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Practice personnel / technicians
Description of function
8. Description of function of the compressor
1
Compressors without a membrane dryer (Light models):
The compressor power unit sucks in air from the outside through
the air intake filter (1). The air is compressed in an oil-free
compression chamber (2), then passes through a delivery hose (3)
and is forced through the non-return valve (4) into the pressure
tank (5). The air flow is regulated by a valve plate that allows air
flow in one direction only.
Compressors with a membrane dryer:
The compressor power unit sucks in air through the air intake
filter (1). The air is compressed in an oil-free compression chamber
(2), then is forced through the cooler (6) which cools down the
compressed air and thus forms condensate water.
The condensate is trapped by a 5 mµ filter (7) located below the
cooler. A second 0,01 mµ filter (8) blocks further water droplets
to ensure high quality, clean air. This double filtration system
has a semi-automatic drain system that empties the small filters
receivers everytime pressure is discharged.
The clean compressed air then passes through the membrane
dryer (9) where residual humidity is removed and the compressed
air reaches an average dew point value of -35°C (at 7 bar). Dry,
compressed air is delivered to the air receiver through a hose that
connects the dryer to the non-return valve (5).
The entire system is controlled by the pressure switch (10)
that regulates the ON/OFF mode of the unit. Every time the
compressors reaches the cut out pressure, it switches off and
residual compressed air in the delivery pipe system is vented out
by a solenoid valve (for compressors without air dryer) or by the
membrane dryer (9) - for compressors with air dryer.
9. Description of the function of the membrane dryer
2
Filtered air enters the membrane dryer and water droplets are
collected on the membrane fibres. While the dried air is delivered
to the receiver, a small amount of this dried air is purged back
through the membrane to sweep away the water droplets around
the fibers. The moisture is then delivered to the outside through
the rinsing nozzles of the membrane dryer. Since this purge
cycle is continuous, the membrane dryer can operate without
interruptions or efficiency reduction.
Membrane dryers do not require any maintenance because there is
no water adsorption or adsorbing material.
Periodical maintenance needs to be performed on the double
filtration system (0,5 µm, 0,01 µm) before the membrane dryer.
Filters cartridges must be replaced once a year. Maintenance kits
are available at METASYS.
