When the sudden impact of the Covid-19 outbreak hit, many manufacturing companies found the need to reduce or even halt their production. The compressed air system’s that are extensively used in many production processes were also affected by this reduction and shutdown. Most manufacturing facilities forget that when a compressed air system is temporarily shut down or are only used in a reduced capacity, when they are restarted, there could be some unpleasant surprises in store, especially when the compressed air systems are not turned off / decommissioned in the correct manor.
So, what are the risks and what preventative action can be taken.
A lot of these systems will have been shut down abruptly and without any precautions or plan. To make sure the system is fit for full production, there are a number of things that can and should be checked.
Over the next 8 days, BEKO will be publishing our top tips to consider when you are restarting your compressed air system.
# Tip 1
"Water Hammer" & Oil Polution Elimiate Hazards
Temperature fluctuations cause condensation in the compressed air system. In the depressions of the piping and the containers, such as the compressed air tank or the filter, larger quantities of water are deposited as so-called compressed air condensate during longer shutdowns. When the system is restarted, it shoots through the system as "splash water" and such a "water hammer" can lead to considerable problems such as burst filters. In order to prevent this, the system should be closely observed during start-up. Anyone who has installed electronically level-controlled condensate drains is on the safe side in this case.
In addition, during the shutdown phase, oil-containing lubricants can collect on the surface in valves, fittings, etc., which are then carried along by the air flow and lead to contamination and oil contamination.
https://www.beko-technologies.com/en-gb/gb/news/