moisture separator placement

[396foxRN]

So, I don't know if a move is in my near future or not, and am setting up a Quincy 390 on an 80 gallon upright tank. Since I'm not sure if it will be in place 6 months or years, I am putting it on a rolling industrial cart for now, just in case. I won't be running any hard lines throughout my garage, obviously, so... should I put the moisture separator between the compressor and tank, or after the tank?

 

[396foxRN]

anyone?

 

[matt_i]

I'd place it after the tank.

 

[txvwnut]

After the tank and I remember reading somewhere that you want about ten feet of line between the separator and the tank.

 

[Sticky Grips]

After the tank, but before your tools. Allowing some additional hose or hard line after the tank would aid in condensing & separating the moisture.

 

[Marctrees]

Correct me if I am wrong -------

The BEST placement for a separator is the FURTHEST one can get from the compressor.

The idea is to let the compressed air get as cool as possible before it goes through the separator.

So like if you have ANY kind of cooler, the separator goes AFTER it.. on the output.

Many guys place them right at the comp tank outlet... that is wrong.

Again, please, I think I got this but correct me if I am mistaken.

Marc

 

[Shadowdog500]

Correct me if I am wrong -------

The BEST placement for a separator is the FURTHEST one can get from the compressor.

The idea is to let the compressed air get as cool as possible before it goes through the separator.

So like if you have ANY kind of cooler, the separator goes AFTER it.. on the output.

Many guys place them right at the comp tank outlet... that is wrong.

Again, please, I think I got this but correct me if I am mistaken.

Marc

That’s my understanding as well. A water separator separates water from the air. It does not separate water vapor from air. If the compressor is running hard it will be putting water vapor into the line and the separator has to be downstream far enough for the air to cool enough for the water vapor to condense into water.

I know there are threads here that discuss this.

Chris

 

[Dingleburry]

Just to throw a curveball

Correct me if I am wrong -------

The BEST placement for a separator is the FURTHEST one can get from the compressor.

The idea is to let the compressed air get as cool as possible before it goes through the separator.

So like if you have ANY kind of cooler, the separator goes AFTER it.. on the output.

Many guys place them right at the comp tank outlet... that is wrong.

Again, please, I think I got this but correct me if I am mistaken.

Marc

 

[Shadowdog500]

Just to throw a curveball

What’s that book for? Compressors in a factory? Two paragraphs down it mentions 150HP rotary compressors.

That didn’t throw a curve ball at all. In fact it reinforces his statement.

The first sentence in paragraph 2.C.2 states that the moisture separator removes condensate from the air stream and should follow the intercooler and after cooler. So it reinforced the fact that the moisture separator removes condensate and not water vapor. It also says that the moisture separator should be after the Intercooler (cools incoming air) and after cooler( cools outgoing air). This is because those coolers cause the water vapor to condensate into water. Not many small home shop compressors have intercoolers or after coolers because they are not powerful enough to need them so you just place the moisture seperator downstream far enough to ensure that the water vapor has condensed. Some say 10’ of metal pipe is good enough, the franzinator guy says 37” of large metal pipe is enough if you plumb it right. I have my seperator after 50’ of rubber line and it seems to work.

 

[MattT]

Just to throw a curveball

More like a correction Bulk moisture separators are used directly after coolers. So if the OP has a set-up similar to the one he posted in classifieds the moisture separator should go between the aftercooler & the tank. Any water that drops out in the tank should stay in the tank so there's no need for a moisture separator downstream of it.

If he's really asking about a filter then straight after the tank is likely the most practical with his, currently portable, set up. If he moves to a fixed pipework set-up then put filters on the drops.

 

[slik560]

I have a small pancake type Porter-Cable compressor. [I really searched for this, and this thread was the closest match - sorry] Normally I don't have water vapor coming out of the hose, and I always open the valve on the tank after each use.

NOW, I recently installed a new 50' hose reel under the work bench to make life a little easier, and with the first use today, I had water vapor blasting out of the hose as I was hooking up my tire inflator tool. I used the end to hold the hose open so to speak, and it sprayed out for about 30 seconds. First time this has ever happened.

When I was done, I opened the valve on the bottom AND put a spare tool fitting in the hose end that allowed air to escape through the hose. More vapor, but not as much.

SO - would this little compressor need a separator, or would I just continue blasting out the hose when the work is done? I could put a separator in the line after the tank and before the hose reel, but that only involves about 4 feet of connector hose.

Thanks for your time.

 

[pcmeiners]

"Intercooler (cools incoming air) "

Small correction. an intercooler cools air between stages of a multistage compressor to remove some water and create denser air flowing to the next stage of compressor.