Filtration Systems
(Triple Stage Filters – TSF’s)
The importance of good filtration for compressor wash systems
There is little point in having a well-designed injection nozzle system if the engine mounted atomizing nozzles block up on a regular basis.
In the early days we could never find a commercially available, cleanable filter that would guarantee the total protection of our atomizing nozzles from blockage so we designed and developed our own unique in-line triple stage filter (TSF).
Our TSF’s are now found on every nozzle/manifold system that we produce and the problems of nozzle blockage are now a thing of the long distant past. If the primary filters on the wash skid should ever fail our TSF is guaranteed to prevent any debris from ever reaching and blocking the nozzle system.
The all-stainless TSF is designed for life-long use without the need to ever replace of any filter screens. Simply remove the filter body, reverse blow out with air and/or water and replace.
Good filtration is vital to protect atomizing nozzles from being blocked
Good filtration must start at the wash skid. Normally all RTS wash skids are fitted with specially adapted “Y” filters on all the inlets (water/air/chemical) to the skid and on all the wash fluid outlets the engine mounted nozzle/manifold systems. Shown below are three sizes of “Y” filter together with their specially designed filter inserts. The standard filters or strainers supplied with these “Y” filters are unsuitable for the level of filtration that we require for our systems. We therefore manufacture special close fitting cleanable inserts which are then fitted with 300 micron stainless steel filter mesh. This ensure no suspended solids large enough to block the atomizing nozzles can enter or leave the wash skid.
Our atomizing nozzles have orifice size’s as small as 0.5 mm so if good filtration is not employed they can easily become blocked at which point the on-line or off-line wash can never be successful. This is how we have resolved the problems of nozzle blockage.
Although all RTS wash skids are fitted with protective filters on all the inlets and outlets we always add a second “last chance” level of filtration after the wash skid to be absolutely sure that nozzles cannot become blocked even if there was a failure of the primary filtration on the skid. In this case we use our own design of three stage in-line filter (TSF). These filters can be in single or multiple (as shown below) arrangement depending on flow requirements. Each filter barrel contains three levels of filtration. 300/200/100 micron for on-line nozzle systems and 400/300/200 micron for off line nozzles which have larger orifice sizes.
Our TSF or “last Chance” filters are normally fitted as close as possible the atomizing nozzle manifold ring to provide maximum protection. If the injection time for any on-line or off-line wash begins to appreciably increase the operator first checks the primary outlet filters on the wash skid for cleanliness as in the majority of cases this is where the problem will lie. However, if the primary filters appear clean then the TSF’s are checked. The TSF’s are held in position by compression couplings and can be removed and replaced in a matter of minutes. It is very easy to tell if the filter screens are dirty or not. Just hold the filter barrel up to daylight or a light source and look through. If you can’t see through the fine mesh they need to be back flushed and cleaned with air and/or water.