The VIP range of coalescing and particle compressed air filters is manufactured by BEA Technologies, Milan, Italy, to exacting standards.
Construction
Manufactured in die cast aluminium or as a fabricated casing, the filters are available for flow capacities from 15 to 33 000 m³/h. The pleated multiple layered filtration media provides a surface area that is 300 to 400% greater than ordinary spiral wound cartridges and provides users with low operational pressure drops, longer service intervals, and consequently lower operating costs.
The filtration media is sandwiched between an inner and outer layer of perforated stainless steel that guarantees element and dirt holding integrity under normal operation. Elements are available in four colour-coded filter grades from 10 to 0,01 μm with an activated carbon element that provides oil removal down to 0,003 ppm.
Principle of operation
Contaminated compressed air flows through the coalescing elements from inside to outside, leaving the solid contaminants on the first internal filter layers while the subsequent layers retain and coalesce mists and aerosols down to 0,01 micron and 0,01 ppm using impact, diffusion and Brownian motion.
The coalesced liquid contaminants coagulate on the outer layers of the filter element and are captured by the anti re-entrainment (final) foam layer preventing liquid condensates from being swept back into the main air stream.
These liquids gravitate to the base of the filter element and drop into the quiet zone at the base of the filter bowl where they are ejected to the oily water waste handling system via:
* An internal float type drain.
* A timed automatic solenoid drain valve.
* A level controlled intelligent drainage system.
Manual drains are not recommended as eventually the operator will fail to drain the bowl, negating the very reason for installing high quality filtration units.
Design features
BEA Technologies has not changed the element system design in more than 12 years. The original VIP casing design, which has been imitated by many, still represents a solid design incorporating many practical features:
* Casings are offered with manifold kits - translating to reduced installation space requirements.
* Elements are retained by internal bowl wings - providing a very low bowl removal/drop height.
* A sight glass is fitted to the filter bowl - allowing better operator supervision.
* Differential pressure gauges are a Bourden tube design, colour coded, and graduated - providing all the information an operator requires.
* Electrical, potential free, differential contact gauges are available - providing a facility for an automated alarm system.
* Colour coded elements - preventing operator errors when replacing filter elements and providing security of air quality.
* An advanced locally designed bracketing system allows users to have a space-effective duplex filter arrangement - saving space and money.
* A variety of drain options - ensuring the most convenient effective drainage solution.
* Due to the continuity of element/casing design, a large local filter element stock holding reduces client/distributor stock holding - providing security of parts and consumables.
Spares availability
The stable design of BEA filters means that vendors and users do not need to carry multiple styles of filter elements to suit the various designs marketed over the past decade. Consequently there are no aftermarket problems like long delivery periods, or unreasonably high parts costs for users.
Filter purchase criteria
Artic Driers recommends that purchase decisions on coalescing filters are based on:
* Filtration efficiency.
* Pressure drop performance.
* Availability and cost of parts and elements.
Initial purchase price should not be the purchasing criterion; in fact low cost is often a precursor to long term supply problems.
Filtration equipment should only be sourced from suppliers that are able to consistently back up the supply chain and have a long established history in the compressed air industry. Many such suppliers will also offer air quality audits to ensure long term air quality performance and client satisfaction.
Lookalike elements rarely conform to the original filtration levels or manufacturing standards and buyers and engineers should insist on original OEM parts.
For more information contact Allen Cockfield, Artic Driers, +27 (0)11 425 3485, [email protected],
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