Understanding the industry’s air quality standards

To ensure that a food and beverage production facility is operated safely, and that all of the equipment is protected, it is crucial that the compressed air meets the relevant quality standards. The most important of them is ISO 8573-1 (ed. 2010). This internationally recognized air quality standard is divided into air quality classes for the three main types of contaminants (moisture, oil and particles).
ISO 8573-1 serves as a guide that will help operators determine how clean their air has to be. Essentially, it defines how many contaminants the air may contain at a specific point in the compressed air system.
It is possible that the air does not have to be of a high quality in one place (e.g. to convey powdered milk from storage to production lines) but then has to be treated so that it can meet a much higher standard later in the process.
That is why it is important for factory operators to know the ISO 8573-1 class for their application. As you can see in the chart below, the class requiring the highest air quality is Class 0. In this case, there are no specified contamination levels and no specific pressure dew points but they have to be below those of Class 1.

Class	Solid Particle Maximum number of particles per m2			Water Pressure Dew point ( °c)	Oil (incl. Vapor mg/m³)
Class	0.1-0.5 Micron	0.5-0.1 Micron	1.0-5 Micron	Water Pressure Dew point ( °c)	Oil (incl. Vapor mg/m³)
0	As specified by the equipment user or supplier and more stringent than class 1
1	≤ 20,000	≤ 400	≤ 10	≤ -70(-94F)	≤ 0.01
2	≤ 400,000	≤ 600	≤ 100	≤ -40(-40F)	≤ 0.1
3	Not Specified	≤ 90,00	≤ 1,000	≤ -20(-4F)	≤ 1
4	Not Specified	Not Specified	≤ 10,000	≤ +3(38F)	≤ 5
5	Not Specified	Not Specified	≤ 100,000	≤ +7(45F)	NA
6	Not Specified	Not Specified	Not Specified	≤ +10(50F)	NA

It should also be noted that some applications may call for different air quality classes for the different contaminants. For example, the required air quality may be Class 1-2-2, which means it has to meet Class 1 with regard to solid particles and Class 2 with regard to oil and water.

Why foodgrade oil matters for food and beverage industry

Food-grade oil plays a vital role in maintaining the integrity and safety of compressed air in food and beverage production.

These specialized lubricants meet strict standards set by organizations like the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and NSF International. It's labeled as H1, meaning it's safe for incidental contact with food during machinery use.

For food and beverage plants, verifying the compliance of lubricants used in the compressors is essential. They need to check this with their supplier or the NSF International registry. Remember, though, while this oil is food-safe, it shouldn't directly touch food.

In accordance with regulations, direct contact between food and lubricants should be minimized whenever possible. In cases of incidental contact, the concentration of food-grade lubricants in food must not exceed 10 parts per million (10mg/kg of foodstuff) to maintain safety standards.

Atlas Copco offers a top-quality food-grade oil approved by NSF International, tailored for the food and beverage industry's needs, the Roto Synthetic Foodgrade Fluid and Roto Synthetic Foodgrade Ultra Fluid, compatible with the Atlas Copco GA - GX compressors. For the oil-free screw and tooth compressors, such as the Atlas Copco for ZR, ZT, ZA, and ZE, the Roto Z Foodgrade Oil is recommended. Atlas Copco oil-free scroll or water-injected compressors, such as the SF and AQ, remain the best solution if no oil is permitted.

But remember, while this oil is safe for accidental contact, direct contact with food isn't recommended. For machines that touch food directly, Class 0 oil-free compressors are the ideal solution for full compliance and safety in food production.

Adding value by replacing your old equipment

Saving energy is good business. This is especially true at a time of high and volatile prices, increasingly stringent regulations, and a desire to achieve greater sustainability. Food and beverage production is no exception. One way to reduce your energy consumption, and therefore your costs, is to replace your old compressed air and nitrogen equipment with more efficient models. While this requires an initial investment, you will be able to recoup those costs very quickly. That’s because air compressors, which are essential to nitrogen generation, consume a lot of energy. Fortunately, major innovations in compressor technology ensure that today’s models are much more efficient than previous machines. Take Atlas Copco’s pioneering work in variable speed drive (VSD) technology.

More than 25 years ago, the market leader developed the first compressor whose motor speed adapted to the compressed air demand. The early models reduced energy costs by up to 35% compared to fixed-speed compressors. That adds up very quickly considering that the money you spend on energy makes up about 80% of a compressor’s total cost of ownership.

Atlas Copco’s VSD^Sseries is the third generation of these ultra-efficient oil-injected screw compressors. New technological advances allow them to reduce your energy costs by 60% compared to fixed-speed compressors (as well as considerably compared to those early VSD units).

Similarly, VSD⁺ series of oil-free compressors have a smaller footprint and integrated rotary drum dryer that enables replacement without the need for extra floor space for a cleaner installation. That means you will pay a bit more for a VSD unit one time… when you purchase it initially. From that day forward, it will reduce your costs significantly. The break-even point is often reached within months, and after that, you are improving your bottom line every single day. That’s not only a great deal but also an excellent way of “future-proofing” your operation so that volatile energy prices and tougher environmental regulations of the future don’t trip up your operation.