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1.3 Air treatments/ Air conditioners

Operating instructions issued for pneumatic components almost always contain a note

recommending the installation of an air filter, pressure regulator and lubricator
upstream of the component. This is to ensure that only air which has been suitably

conditioned will reach the consumer.

Air filter, pressure regulator and lubricator are now built as packaged combination

known as service units. Other than the impurities that might be entrained with the
intake air and delivered by the compressor air might pick up contaminants such as

dust, scale or rust particles in the distribution main leading to the take-off point.
Provided that air main has been properly installed, the major part of these impurities

will collect in the condensate drain tanks. Minute particles remain suspended in the

air stream however and would damage the working parts of pneumatic components
by their abrasive action where they are removed beforehand. Furthermore, the air flow

in the main pulsated, due, for one thing, to the compressor running intermittently as
controlled by pressure in air receiver. The consumer, on the other hand, need to work

with a uniform air pressure. Finally, lubrication is required for the moving parts of the
pneumatic equipment.

The atmospheric air that is compressed in the compressor is obviously not clean
because the atmospheric air contains many contaminants line dirt, smoke water vapour

etc. this contaminated air lead to excessive wear and failure of pneumatic components.

Therefore, fluid conditioners are used to supply clean dry and contamination free
compressed air.

The purpose of the fluid conditioners is to make the compressed air more acceptable

and suitable fluid medium for the pneumatic system as well as the operating personal.
The following five fluid conditioners are used in pneumatic systems

a) Air Filters

b) Air Regulators
c) Air Lubricator

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