Instrument air

There shouldn’t be any water in the instrument air storage tank; if water does precipitate, it’s best to drain it manually. If the water volume is variable, a steam trap is the best choice. Parallel installation is the most suitable option, for reference.

Generally, a manual valve is added to allow for regular drainage; after all, there isn’t much water, and the drain valve might leak

The required leak tolerance for instrument air is generally above -40°C; in cold regions, this requirement is even higher. Otherwise, as the temperature drops, water contained in the compressed instrument air will precipitate and accumulate in low points and dead ends, leading to problems such as freezing and blockages. The main measures taken by our company include: 1. Addressing the issue at its source by adding micro-heat regeneration desiccants and reducing leaks in the instrument air supply ； 2. Install an automatic water cut-off device; add electric heating and solenoid valves at the bottom of the instrument air buffer tank to cut off water regularly ； 3. Increase the frequency of inspections of instrument air to keep track of the real-time status of instrument air throughout the plant (our company has multiple air compressor stations) ； 4. Strengthen the air management for large-scale instrumentation equipment and critical instrumentation equipment ； 5. Strengthen the management of blind ends and low points in the instrument air pipeline network, enhance inspections, and drain the system as appropriate to prevent freezing and cracking incidents.

Discharge regularly or install a steam trap. There should be no water in the instrument air tank.

It’s your air separation dryer that has a problem; simply drain the water from the bottom of the tank regularly – there’s no need for a water strainer. In the north, it is recommended to add heat tracing at the bottom of the pipe, otherwise the pipes at the bottom may freeze and crack.