Service Unit

Problems?
Compressor sucks air from the atmosphere which is not generally clean Air pressure does not remain constant due to line fluctuations Oil-free air leads to dry friction between certain mating components

Solution
Air filter Pressure regulator lubricator

Service unit
The individual functions of compressed air preparation, i.e. filtering, regulating and lubricating can be fulfilled by individual components. These functions have been combined in a single unit i.e. service unit Service units are connected upstream of all pneumatic systems

Air filter
Condensed water, contamination and excess oil can lead to wear on the moving parts and seals of pneumatic components Further these substances can escape as a result of leakage can mix with other ex. leakage of such components in food and pharmaceutical industries can make the product useless or toxic

Construction
Consists of a baffle plate, filter, filter bowl, and drain screw

Working
The compressed air passes through the filter from left to right and is fed through a baffle plate in the filter bowl Due to baffle plate air is caused to rotate, and heavier dust particle, water and oil droplets are forced towards the inner wall of the filter bowl due to centrifugal force They then run down the wall of the housing and collected in the filter bowl

 Next this pre-cleaned air passes through the filter element, which filters out the smaller dirt particles The filter element consists of a highlyporous sintered material. Degree of separation depends on the filter pore size, usually 5 to 40 microns Filter efficiency

Filter maintenance
Draining the condensate Cleaning or changing filter

Condensate removal
Condensate is removed by opening drain screw periodically Level of condensate can be seen through glass in front of bowl For large amount of condensate automatic drain is advisable Consists of a float and control piston

Filter change or clean

After a long time service filter may get clogged due to contaminants This creates the resistance to air flow and results in pressure loss Time of filter change can be detected either visually inspection or by measuring pressure difference across the filter

Pressure regulator
The compressed air generated by the compressor will fluctuates Changes in air pressure in the pipe system can adversely affect the switching characteristics of valves, the running times of cylinders and timing characteristics of flow control and time delay valve A constant pressure level is prerequisite for the trouble-free operation For this purpose pressure regulators are fitted between the primary pressure line and secondary pressure line

Pressure regulator
The pressure regulator is fitted downstream of the compressed air filter and has the task of keeping the operating pressure constant, regardless of pressure fluctuations or air consumption in the system High pressure would lead to increased wear and low pressure would lead to poor efficiency

Construction and working

Diaphragm, spring with adjustable screw, valve and plunger, body with vent holes Primary side pressure must be more than secondary side pressure Normally 1 and 2 are connected, diaphragm is in horizontal position When pressure at 2 increases than spring tension, diaphragm deflects, blocks passage of air from 1 and exhausts air from 2 to 3

Lubricator
Need? Where extremely rapid oscillating motions are required For large diameter and stroke length cylinder, to minimize wear Oil discharged from the compressor can not be used as lubricator. As the level of heat produced is very high in compressor, the oil is carbonized and oil vapour exhausted. This leads to an abrasive action on system components

 A further problem is that oil accumulates in pipe and creates problem for air flow Gumming problem, if system is standstill for a long time then lubricated components do not function correctly Best way is to install the lubricator directly upstream of consuming devices

Construction and working

The compressed air passing through the lubricator causes a pressure drop between the oil reservoir and the upper part of the lubricator The pressure difference is sufficient to force the oil upwards through a duct where it then drips in to nozzle Here the oil is atomized and taken by the air stream

Maintenance of FRL
Filter : Regulator: Lubricator: