Why Compressed Air Filter Maintenance Is Necessary

Compressed air is an important utility in an industrial setting. It is imperative to ensure that compressed air is delivered consistently and efficiently at high quality. Air compressor filters filter out contaminants like solid particulates, water vapor, and oil vapor. They will eventually fill up over time, requiring service.

Air compressor filters are among the most effective ways to ensure high-quality, efficient compressed air delivery, filtering out contaminants like solid particulates, water vapor and oil vapor. As with any other type of filter, air compressor filters will fill up over time, eventually requiring service and replacement. Here, we will examine exactly why it is so important to remain current with your air compressor filter cleaning and maintenance schedule and what may occur if you do not.

Why You Should Maintain Your Compressed Air Filter

There are numerous reasons to maintain, clean and replace your compressed air filters regularly. The most important ones include:

Keep equipment operating at peak efficiency: As compressed air filters trap contaminants and particles, the flow of air through the filter becomes more and more impeded, eventually resulting in a significant pressure drop. This means that the air compressor must work harder to deliver the same level of pressure — or that tools and equipment will not receive the level of pressurization that they need. To prevent these scenarios and ensure that equipment continues to operate at its rated efficiency and pressurization, it is critical to monitor and service compressed air filters as needed. This might include replacement when cleaning is no longer sufficient. Compressor filters contain a pressure differential gauge that can provide you with a fast and easy way to see when efficiency is suffering.

Control costs: As mentioned above, with excessive pressure drop, compressors must work harder to deliver the necessary level of pressurization. This means that your energy costs will increase, cutting into margins and throwing budgets askew. Regular filter maintenance is one of the easiest steps you can take to keep your operating costs predictable and under control.

Keep air clean: Compressed air that contains contaminants, particulates or vapor presents several dangers and risks. In medical-grade applications, for example, compressed air will be required to meet cleanliness and purity standards to prevent contamination of lab samples, medical devices and medicines. The same applies for food-grade applications, where it is critical to keep food and beverage products free of outside contamination. Contaminated compressed air not only presents regulatory risks, but also it may cause your products to become dangerous to end-users and others who may handle them.

Prevent equipment damage: Equipment that consumes compressed air is designed to use clean, well-filtered air. Poorly filtered air that contains contaminants, vapors or particles can easily damage equipment through corrosion, mechanical damage or oil damage, to name just a few. When compressed air is used for applications such as cleaning equipment or products, damage may also occur in these cases if the air is not properly filtered. You are then likely to experience unplanned downtime and incur additional unexpected costs, which can easily be avoided by adhering to good air compressor maintenance practices.