‘What are the consequences of not changing filter elements?’
June 21st 2009 What seems like a cost saving in the short term can turn out to be a very costly mistake. Having identified a contamination problem in the compressed air system and the need for purification equipment, what would be the cost to your business of poor air quality?
Ultimately the filter element should be replaced based upon maintaining air quality. Consideration must also be given to system pressure losses (and therefore operating costs) as the cost of a replacement element is often significantly lower than the energy cost associated with operating with higher differential pressures.
Often the users emphasis is on the cost of maintenance and replacement parts when in reality these costs are insignificant to those associated with product spoilage should a filter element fail.
What seems like a cost saving in the short term can turn out to be a costly mistake.
Any restriction to airflow within a filter housing and element will reduce the system pressure. To generate compressed air, large amounts of electrical energy are consumed, therefore any pressure lost within the system can be directly converted into a cost for wasted energy.The higher the pressure loss, the higher the energy costs. Providing an optimal flow path for the compressed air through the filter housing and element is key to reducing system operating costs.
Pressure loss in a compressed air filter is a combination of fixed pressure losses and incremental pressure losses. Fixed pressure losses are derived from the filter housing and the interface between the filter housing and filter element.
Incremental pressure losses are directly related to the filter element as it blocks up with contamination. In most filters, high operational costs can be attributed to a poorly designed airflow path within the filter housing element and poorly selected filtration media. In addition to this, the high differential pressure “change points” recommended by many filter manufacturers increase operational costs even further. Deep bed pleating reduces the air flow velocity within the filtration media.This both improves filtration performance of the filter element and also reduces pressure losses.
To find out more on how Parker domnick hunter can ensure high quality compressed air, through energy efficient solutions with low lifetime costs and reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, email dhindsales@parker.com | 
