BCAS’s best practice guide for air treatment

WITH CAPITAL investment budgets continuing to feel the squeeze, operators want to be certain that they make an informed choice, when specifying new equipment.  This is especially the case when it comes to selecting the correct compressed air treatment equipment, to ensure the solution chosen is best suited to the air quality required.

The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) offers a 60-page guide to help with selection.  Entitled ‘The Filtration and Drying of Compressed Air,’ the guide is available for free download from the BCAS website at www.bcas.org.uk/airtreatment and has been produced with the input of leading engineers from BCAS’s members in the field of air treatment and purification.

It is designed to help demystify not only the selection of the correct air treatment equipment but to provide practical advice on which contaminants can be present and their impact on the processes that compressed air is being used for.

Roy Brooks, technical development officer at BCAS said: “As technology for compressed air treatment continues to evolve, there is now a wide range of equipment available which can satisfy the most demanding of compressed air treatment needs.  However, with so many variables to consider, the selection of the right equipment can be a complex task, affecting everything from maintenance schedules to the ongoing costs associated with achieving the required standards. 

“At BCAS, we act as an independent and reliable source of technical information for the industry, providing impartial advice which can help operators cut costs, improve efficiency and ultimately profitability.

“The ‘Filtration and Drying of Compressed Air’ guide will prove invaluable during the entire specification process, covering all stages of system design; from an overview of the sources of contamination, such as solid particles, water and oil, to the relevant standards for air purity.  It also examines the extensive range of air purification technologies available and how these operate, including after-cooling, dryers, air receivers, filtration grades and condensate management.

“With compressed air energy costs a major contributing factor to a site’s overall electricity consumption, the guide also focuses on the varying energy efficiencies of the different treatment technologies available as well as guidance on the ongoing maintenance of the system.”

The guide is aimed at typical industrial compressed air applications operating at low pressure, with a range between 7 bar g to 20 bar g.  

To download a free copy of the guide, please visit www.bcas.org.uk/airtreatment.  Printed copies of the guide are available from BCAS for £4.00 each plus postage by emailing enquiries@bcas.org.uk