Why is compressed air wet?
Untreated compressed air always contains contaminants because of the nature of the gas and how it is produced. The need for air treatment basically results from 3 characteristics of compressed air.
Contaminants
Liquid water - water aerosols - water vapor
How are the contaminants formed?
As water is incompressible, the amount of moisture per m³ increases when air is compressed. The maximum amount of moisture per m³ air is however limited for a certain temperature. Condensation will thus be formed when air is compressed.
What problems can the contaminants cause?
- Corrosion of pipe lines
- Bad quality of the end product
- Malfunctioning of controls
- Build-up of ice
- Cultivation of micro-organisms
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