A separator is a specialised filtration element that splits liquid mixtures or separates liquid from gas. Oil-air separators used in screw compressors remove oil mist from compressed air, ensuring pneumatic cleanliness and minimising oil loss. Water-fuel separators protect diesel injection systems from the corrosive effects of water.
At Filtry.org you will find separators for Atlas Copco, Kaeser, CompAir and Ingersoll Rand compressors, water-fuel separators for construction and agricultural machinery, and condensate separators. We supply HIFI Filter and SF Filter elements with high separation efficiency — from 99.5% for oil separators to 95% for water separators.
Compressed air picks up oil mist during the compression stage. The separator — typically a coalescence element — merges fine oil droplets into larger ones that drain back to the oil reservoir by gravity. Air leaving the separator contains below 3 ppm residual oil.
Every 4,000-8,000 running hours or when the pressure drop across the separator exceeds the permissible limit (typically 0.8-1.0 bar). Exceeding this threshold raises compressor energy consumption and may allow oil carry-over into the pneumatic system.
A failed separator allows oil into the pneumatic circuit. Oil contaminates pneumatic tools, cylinders and valves; in paint-spraying systems it causes coating defects. Repairing the installation is many times more expensive than timely separator replacement.
A filter traps solid particles on the surface or within the filter media. A separator splits two phases (e.g. oil and air) using coalescence, centrifugal or gravitational methods. A separator element often combines both functions — filtering and phase separation simultaneously.