Why choose catalytic oxidation oil removal equipment for air compressor systems

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As the industry places increasing demands on the quality of compressed air, the use of oil-free compressed air is becoming more widespread. Why choose catalytic oxidation oil removal equipment for oil-free air compressor systems? I. Reliability of catalytic oxidation oil removal technology. The catalytic oxidation oil removal technology is not a new one; it originated in the 1960s and has a history of development spanning 60 years. Having been tested extensively in both laboratory and industrial settings, it is a mature and reliable technology. A similar technical product that we are familiar with is the three-way catalytic converter in our cars. The three-way catalytic converter is the most important external purification device installed in a vehicle’s exhaust system; it converts harmful gases such as CO, HC, and NOx emitted by vehicle exhausts into harmless substances like carbon dioxide, water, and nitrogen through oxidation and reduction processes. When hot vehicle exhaust passes through the purification device, the catalysts in the three-way catalytic converter increase the reactivity of the gases CO, HC, and NOx, prompting them to undergo certain oxidation-reduction chemical reactions; in this process, CO is oxidized at high temperatures into colorless and non-toxic carbon dioxide gas ； HC compounds oxidize at high temperatures to water (H2O) and carbon dioxide ； NOx is reduced to nitrogen and oxygen. The three harmful gases are converted into harmless ones, thereby purifying vehicle exhaust. https://p2.itc.cn/images01/20230216/ba9324c64cc348b8a02b07abaa20a3da.jpeg II. Stability of catalytic oxidation oil removal technology: The core catalyst used in catalytic oxidation oil removal equipment is capable of effectively converting and removing the oil contaminants present in compressed air; these contaminants are organic compounds of the C6+ type. Catalytic oxidation technology transforms such oils into carbon dioxide and water. In other words, under a certain temperature condition (reaching a specific temperature can reduce the requirements for a reaction to occur), the catalyst can facilitate a chemical reaction between the oxygen in compressed air and oil contaminants, thereby producing clean, oil-free compressed air. As a core material, the catalyst does not participate in the reaction; therefore, there is no need to replace it, and the oil-removal effect remains consistent and stable. III. The effectiveness of catalytic oxidation oil removal equipment: In terms of principle, catalytic oxidation technology differs from conventional adsorption filtration methods in that it is used to remove oil contaminants. Such oil removal equipment can only eliminate large-sized liquid droplets of oil present in compressed air, whereas catalysts break down hydrocarbon compounds (C6+) in compressed air into carbon dioxide and water at the molecular level. It can be completely decomposed to remove liquid oil, misty oil, and gaseous oil from compressed air. Thus, oil-free compressed air in accordance with CLASS 0 (ISO 8573.1-1) can be supplied stably. https://p5.itc.cn/images01/20230216/dd45caa7fee54e0a8220fd6bad74bdf4.jpeg (Customer case: Oil content testing was conducted after three years of operation of the equipment, and the oil removal efficiency was still at level 0.) IV. Economic viability of catalytic oxidation oil removal equipment In cases where oil-free compressed air systems are used, the economic viability of catalytic oxidation oil removal is determined by the costs associated with procurement, maintenance, and electricity consumption. This applies both to new projects and to retrofit projects. Especially for renovation projects, the economic advantages are particularly prominent. For new projects, using a two-stage energy-saving compressor (oil-lubricated air compressor) combined with catalytic oxidation oil removal equipment to produce oil-free compressed air results in significant advantages in terms of both purchase cost and operating costs compared to using dry oil-free screw compressors (as shown in the figure below). https://p9.itc.cn/images01/20230216/14ab4a6a1d764cc1ba06629abee76fba.jpeg For renovation projects: Converting an existing oil-lubricated air compressor system into an oil-free air compressor system can be achieved by using just one catalytic oxidation oil removal device; thus, it is not necessary to replace the air compressor in order to obtain oil-free compressed air. In terms of cost, the purchase price of an oil-free compressor is much higher than that of a catalytic oxidation oil removal device, while the subsequent maintenance and operating costs are significantly lower. And it’s quite convenient. Based on the above analysis, choosing catalytic oxidation for oil removal is essential for oil-free compressed air systems and represents an inevitable trend. It provides a stable, continuous supply of grade 0 oil-free compressed air.