As its name states, an Air Oil Separator is a vital component that is used to remove oil from compressed air and gasses. Air/ Oil Separators come in many forms and are used in many different applications.
What Is the Purpose of an Air Oil Separator? The purpose of an Air Oil Separator depends on its application. A compressor for example, depends on oil for the longevity of the motor and other mechanical components. An Air/ Oil separator removes the lubricating oil from the compressed air output before re-introducing it back into the compressor. This ensures the longevity of the compressor’s parts, as well as the cleanliness of their air on the output of a compressor.
An engine uses an Air/ Oil separator for a completely different reason. Blow-by gases from an engine need to be recirculated back into the vehicle, unfortunately oil is often picked up in these tubes and without an air/oil Separator, would make it back into the engine and cause catastrophic damage.
How Do Air Oil Separators Work?
Air/ Oil Separators can operate in a few different ways. According to www.maperformance.com, Air oil separators work by using centrifugal force to separate the oil from the compressed air. The separator contains a rotating drum that is spun at a high speed. This causes the oil and any moisture in the air to be thrown outward, away from the centre of the drum.
Another form for air/ oil separator called a ‘catch can’ operates by allowing the oil-infused air to pass through a narrow hose into a round filter, the air then exits the filter via an outlet that is at a sharp turn from the inlet.
The oil and moisture are then collected in a container at the bottom of the unit to be disposed of safely and quickly. Separating in this way is both easy and quick to dispose of allowing yourself and your staff to get to work on more important and time sensitive projects
Tiger Filtration manufacture a comprehensive range of air/oil separators, covering brands such as Gardner Denver, Hydrovane and Mattei. We offer a competitive pricing structure and typical lead times of 2-3 working days, giving our customer base the flexibility to analyse, book in, order and service their client’s systems within an exceptionally short span of time. More information can be found on our support page.
What are the benefits of air oil separators?
Contaminants such as oil in any form of machinery can have catastrophic impacts. In a combustion engine, it could cause misfires. In a spray-painting application, oil passed through the compressor could result in a ruined finish on an expensive vehicle. Air/ Oil Separators are often seen as the first line of defence for down steam equipment – that’s why the quality of compressed air consumable equipment is of vital importance!
If an air/ oil Separator is used in the recycling of oil (like a compressor for example), using a Separator can reduce the amount of oil required to maintain machinery, which could turn out to be a significant financial saving.
How can I install air oil separators?
Air oil separators can be installed in several ways, depending on the needs of the system. They can be mounted on the machinery, or they can be installed separately from the machinery. Always refer to the documentation within the packaging and make sure it is installed by a working professional with appropriate credentials.
Do I need an Air Oil separator?
Ensuring oil recirculation within a compressor is essential, and ensuring contaminants are filtered is important in most industry applications. Should you have any questions about Air Oil Separators, don’t hesitate to contact us. We would be more than happy to provide you the advice and guidance you need
