Compressed air quality is a frequently neglected topic for manufacturers and plant operators, but contaminated compressed air is almost as bad as no compressed air.

However, two products offer solutions to these air quality problems, namely: the SUTO iTEC and the CDK range of refrigeration air dryers.

Equipment supplier Artic Driers has a broad range of instrumentation focused on compressed air and gas monitoring for volume, pressure, power consumption and compressed air quality from SUTO iTEC.

This wide variety of compressed air flow monitoring equipment is suitable for pipelines from 15 mm to upwards of 400 mm and compatible with most gases with pressures from vacuum to over 40 bar G.

By adding an S331 data logger, SUTO can provide plant operators and managers instant access to all the parameters: flow, pressure, dew point, temperature, power consumption, oil vapour content as well as particle content. When coupled to the local S331, it provides the same data to a central management system within the plant. Data transfer from the S331 to a USB stick is provided.

These SUTO iTEC products give an instant overview of a manufacturer’s production line consumption and quality parameters, making benchmarking consumption and compressed air quality simple.

As SUTO iTEC’s Southern Africa distributor, Artic Driers also offers an ultrasonic leak detection solution. The reporting software provides immediate data on the cost of compressed air wastage, along with the volume of air being lost to atmosphere. Results are provided in PDF and Excel formats that allow clients to plan rectification programmes. Artic Driers offers this equipment for sale or hire through technicians.

Meanwhile, the SUTO iTEC S600 certified mobile air quality system can measure dew point, airborne particles sizes as well as oil vapour carry-over. It automatically creates a PDF report that rates the site’s test results against the International Organisation for Standardisation standard without any input requirements from an operator. Air quality reports are generated before Artic leaves the site. This is exceptionally useful for quality assurers and facility managers alike.

Artic also offers a range of CDK Refrigeration Air Dryers from Dryers International Thailand. The build standard and specifications are sufficiently high. Moreover, the stainless-steel plate heat exchangers provide a constant dewpoint under a wide range of air flows.

Recently Artic measured a range of air dryers’ dewpoints under different operational flow rates. The CDK series offered consistent performance.

Larger models have multiple heat exchangers, and in these units, the inlet and outlet pipe galleries are manufactured from stainless steel, making it ideal for use with oil-free compressors. Oil-free compressors generate condensates with a very low PH value that quickly corrode any mild still pipework or inlet/outlet headers. The inlet and outlet of a single exchanger on smaller CDK dryers is made from stainless steel.

CDK dryers have comprehensive instrumentation and control, with the ability to monitor all parameters, such as inlet compressed air temperatures, dewpoint temperatures, air/gas temperatures, and ambient environments, to mention a few of the controller’s features.

CDK units re-start automatically on resumption of power and are based on an adjustable re-start time. The dewpoint setpoint is also adjustable from the controller. These features, among many others, are password protected to prevent unauthorised changes to the dryers’ settings.

Extensive Range

Artic Driers also provides a range of imported and locally produced air filter housings that can hold different grades of filter elements to suit any client’s requirements. Artic Driers carries stock with capacities up to 150 m³/min.

As leaders in the air treatment business for over three decades, Artic Driers has an exceptional range of equipment which, along with in-house manufacturing capabilities, makes it a “preferred supplier” to solve any compressed air problems.