June 2020

evaporation of substances like paints and solvents. Oil levels in the atmosphere may be very low, but once the air is taken into the system and compressed they become much more concentrated. The same can be said for water vapour and anything else suspended in the ambient air. It means that even if you use an oil- free compressor, you will need purification systems to remove oil and other contaminants from the compressed air it produces. Or to put it another way, with the right purification system you can use an oil-flooded compressor to supply oil-free compressed air. Most industrial screw compressors use oil for lubrication and cooling. Mark Whitmore, general manager at BOGE Compressors, says that BOGE offers a wide range of both oil- flooded and oil-free compressors, giving buyers a choice of approaches. He explains: “Oil and other hydrocarbons in the compressed air they produce can be turned into carbon dioxide and water by BOGE oil converters, branded as ‘converter bluekat’. In this way, Class O oil-free compressed air – complying with standard ISO 8573-1 – can be delivered without the need for an oil-free compressor.” Whitmore adds that by combining BOGE oil- flooded compressors and oil converters it is more affordable than buying and operating oil- free compressors or conventional treatment systems: “What’s more, it provides a reliably pure compressed air supply, regardless of the intake air quality. A further bonus is that there is no need to dispose of a contaminated condensate.” A complete cleaning system Oil converters may be supplemented with some or all of the following treatment methods to create a complete system: Water separators – to remove bulk quantities of condensed water and liquid oil Coalescing filters – to extract water or oil which has formed an aerosol of small droplets Drying systems – to reduce air humidity by use of refrigeration, pressure-over-generation, membrane or adsorption (desiccant) dryers Dust removal filters – to capture dry particulates and other solid materials Sterile air filters – to ensure absolute removal of any remaining particles and microbes Routine maintenance – to clean and sterilise all piping between the sterile filter and the application For brewers, like anyone in the food and beverage sector, protecting consumer and employee health is paramount. Further incentives for using compressed air with care are provided by the wider financial considerations around contamination. Aside from their effects on people, products and business, contaminants can also damage expensive machinery. With the right specification and advice, compressed air systems run more economically, effectively and profitably, as well as cleanly. For further information please visit: https://uk.boge.com/en 24 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co .uk May 2020 Process, Controls & Plant Focus on: Compressed Air THE ULTIMATE IN FILTRATION PERFORMANCE With energy ef昀ciency and low total cost of ownership at the forefront of the design, the Alpha Series of market leading compressed air and gas 昀lters now features an extended range for improved sizing. Available in Water Separators, Coalescing and Particulate Filters with operating pressures up to 20.7barg (300psig), NEW Silicone Free Filters, as well as Medical Sterile and Medical Vacuum Filters, our Alpha 昀lters can also be adapted to provide custom solutions to meet your speci昀c product and brand requirements. Contact Walker Filtration to 昀nd out more about the features and bene昀ts of the Alpha Series, and the new additions to the range for 2020. Email : sales@walker昀ltration.com Call: +44(0)191 417 7816 www.walker昀ltration.com