A GUIDE TO DRYERS
Among all of the contaminants that threaten your compressed air system, moisture is the most prevalent, which is why dryers play a central role in any form of air treatment. If you are wondering “What’s the big deal, it’s just water?” then you really should keep reading. Because that water can have a devastating impact on your compressed air system itself, on your downstream equipment and, perhaps most importantly, on your end products. In other words, neglecting this aspect of compressed air treatment is a recipe for disaster.
So how does this moisture get into your compressed air in the first place?
Unfortunately, it is an inevitable byproduct of the air compression process. The reason is that our ambient air always contains moisture. Weather enthusiasts will be familiar with the term “humidity,” which indicates the concentration of water vapor in the air.
This humidity can be fairly low (even as little as 1% in extreme cases), but it is usually much higher. For example, even in some of the world’s deserts, the humidity can surpass 50% at night when the air cools down.In most places, it is much higher. During the monsoon season, for example, the average monthly humidity in Mumbai, India can exceed 90%.
In fact, we sometimes see and feel this moisture in our air in the form of fog or dew (let’s keep that last one in mind).
As the name indicates, when air is compressed, it is pressed into a more compact space. As a result, the contaminants it contains, including moisture, can also be found at a higher volume in your compressed air.
Since moisture in your compressed air is inevitable, that brings us back to the question: “What’s the big deal, it’s just water?”
Unfortunately, moisture in your compressed air can quickly turn into a very big and costly problem. In fact, it can cause multiple major problems.It all starts with your compressed air system itself, where the moisture can cause your equipment to corrode if your air is untreated (or improperly treated).
That reduces the reliability and durability of your compressed air equipment and shortens maintenance intervals.
In addition, corrosion is a problem that magnifies downstream. If, for example, rust particles from corroded pipes get into your compressed air, they can also harm the expensive equipment that uses this air.
Finally, that rust could even make it all the way into your end products and compromise their quality. But that’s not the only – or the biggest – problem your end products face from moisture in your compressed air.
When your compressed air contains too much moisture, it offers ideal conditions for microorganisms to grow, such as fungi, mold and bacteria. These living organisms thrive (i.e. multiply) in the hot and humid environments that are present in compressed air systems (which is one reason why you should try to set up your compressors in dry and cool conditions).
That’s a real problem, because these microorganisms do not just pose a danger to your compressed air system itself, but probably an even greater threat to your end products. This is especially true when these products are consumed by customers, as is the case with food, beverages or pharmaceuticals.
Important reminder: While microorganisms pose a very real threat to compressed air networks, it is important to remember that this group of contaminants does not include viruses, such as the coronavirus, which cannot survive in a compressed air system.
Let’s look at some of the many devastating (and costly) consequences the presence of fungi, mold or bacteria can have …
If you manage to catch this contamination in time, you may get away with “merely” destroying the affected products and paying for fixing your compressed air system.
If not, things will get exponentially worse quickly.For example, microorganisms in your food products or your pharmaceuticals, such as salmonella or E. coli, can cause your customers to get sick … or worse. And that is when consequences (and costs) can really spiral out of control.
In that case, your improper compressed air treatment can lead to product recalls, possibly lawsuits and a loss of reputation. All of these will be much more expensive for you than investing in the proper equipment, such as high-quality dryers.
An important tip: Microorganisms will “feed” on certain contaminants, such as oil. Therefore, filtering them out should also be part of your air treatment strategy.
Protecting your air from microorganisms also protects your team
Mold and bacteria can not only contaminate your end products but also the air where they grow, i.e. in your compressor room or further downstream.
This can be hazardous to anybody breathing that air – especially people who have respiratory problems such as asthma or lung disease. Therefore, effective air treatment also protects your employees from short-term problems and long-term illnesses.
