Common Causes of Oil Separator Blockage in Screw Air Compressors
The oil separator has a limited lifespan because, while it separates oil from compressed air, impurities also accumulate on its filter media, clogging the micropores. This excessive resistance increases the power consumption of the air compressor, which is detrimental to energy conservation and emission reduction. Therefore, the oil separator must be replaced once the pressure differential reaches a certain threshold.
1. Surrounding environment of the air compressor.
In environments where corrosive gases such as sulfides, thinners, and cleaning chemicals are present, as seen in some scenarios, the high temperature of the air compressor itself accelerates the oxidation of the engine oil. Once these gases enter the air compressor system and react chemically with the oil, they generate deposits like carbon and sludge. Some impurities are intercepted by the oil filter in the oil circulation system, while others rise with the oil-gas mixture to the oil separator. As the gases pass through the oil separator, these impurities become trapped on the filter paper, clogging the filtration pores. This gradually increases the resistance of the oil separator, necessitating premature replacement of the oil separator within a shorter timeframe.
2. The use of unqualified air filters, oil filters, or engine oil, with one or more of these conditions present.
A poorly filtered air filter fails to intercept some dust particles in the air, allowing them to directly enter the air compressor system. This results in excessive load on the oil filter and oil separator, leading to clogging. Impurities, oil oxidation byproducts, and worn metal particles entering the air compressor system cannot be effectively filtered due to the low precision of the oil filter. Some remain trapped on the oil filter's surface, while others circulate within the machine until rising to the oil separator, where they accumulate in the separator's filtration layer, causing premature clogging of the oil separator. Oil with poor oxidation resistance should not be used, as it can produce carbon deposits and gel-like substances even during short operation periods, further clogging the oil separator.
3. There is a leak in the pipeline between the air filter and the air intake of the host.
Common causes of leakage include: improper installation of the air filter; uneven contact area of the air filter assembly; dirt adhering to the contact surface between the air filter and the assembly, leading to leakage; misalignment of the elastic contact pad on the air filter surface; and cracking of the air filter or air filter assembly.
4. Excessive moisture on the oil-filtering material causes it to swell and shrink its micropores, reducing the effective separation area for oil, which increases oil resistance and leads to premature oil blockage.
