HI,
I am setting up an air compressor in my shop. I have a line on the wall going all the way around my shop with chucks every 15'. Is there a strategic way of placing an air filter in this setup to do a better job of trapping water? I've heard that there was but I'm not sure how to go about it. Maybe it was all BS and I should just put the filter right at the compressor tank............if anyone is an expert on this I'd appreciate any info. Regards. -Guy
get 4 short pipes and 4 elbows to form a [u] broken at the bottom. put your filter separater in that space. place it in a convenient spot so you can drain it easily. most of the moisture should stay in your tank at the compressor but a little more will collect in the pipe. gravity will bring it to your filter. from there i would pitch the overhead pipe up a little as it travels around the shop. thats just MHO though.
skeez
The two are separate issues, air filtration and water separation, even though both functions often are combined into one device 8^)
The best point for water collection/drying is at the lowest point in the plumbing and at the furthest point from the compressor tank where the air is the coolest (water has condensed the most). Obviously #2 is impractical since you want the outlets downstream from the dryer, but it is still best to put it as far away from the hot compressed air exiting the compressor tank as possible.
A filter can go anywhere before the first outlet that you want filtered for particles.
I have a unit that filters the air through a porous substance and dries it via centrifugal cyclone action. It has three connections, one "in" and two "out". I have it installed at the lowest point of the distribution pipe and have a quick connect on one of the "outs" with the rest of the distribution piping feeding off the other "out". Keep in mind that sometimes you will need a source of full pressure/volume airflow where you don't care about filtered/dry (think getting maximum torque from an impact wrench). Filter/dryers and long lengths of pipe have high air resistance which is counter productive to this so you might want to install one outlet directly at the compressor for use where max airflow is needed.
Since you still have to install the pipe, I'd run the line from your compressor more or less directly to the filter/dryer with no dips or other low points in the piping except for at the ends. You will need to drain water at both the filter/dryer and your compressor tank. Next connect your distribution trunk line to the filter/dryer such that it slopes back towards the unit at about 1/8" to 1/4" per foot. If it slopes the other way you will need some drain mechanism at the low end of the distribution trunk line.
-Bruce
Hello Guy...
Congratulations on your air compressor setup project. It will provide you with a handy and efficient means to perform many task. My compressor is on the first floor and my shop is on the second. The filter I installed is between the compressor and the first nozzle. I also installed a trap with a drain plug (similar to your kitchen sink) before the first nozzle.
Works like a champ...(But always lubricate your pnumatic tools as recommeded by the manufacturer) A lil oil will make a world of difference.
Growing Trees Takes Time...So should woodworking...
TJB
I have a small finned radiator that is supposed to be good for a couple hundred PSI and I was thinking about putting that right before my water trap. Any thoughts?
BTW this piping thing got pretty expensive. I am well over $100 in galvanized pipe, fittings and such. Sure hope they were right about not using PVC ;-)
Do not use galvanized pipe for air, black is the ticket. We have many hundreds of feet of air line, some up to 3" dia., and an air compressor capable of 200+ cfm @ 150 psi. Rust is not a problem, the galvanizing flaking off and getting into the works is something you want to avoid. Some other things others have not mentioned, when taking air off a line use a tee pointed up and a street ell to put your female coupler on. At the end of the line, put a tee (if taking air, pointed up and down-up for air, down for condensate) or elbow pointed down with a drop of about 2 feet and a ball valve at the end to drain condensate. As others have stated, all pipe should pitch slightly back to the tank.
Steve
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