How to optimize an instrument air system

Key concepts Compressed air quality must be maintained for

instrument and control use, not general plant applications. Either
remove oil or use oil-free compressors.
By John M. Rattenbury , PE, R.G. Vanderweil Engineers, Inc., Boston, MA

02/01/2001

&HEADLINE>Key concepts&/HEADLINE>

Compressed air quality must be maintained for instrument and

control use, not general plant applications.
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Either remove oil or use oil-free compressors.

Be careful where and what kind of dryer is used.
The primary motive force for the actuation of most control valves
used in plants is compressed air. However, maintenance of
compressed air source equipment and distribution piping can be
easily overlooked on a day-to-day basis due to more pressing
maintenance challenges. The quality of a compressed air system can
be compromised by the principle of "out of sight, out of mind."
Common problems

Short-term solutions can be long-term problems. Here are a few

areas deserving attention.
Particulate and oil fi lters are sometimes bypassed instead of
replaced.

Compressed air loads are added to the system without determining

if pipe diameters and compressors are adequate.

Supplemental compressors are turned on during periods of peak

consumption without adequate oil or moisture removal.

Leaks are never fi xed.

Old equipment is maintained-not replaced-sacrifi cing effi ciency and

energy savings.
The quality of a compressed air system is of vital importance to the
effi cient operation of plant controls and in minimizing energy costs.
Air that contains condensed oils can build up in actuator
mechanisms and lead to a sluggish or interrupted response. Water
vapor causes corrosion. Particulate contaminants can build up in
actuator internals and clog ports.
11 tips for a better instrument air system
1. Maintain the required dew point. Dew point, which is the measure
of the moisture content in air, is the temperature at which the water
vapor in air condenses into liquid. In the case of compressed air,
dew point is referenced to line pressure, while common
psychrometric charts are based on atmospheric pressure.
According to ANSI/ISA-S7.3, Air Quality Standardsfor Pneumatic
Instruments , where the instrument air system is exposed to exterior
temperatures, "the dew point, at line pressure, shall be at least 18 F
below the minimum local recorded ambient temperature at the plant
site."

If the instrument air system is indoors, "the dew point, at line

pressure, shall be at least 18 F below the minimum temperature to
which any part of the air system is exposed to at any season of the
year. In no case should the dew point at line pressure exceed 39 F."
The purpose of this dew point specifi cation is to prevent the
condensation of moisture and formation of rust or scale in the
instrument air system. For interior systems, a refrigerated dryer is
usually adequate, since it can provide a dew point of about 35-37 F.
If any part of an instrument air distribution system is exposed to
exterior ambient temperatures, a desiccant-type air dryer must be
used to maintain a low enough dew point. A standard heatless
desiccant dryer can provide a dew point as low as -100 F, but the
expense of purge air is usually not justifi ed. Desiccant dryers with
dew point monitoring systems can save energy.
2. Consider using a dryer. If only a small part of the distribution
system is exposed to exterior ambient temperatures, use a
desiccant dryer to lower the dew point to recommended levels for
only that part of the system. Even though dry air is preferred, a
heatless desiccant dryer uses a lot of compressed air for purging-up
to 15% of the dryer's capacity. Heated desiccant dryers use
signifi cantly less air, about 2%, for purging, but are expensive.
Refrigerant dryers do not regenerate, do not consume any product
air, and are appropriate for drying an instrument air system (Fig. 1).
3. Do not install a refrigerated dryer upstream of a heatless
desiccant dryer. A heat-regenerable dryer works better with reduced
inlet moisture. A heatless desiccant dryer needs moisture to
regenerate. A desiccant dryer causes water molecules to adhere to
the surface of its media. When the media becomes saturated, it is
regenerated. Heatless dryers divert dry discharged air from an
online tower into an offl ine regenerating tower to purge the
adsorbed moisture. This process relies on the heat of adsorption to
effi ciently purge the regenerating tower. If the bulk of the moisture
is removed by an upstream, refrigerated dryer, the heat of
adsorption is reduced signifi cantly and the dryer cannot effi ciently
regenerate. An externally heated desiccant dryer uses electrical
power or steam as the heat source and is not sensitive to the heat
of adsorption.

4. Consider heat-of-compression dryers . Heat-of-compression (HOC)

dryers are the most effi cient means of drying compressed air.
Heatless dryers consume an average of 15% of process air to purge
the desiccant media. HOC dryers use hot compressed air directly
from the last compression stage to regenerate a portion of a
desiccant wheel. The air is then routed through a cooler to remove
moisture, and then directed to the dryer with the rest of the process
air.
The only energy required is a low-wattage motor to turn the
desiccant wheel. While an HOC dryer does not deliver a consistent
dew point level, most instrument air systems only need a dew point
low enough to avoid condensation.
A -40-F pressure dew point is not a magic number critical to
compressed air quality. It is the typical level that a heatless dryer
happens to deliver. An HOC dryer is capable of providing -20 to -40-F
pressure dew points, depending on ambient air conditions and the
mode of cooling.
5. Filter out harmful particulate. According to ISA, "the maximum
particle size in the airstream at the instrument shall be 3 microns."
Proper particle fi ltration is easily established by a simple dust
fi ltration element located before other treatment components. A
quality, general-purpose prefi lter removes particles down to 1
micron. High effi ciency afterfi lters can remove particles down to
0.01 micron.
6. Avoid bypasses to fi lters and dryers . Particle fi lters, carbon
fi lters, or dryers should be piped in parallel with isolation valves to
allow for fi lter replacement or dryer downtime without interrupting
system operation and to provide for a degree of redundancy should
one component fail prematurely. Bypasses allow operators to pass
untreated air into the system.
7. Equip fi lters with diff erential pressure gauges. Install a
diff erential pressure gauge with an alarm to alert when fi lters
become partially clogged (Fig. 2). Keep replacement fi lters on hand
to ensure substitution as quickly as possible. Dirty fi lters are
ineffi cient and reduce air quality and pressure.

8. Get all of the oil out. ISA recommends that "the maximum total oil
or hydrocarbon content, exclusive of noncondensables, shall be as
close to 0 ppm by weight or volume as possible; and under no
circumstances shall it exceed 1 ppm under normal operating
conditions." Oil lubricated compressors can have an oil carryover of
5 ppm or more. If lubricated compressors are used, a coalescing
fi lter and activated carbon fi lter should be installed after the
receiver and particulate prefi lter. A clean activated carbon fi lter with
appropriate prefi ltration removes oil vapor down to a concentration
of & lt;0.003 ppm at 70 F.
Oil removal is particularly important if desiccant dryers are installed
for moisture removal. Oil removal must occur before the dryers to
protect the desiccant media. Installing two activated carbon fi lters
in series, if the pressure drop isn't too great, in a
"working/polishing" arrangement helps capture oil carryover when
the upstream fi lter becomes overloaded.
A complete fi lter system should consist of a particulate prefi lter,
water/oil coalescing fi lter, aerosol fi lter, activated carbon fi lter, and
another activated carbon fi lter followed by a dryer and afterfi lter.
Install oil coalescing fi lters after a refrigerated dryer. The dryer
removes much of the oil through condensation and extends the life
of the coalescing fi lter.
9. Consider going oil-free if replacing an air compressor.
Compressed air is sometimes described as oil-free because fi lters
are used, but fi lters have limitations. An oil-free compressor is the
only way to guarantee compressed air delivery with oil content as
close to zero as possible (Fig. 3). Oil-free compressors use oil to
lubricate bearings and gears, but mechanical seals isolate the
compression chamber from any oil. Compressors below the 25-30-hp
range, termed oilless, have no lubricating oil of any kind. They use
sealed bearings and PTFE-coated mating parts.
Since there is no oil in the compression chamber of an oil-free
compressor, condensate from the intercooler, aftercooler, separator,
receiver, and coalescing prefi lters is free of oily waste. Because the
compressed air output has no oil carryover, aerosol and activated
carbon fi lters are not needed, which minimizes energy losses
through fi lter pressure drop.

10. Find and fi x leaks. It is surprising how much money is spent on

energy just to keep a leaky system pressurized. A system with an
output of 770 cfm and leaking 30% can waste $26,000/yr with an
electrical cost of $.07/kWh. The cost of repairs can have a very
attractive payback-so much that this could become a very high
priority in any energy savings campaign.
11. Consider a variable speed compressor drive. Traditional,
positive-displacement air compressors regulate pressure in the air
system by loading and unloading. Such a control scheme places the
compressor drive under 100% power during 100% loading and
around 20-25% power while unloaded, with the drive motor running
at constant speed. A variable speed drive (VSD) compressor delivers
only the mass of air the system requires. This type of control allows
the compressor to consume the minimum amount of power required
to deliver the required air with reduced unload power consumption.
These 11 suggestions are just some of the ways to get instrument
air systems to work reliably and effi ciently. Even though reliability
and energy effi ciency are top priorities, there is another important
factor behind maintaining proper air dew point, oil content, and
particulate fi ltration. Manufacturers of control valve actuators and
other pneumatic equipment may not stand completely behind their
warranties if they know that an instrument air system does not meet
minimum quality standards.
-Edited by Joseph L. Foszcz, Senior Editor, 630-320-7135,
jfoszcz@cahners.com
&HEADLINE>Advantages of oil-free compressors&/HEADLINE>

Eliminate oily waste separators for the compressor, receiver, and

fi lter condensate

Ensure condensate going down the drain is in compliance with

federal and state environmental protection laws in terms of oil

Eliminate oily coalescing and carbon fi lters