What are the Best Filtration Products to Have on a Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Nitrogen Generation System?

The ultimate guide to selecting filtration products

Posted on March 31st, 2020

Filters For Nitrogen Generation Systems

High quality filtration products on your PSA nitrogen system makes sure that only clean, dry air enters and exits the system. To produce the purest nitrogen and maintain maximum efficiency, the best compressed air filters and desiccant dryers are important for removing contaminants.

Choosing the correct pipe connection and flow rate are only the first considerations when choosing the compressed air filters and dryers for your system. Other factors, such as the pressure drop, serviceability, and filter training capabilities are essential. However, these are often forgotten factors that could improve your nitrogen generation system.

Low Pressure Loss

The most important factor to consider when choosing filtration products is pressure loss. Some compressed air filters have a pressure loss of 0.2 bar. The most efficient products on the market have a pressure loss of less than 0.1 bar.

But why is the 0.1 bar difference significant?

Energy Usage

Pressure loss affects almost every aspect of a nitrogen generation system. The most common effect is an increase in energy usage. When there is higher pressure loss through the system the compressor must work harder to produce more air, which uses more energy.

For example, if the application requires 7 bar of air, and each filter is losing 0.2 bar, the compressor must produce an extra 0.2 bar per filter. If there are three filters in the system, the compressor must output 8 bar, instead of 7 bar. In comparison, if you use a compressed air product with the lowest pressure loss of 0.1 bar, the compressor would only have to output 7.5 bar.

If these figures were based on a 100 SCFM system running 6,000 hours per year, using a filtration product with a pressure loss of less than 0.1 bar, you could save up to £4,000 in electricity consumption*.

Footprint

By having low pressure loss, manufacturers are sometimes able to use smaller filters and dryers in their system. Many PSA nitrogen generation companies oversize their filtration products to compensate for pressure loss. But, doing this increases their system footprint.

Purchasing smaller, more energy-efficient filters  and dryers save you money. It also helps you reduce the system’s footprint which opens opportunities for applications where the footprint is critical.

Serviceability

You should not overlook the serviceability features of filtration product. By selecting a product that is market-leading for serviceability, your system’s footprint can be reduced, and you can save time and money on system servicing.

Clearance

Choosing a compressed air filter that does not use tie rods or bolts to secure the filter element can simplify and speed up the service process. Service technicians will be able to unscrew the bowl from the head and take out the element with limited clearance. Meaning the space needed for bowl and element clearance can be minimised when designing a nitrogen generation system.

External Drain

In normal circumstances, if you need to change or service a drain, an engineer or service technician must first remove the filter bowl, sometimes with tie rods and bolts, then reach into the oily bowl to remove and replace the drain. Having a filter with an externally accessible drain means that you do not need to remove the filter bowl to service or change the drain.

Filter Trains

Choosing filters that can be trained together will create a filtration stream that limits the space needed for your application. You can save time and labour costs by ordering your filtration products pre-assembled together.

Furthermore, custom-built service kit solutions are a great way to create unique pre-assembled packages that include all the serviceable parts to make the replacement process quick and easy for your customers. The easier it is to service the product, the more likely customers are to complete routine maintenance.

Connection Sizes

Piping and application requirements can change and evolve over time. Choosing a filtration vendor with a wide offering of connection sizes allows for flexibility to adapt in the future.

For instance, Walker Filtration offers three ranges of coalescing filters with varying connection sizes.  Our Alpha Coalescing Filter offers 11 connection sizes from 1/8” – 3”.  Our PRO XF Coalescing Filters provide a range from 2” – 3” threaded, and 3” and 4” flanged. And our Fabricated Flanged Coalescing Filter range covers high flow applications from 6” – 12”. Having such a wide range means that every nitrogen generation system can be supplied.

Other Factors to Consider

Before deciding on which filtration products are the best for your PSA nitrogen generation system, ensure that the vendor is ISO 8573-1:2010 certified and has a high-quality filter element construction to guarantee the highest purity standards. To ensure clean, dry air, the element construction must be able to remove a wider range of contaminants than dust and oil.

Walker Filtration offers world-class original filter elements as well as high-quality alternative filter elements to ensure the best performance for systems that are currently in the field.

Where to Buy the Best Filters for a Nitrogen Generation System

At Walker Filtration, we are the PSA Nitrogen Generation filtration experts. Our knowledgeable team of technicians, sales, and creative marketing staff can help tailor custom-built solutions for your unique application. Please send us an email at sales@walkerfiltration.co.uk or submit an enquiry to learn more about how we can assist you and your filtration needs.

 

*Assuming £0.09 kWh

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