition, such a function can be installed on modern gadgets: computers, tablets, smartphones.

How to make a moisture separator for the compressor with your own hands

Moisture separator for compressor is a device intended for separating oil elements from incoming air. The device is a quality filtration system. Such tool is widely used in machine shops, as well as in various production shops, where the employees have to perform large amounts of various operations.

Water separator for a compressor is a quality filter. Thanks to it it is possible to create optimal conditions for the operation of equipment. The mechanism also cleans the air that comes from the pneumatic pump. Nowadays in the design of dampers there is an oil or panel filter. It is necessary for the preparation of the gas mixture. After a complete cleaning, the pneumatics supply the equipment with air that has no moisture at all. Dehumidifiers are often used during the operation of the sandblaster.

The moisture separator works with the air masses before they reach the pneumatic compressor. It is necessary to know that spray guns should not be operated without such a device. Otherwise they would fail prematurely. Also the quality of paint application will be greatly reduced. The air stream is thoroughly cleaned so that the output is free of fine solid and liquid particles.

Often cyclone or vortex type device is used. Such a device is very effective in capturing the smallest water particles due to the fact that inside the design there is a swirling flow. Liquid particles settle on the inside of the housing. Clean, compressed air is then fed into the compressor. Inside the structure are installed paddles that help increase the efficiency of the device. Oil and water droplets are collected during movement. In the debugger they are condensed and then output.

The smallest fractional size that the skimmer is capable of picking up has a direct impact on the final cleaning result. Apparatuses capable of fine preparation are used for the industry. They remove particles as small as 5 μm from the air. Conventional models used in small plants are usually equipped with filters that are capable of capturing water fractions of approximately 15 microns in size.

Pay close attention to the maximum pressure to be maintained before purchasing the equipment. Often the filter for the compressor is able to work at 7 bar. The quality of the final treatment does not depend on this parameter. But it must be remembered that the moisture separator must match the compressor. The power and load appearing during transmission through the compressed air system must be compared.

There are several basic types of dehumidifiers for pneumatic equipment for industrial and consumer purposes. Before making the purchase, it is important to define the tasks that will be performed by the equipment. This will help you choose the right type of device. Basic types of devices:

The moisture-oil separator’s peculiarity is very effective cleaning of air flows from oil, water and solid impurities. Must be connected to oil compressors that handle any elements with high intensity. Modular filters are also used for larger plants. This design incorporates a moisture separator. It is a separate element, but can not work independently as a filter. Modules are controlled by a controller. It sends commands to all structural elements of the unit, not only to the moisture separator.

Different applications have different demands on the degree of purification. A paint spray gun requires filters that have a low flow rate. These requests are well met by fine cleaning equipment. In production, there are often minimal demands on the quality of filtration. In this case, attention is often paid to the maximum flow volume of the air masses. Another important factor may be a list of particles that can be caught by the filter. Often a moisture scrubber is chosen for these applications.

If your process only requires collecting excess moisture, you usually buy standard dehumidifiers. These devices cannot guarantee the filtration of the air from solid particles.

Dehumidifiers help a great deal with the operation of the pneumatic gun and compressor. With their help, you can create a stable operation of the equipment. Cyclone type filters are currently in great demand at the market. These units have several distinct advantages:

The next generation compressed air filters.

  • 1. Quite simple design, which can cope even a layman.
  • 2. Competitive pricing. Cost of such equipment is relatively low.
  • 3. Such units have a very high efficiency.
  • 4. Cyclone filters are capable of catching large condensate droplets.
  • 5. The units are easy to operate and maintain.
  • 6. Their design implies preliminary rough cleaning of the air stream.

These units are often used by small production facilities. People also buy them for domestic purposes.

It is recommended to make a homemade device according to the drawings. Moisture separator for the compressor with their own hands is often made from an old unnecessary cylinder from propane, tubes, and a fitting. The workpiece should be set up vertically in a stable position. A fitting is welded to the top (threaded connections can also be used). It is needed for the air supply. It is desirable to mount it near the edge of the cylinder. Then, it is necessary to make an inlet pipe. For this purpose, an ordinary metal tube is well suited.

Make a second hole, which must be provided with a valve. It is necessary to throw off the accumulated moisture. The hole should be placed at the bottom of the cylinder. At this stage, you need to make all the calculations, as well as make the filler. To fill the container can be used wood chips. It is important to know that it should not be stacked tightly. The circulation of air must be free.

Moisture separator with their own hands is made for use in compressors. Water and oil filtering devices from the car will be required to create. The inlet hole in the filter must be changed. This is done using a strong steel tube. In order for the operation of the finished equipment to be stable, an integrated mechanism should be used. The second hole should be as tightly closed with a threaded plug. It is advisable to use a sealant for this.

There is a small space between the body walls in the form of a ring. It should be filled with a material that adsorbs moisture. Do not forget that the adsorbent must absorb water gradually. Rubber gaskets should be used for this purpose. They are used as a space divider into several zones.

For an independent assembly of this type of device you will need a water or oil filter and silica gel. The biggest challenge during manufacturing is the correct placement of the adsorbent. Work Stages:

  • 1. Dismantle the old unwanted filter from the car into its elements.
  • 2. If the condition of the spigot is acceptable, it can be used as an air inlet.
  • 3. You should carefully inspect the filter for possible cracks or holes that can make the mechanism leaky. If these are found, they can be removed with silicone sealant.
  • 4. Assemble the filter.
  • 5. Pour the adsorbent in all the empty spaces so that no voids are left.
  • 6. It is necessary to fix the upper cover on the bolt.

Special brackets can also be welded on for convenience. They will be used as fasteners of the unit.

This is how moisture and oil separators for a compressor work. Your own hands to assemble a similar device is not so difficult. Moisture condenses under the influence of low temperatures. Such devices very qualitatively remove all liquid fractions from the air flow, which is further fed to the compressor. These devices have gained great popularity among professional car painters.

It is possible to assemble the oil-logging separator for the compressor with your own hands, using old unnecessary equipment. To separate the liquid from the air, you need only run the flow through a freezer or other refrigeration equipment. There are also some difficulties in the process of creation. First it is necessary to solve the problem with the removal of condensate from the device. For this purpose, a special fitting is usually welded to the freezer. It is also necessary to make a completely airtight housing.

To create a moisture separator yourself is a fairly simple undertaking, which does not take a lot of effort and time. But you need to try hard to make sure that the device is reliable and effectively cope with its functions. A few recommendations will help here:

  • 1. It is necessary to compare the obtained unit with the characteristics of the compressor with which it will work. These parameters should match each other. Homemade device may not be able to withstand the power of the equipment.
  • 2. Only high quality materials should be used for welding.
  • 3. Check the tubes and fittings carefully. The air flow must go through them without any obstacles.
  • 4. To create a moisture separator you need to use high quality sealants. After completing the assembly, it is desirable to check the design for tightness.

Moisture separators for pneumatic equipment are quite an effective addition. Without them, it is almost impossible to imagine the work of these units. Moisture separators are capable to filter air supplied to the compressor well.

Compressor with their own hands: Top 130 photo reviews of ready-made compressors. Step by step schematic instructions and drawings

The compressor is a handy device when carrying out repair work, painting car body parts, pumping up the wheels. However, buying it is not always advisable due to its high cost. With a variety of household tasks successfully cope and self-made compressor, which is not difficult to make.

How to make a compressor with their own hands, many home masters, car owners and even aquarists think. There are several variants of homemade structures, for the assembly of which various units and parts of cars and old household appliances are used.

Key features of the equipment

Scope of application of moisture-oil separators is wide enough, so when choosing a model, you should immediately indicate its specific goals and objectives: maintenance of cars MAZ / KAMAZ class, pneumatic tools, or other devices where high quality filtration is required.

If you take into account the pneumatic paint technology, there is no need for extended capacity. Here it is much more practical to look at equipment with fine filters. While it is good permeability that is required for production needs, and the micron index to purification takes a back seat. The latter depends on the size of fractions. Industrial variants are more logical for high quality water treatment. fine particles of the order of 5 microns are filtered out. The classical solutions in most cases are equipped with filter systems, which particle size ranges around 15 μm.

Special attention should be paid to the maintainable pressure. Separators for the medium-budget segment offer a pressure maintenance level of 7 bar. This parameter has less effect on the end result, but the filter must match the capacity of the unit, otherwise the efficiency will be markedly reduced and the labor cost will increase.

Cyclone oil separators

How it works. On entering the oil separator, the refrigerant vapours and oil droplets enter the spiral section of the machine. The flow moves in a spiral and the centrifugal force causes the oil droplets to settle on the inner wall surface of the oil separator. Oil flows through the walls to the bottom of the machine, separated from the main body with a special oil separator that prevents the re-entrainment of oil. At the bottom of the oil separator is a float mechanism with a needle valve that returns oil back to the compressor.

Read also: Which way the chuck on an electric screwdriver unscrews

The design of the oil separator and the oil separator prevents oil escaping during startup of the refrigerating compressor.

Different types of oil separators are used to separate oil from the refrigerant, the efficiency of which depends on the conditions of their use. For example, the degree of separation in the units increases as the temperature of the vapor entering the oil separator decreases. Oil separators with a filter nozzle provide a greater degree of separation with a smaller proportion of oil in the refrigerant vapor entering the unit. Bar-oil separators work at nominal separation efficiency when the bubble bed height in the apparatus is at least 0,12 m and the separated oil is continuously expelled from the apparatus.

Painting work in the garage or in the air is simplified if you use a paint sprayer that works with a compressor. The method has one significant disadvantage: the air blown by the compressor has a rather high humidity, which will adversely affect the quality of painting. A special moisture separator for the compressor is responsible for removing moisture from the air flow. Is it worth to buy it or you can make it yourself? Let’s find out!

Engineers have developed many devices to improve the parameters of the air flow coming out of the compressor. Depending on the type of pneumatic tools, environmental conditions and production needs, the number of stages of compressed air treatment is different. For example, in the first diagram a simple combination of filter regulator and lubricator is used to connect the impact wrench. For the convenience of setting the pressure, in addition used a portable regulator with a manometer.

In the second scheme, the system is more complicated. In addition to the air treatment unit (filter regulator, lubricator), it has a separator, dryer, second air receiver.

Compressed air treatment devices are of the following types according to their purpose:

Let’s look at each category in more detail.

Filtration

The air flow coming out of the compressor is usually warm, humid, contaminated with dust and compressor oil. Therefore, the first step in preparing the air mass is to remove the substances that interfere with the normal operation of the air tool and reduce its service life.

Water condensate control

Water vapor reduces the efficiency of an air system. As they leave the compressor, they cool down, causing condensation, which:

Separators, water separators, dehumidifiers

For primary removal of liquids often a cyclone separator (filter-moisture separator, moisture-oil separator) is used, or a two-stage system consisting of an air cooler and a cyclone separator. In the second case, the air flow is first cooled by a fan, and then the condensate is held by the moisture separator. They can be evacuated manually or with an automatic drain valve.

At ambient temperatures below 10°C cyclone systems lose efficiency. Besides, they do not provide deep moisture removal that compressed air dryers are capable of.

There are several types of evaporative dehumidifiers:

Diaphragm type. Contains fibre membranes that trap the particles of moisture. These are typically 5 µm (micron) filters. Their advantages include affordability, simplicity, compactness, energy independence. Main disadvantages: low operating life, low bandwidth.

Adsorption. They consist of two columns filled with alumina gel, selkagel, zeolite. Because they have the highest degree of drying, they are used in electronics, food, medicine, military, aerospace industries. Adsorption dryers are effective at temperatures below 0°C. Their main disadvantages are that they are expensive equipment, requiring considerable maintenance costs (replacement of the active ingredient).

Refrigeration. They cool the air stream so that the water vapors it contains turn into condensate, which is then removed to the outside. Refrigerated compressed air dryers are installed on pneumatic mowing lines of industrial enterprises. They are distinguished by outstanding efficiency, durability. Main disadvantages. large size, high cost.

Mechanical cleaning with filters

Particulate matter contaminants are sucked into the pneumatic system from the environment and as a result of corrosion or wear and tear on the compressor components. Coarse standard filters remove particles 40 microns and larger. Filtration of particles between 10 and 25 μm is required for high-speed pneumatic tools, troublefree operation of measuring and control equipment. Filtering ≤ 10 μm is necessary for the operation of air bearings, miniature pneumatic motors.

If you need inexpensive to buy an air filter in Minsk, look at the filter-moisture separator Forsage F-AF802. Effective at 5-60°C, removes particles up to 10 microns. It has a ¼ in. connecting thread.

Among the ¾-inch threaded filters, the Forsage F-YQF5000-06 is popular. It guarantees a fine filtration of 5 microns and a throughput of up to 8,500 l/min.

Paint spraying or breathing mixtures require particles smaller than 1 micron to be removed. Filter-coaliters are used for detention of such fine particles.

It is not recommended to perform finer filtration than necessary, because ultrafine filters get dirty quickly and block the pneumatic circuit. As a last resort, a coarse strainer should be installed upstream of the ultrafine filter.

Oil separators

Oil from the compressor is considered a contaminant. It has lost its lubricating power, so it must be filtered. Oil is present in the air mass in three forms:

Standard air and oil filters remove emulsions but cannot cope with aerosols, because in this case we are talking about oil particles between 0.01 and 1 micron in size. In this case, only the ultra-thin filter-coaliters mentioned above can help.

As for oil vapor, the amount of vapor is usually negligible and does not affect the operation of pneumatic equipment. These vapors are removed only during food processing, medication, and breathing air applications.

Adjustment

Each pneumatic tool has its optimal working pressure, and exceeding the pressure does not improve performance, but increases wear and tear of parts. Compressed air pressure should be reduced to the level recommended in the instruction manual. Generally, the receiver pressure of the compressor is about 20% higher than the pressure used by the pneumatic tool. This difference guarantees the cyclic operation of the compressor.

Pressure regulators

These devices help set a constant outlet pressure (regardless of the inlet value) and control the flow rate (maintain a constant outlet pressure regardless of the flow rate). The accuracy of adjustment depends on the type and cost of the specific device.

Four types of pressure regulators are common:

Most general-purpose regulators are of the diaphragm type. Piston-type units are used when high flow rates are required without increasing the size of the unit.

Inexpensive models of Forsage F-2381 pressure regulators are in great demand among customers in Minsk. Rock FORCE RF-704214.

Indirect-acting automatic regulators are usually remote-controlled. Fast response time, high accuracy. These devices are used where a large, continuous and stable air flow is required.

filter, compressor, their, hands

High-precision regulators react quickly to even the smallest changes in pressure. They provide high control accuracy and constant, stable outlet pressure regardless of inlet pressure fluctuations or air consumption of the pneumatic system.

Special-purpose regulators can be of any of the above types, but are atypical in design. There are for example models with stainless steel housings, with a lever instead of a valve, etc.д.

Filter-regulators

Manufacturers often combine filters and regulators in a single compact unit. This saves space and reduces costs. Combined units purify and regulate the air flow at the same time.

Several popular models. The Forsage F-AFR802 is a compact combination of a 10 micron filter/water separator, a manually operated control valve and a mechanical manometer. ¼” connection thread.

Rock FORCE RF-702412 fits on ½” threads. This filter regulator allows up to 5 microns refinement and a flow rate of 2800 lpm.

Gauges

These gauges measure pressure in your compressed air system. These come in digital and mechanical gauges and are commonly used in conjunction with regulators.

Forsage F-SDG-100 and Rock FORCE RF-SDG-100 digital pressure gauges are on the top of the market. They stand out from the competition due to their shock resistant rubberized case and readable LCD.

Spraying or adding lubricating oil

The next important step in the preparation of compressed air is the introduction of oil lubrication to protect the pneumatic tool from wear and tear. However, adding oil to the air stream is not always necessary. It is contraindicated in spraying liquids, applying surface coatings, inflating tires, blowing parts, cleaning surfaces, sandblasting. Thus airbrush guns, spray guns, sandblasters and other rotating or reciprocating tools do not require lubrication, but nutrunners, hammers, scissors, engravers, grinders and other reciprocating tools do.

Aerosol lubricators (oil sprays) are used to atomize oil. They can be portable and stationary. Portable oilers are installed directly at the tool inlet.

Stationary oil nozzles are integrated into the pneumatic pipeline at some distance or are combined with filters and regulators into a single air preparation unit (modular groups with indicator).

For example, the stationary lubricators Rock FORCE RF-705214 and RF-705412 with connecting thread of 1,4 and 1,2 inch, respectively, are in high demand among professionals.

Modular groups with an indicator are often used as a paint air preparation unit. Examples are Forsage F-AFRL802 and Rock FORCE RF-7004012. They include a filter with regulator and atomizer in one package.

Protection

Pneumatic systems must be equipped with safety devices to protect against overpressure. The nominal working pressure of pneumatic system components is usually lower than that of the compressor. If for any reason the regulators are not able to maintain safe working pressure, the components behind them will quickly wear out and fail. In this case the most common form of protection is a safety valve. It keeps the pressure in the system at a constant level, which is usually somewhat lower than the safety level.

Safety relief valves

Relief valves should be triggered if the pressure in the system exceeds the working pressure, so they are set to a value slightly higher than that of the regulators.

Soft-start valves

In some cases, care must be taken to ensure a soft start. Start-up stress causes unnecessary wear of moving parts of pneumatic equipment. Soft-start valves prevent these problems.

They let air from the compressor to the pneumatic system gradually, with a controlled rate of pressure build-up. These devices are expensive, so it is more economical to install them close to the equipment they are designed to protect than to install a large valve for the entire pneumatic system.

ECO air filter AU-02-14 with pressure regulator and oil gun (1/4″, 1750 l/min)

400 g unit of Chinese design cleans air compressed in the compressor from various mechanical impurities larger than 20 microns. The capacity of the device in normal operating conditions. 1750 l/min. For the efficient operation of the device, an acceptable temperature is.5°C up to 60°C.

filter, compressor, their, hands

Air filter ECO AU-02-14 with pressure regulator and lubricator (1/4″, 1750 l/min)

To paint sprayer air is supplied not only clean but also enriched with oil through the built-in atomizer-lubricator. The last one in the device ECO AU-02-14 has an autonomous design. It is an oil reservoir with metal casing, which is put on the input part of pneumatic equipment and fastened by threaded joints 1/4″. Structurally the atomizer is placed after the filter where the drying process. separation of humidity from the air takes place. Manufacturer’s recommended oil type: ISO VG 32.

One of the most important parameters for any type of compressor is working pressure. With the Chinese ECO AU-02-14 filter, the air compression level does not need to be maintained manually by observing the pressure gauge readings. This function in the device is performed by the automation unit. pressure regulator. it can be pressurized in the compressor with ECO AU-02-14 air filter: maximal value is 15 atm, optimal working pressure is up to 10 atm.

Connecting thread size 1/4 inch
Working pressure Up to 9.5 atm
MAX pressure 15 atm
Ambient temperature From.5°C to 60°C
Filter material Brass
Capacity 1750 l of air per minute
Filtration rate 20 microns
Lubricator oil ISO VG 32