Air Compressor water separator

[Reds]

I get a lot of water in my air lines. My biggest issue is with the water that gets into my door operator cylinders. The regulators have a condensate bowl on them, which I empty daily, but I still get a lot of water in my cylinders. Last week when it was bitter cold (3?) my doors were sticking. After I warmed them up and cleaned the water out they worked fine. Can anyone recomend a water separator that I could put at my compressor outlet? I did an internet search and most of what I found was heavy artillery. And there are several different kinds of water separators. Some have filters, some use a desicant, some are refrigerated, etc. Does anyone have any experience, good or bad, with any particular make or kind of water separators? I need to separate the water out of the air and would appreciate any help I can get. Thanks in advance.

 

[washme1]

I had the same problem here in Iowa. I bought an Ingersoll Rand dryer. I have not had any problems since and I notice that when I open the drain valves on my door operators, there is very little or no water coming out. I couldn't find my invoice with the model number but I did find the amount, $1198. I recall that for some reason they gave me the next larger capacity model for the price of the smaller unit. It may have been because I waited some time for them to get one in stock and it either didn't arrive or wrong model arrived. There are two different methods of drying. I don't remember the difference other than the competitor to the IR model said the IR wouldn't work below something like 10 degrees. I bought the IR anyway because another local operator was using it successfully.

 

[washme1]

The model number for the Ingersoll Rand dryer I mentioned above is
IR Drystar DS35

 

[Reds]

Thanks for your help.

 

[Jim Caudill]

The real issue is temperature. When the air is warm it can hold a lot of moisture and regular "water traps" are not going to be effective at capturing the moisture. As the warm, moist air move through the lines it starts to cool down and release its moisture. This is the reason that a lot of dryers for compressed air systems are "refrigerated dryers" and cost about $500 to start. The other approach uses a dessicant to absorb the moisture, problem is, this always has to be re-charged by either replacement or "drying out". TP tools used to have a plumbing guide for compressed air systems that would show you how to route the cast iron compressed air line so as to cool the air and create water traps. I can get away with using a conventional condensate trap next to my compressor, because my compressor is large enough, and my demands small enough, that my air is usually room temperature when it is being consumed. What works for one guy, may not work for the next, because we don't really know your air consumption and air generation/storage capability. Try www.tptools.com and see if their info is still available.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Good point above.
This is the reason a condensate trap close to the compressor is not as good as one next to the equipment. By the equipment the air has had time to cool and release the moisture. Using an auto dump condensate drain helps as well.

However at locations where it is not practical to have the condensate drain near the equipment such as where the roller up cylinder is ousude and the condensate drain would freeze, I install an oiler inside after the valve and use automotivr antifreeze in the oiler at a minimal setting. This seems to solve the problem. It is a simple fix and a lot cheaper than a refrigerated cooler.

 

[MEP001]

Has anyone tried ethanol in an oiler? I know that cold weather truckers pour it into the air brake lines to keep them from having ice build-up.

 

[jimbeaux]

Water in airlines

I could be wrong but I seem to remember a thread on the old forum on this subject. If my memory serves me correctly some operators were running their air discharge into a coil submerged into a barrel of water to cool down the air supply and then used a water separator.