How does water in the air affect your air compressor system?

By ELGi

2 min read | 2 December, 2024 |

Water is always present as a liquid and gas in the atmosphere. However, during the warmer weathers, the hot air contains more moisture than cold air in the cooler months. How does water in the air affect your air compressor?

On a 35° F day with 5%Rh at 1000 cfm compressor will ingest .12 gallons of moisture an hour. Once the weather warms up to 90° F and 30% RH then the same compressor will ingest 4.55 gallons an hour.

In the course of a 12-hour shift this means that the compressor can deliver 54.6 gallons of water. If the compressor drying and filtration system isn’t working properly then that water will go straight into your facility’s processes.

The issues this water will create can be vast if not treated appropriately.

Rust in the piping system can cause product contamination
Water in the piping system will pick up rust, dirt, and oil which creates a caustic sludge that will clog your filters, regulators, and lubricators and wear out tools
Water in the lines can cause valves to fail quicker
Corrosion due to this water can foul operating instruments and give false readings which in turn could shut down a production line

To prevent damage to your piping system and unwanted breakdowns, ensure you have a compressed air dryer in place, such as a refrigerated dryer or desiccant dryer, depending on how dry you need your air to be. If you already have a compressed air dryer, make sure it gets service regularly.

Our compressed air service providers are only a call away. Contact a service provider near you to have your compressed air dryer checked or to request a quote.

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