7/4/2016

AirQualityStandardsISO8573.1&ISO12500|CompressedAirBestPractices

IndustrialUtilityEfficiency

Home Industries EnergyManager SystemAssessments SustainabilityProjects EnergyIncentives Technology Standards JobMarket Webinars
CompressorControls Piping/Storage EndUses Pressure AirTreatment/N2 Leaks Pneumatics Vacuum/Blowers

AirQualityStandardsISO8573.1&ISO12500

Search

AIRBESTPRACTICES.COM

ImproveEnergyIntensitywithour
FreeMagazine
Subscribe
Today!

JayFrancis,VicePresidentofMarketing,SPXDehydration&Filtration

Thenexttimeyousitdownfordinner,takeagoodlookatyourfood.Theresaverygoodchancecompressedair

CurrentIssue

playedanessentialroleinpreparingyourmealforconsumption.

Archives

Compressedairisavitalenergysourceandisutilizedinmultipleoperationsinafoodprocessingfacility.When
properlytreated,compressedairisregardedasasafe,cleanutility,ascomparedtootherenergysources.
Compressedprovidestheenergysourceforpneumaticconveyersthattransportliquids,powdersandmoisture
sensitiveproductthroughouttheplant.Itprovidespowerforpneumaticallyoperatedtoolsandequipmentthat
rendersmeatproducts,aeratesliquidsandmixesgranularingredients.Itisultimatelyusedtopackage,wrap,
seal,palletizeandlabelfoodproductspriortostorageorshipment.
Oftheprimaryutilitiesemployedinthefoodmanufacturingenvironment,compressedairistheonlyutility
generatedbytheenduser.Thismeanstheenduserdirectlyinfluencesthequalityofthisenergysource.High
qualitycompressedairiscriticalforprovidingfoodproductsthatarenotonlycosteffectivetoprocessbutalso
safetoeat.Therefore,itsinallourbestinterestsforfoodprocessorstoselectthepropercompressedair
equipment.TheISO8573airqualitystandardsandISO12500compressedairfilterstandardsmakethebasis
forairtreatmentproductselectionmucheasier.

IndustryNews
IngersollRandReleasesRS30andRS37Air
Compressors
ComaircoOffersMobile,AllWeatherCompressed
AirStations
SullairTitaniumAlloyImpellersAllowforLonger
Life,ReducedWear
E+EElektronikOffersAccreditedCalibrationsfor
CO
VPFlowScopeInLineReceivesULApproval

1of37

AVeryGoodStartISO8573.1
Foodprocessorsmaintainasocialresponsibilityforupholdingthequalityoftheirproductsandthat
accountabilitybeginswiththeselectionofcompressedairsystemcomponents.Inmostcases,endusersselect
compressedairsystemcomponentsbycomparingtechnicaldatafromvariousairtreatmentmanufactures.In
1991,theInternationalStandardsOrganization(ISO)establishedthe8573compressedairqualitystandardto
facilitatecompressedairsystemcomponentselection,designandmeasurement.
ISO8573isamultipartstandard,withPart1classifyingcontaminanttypeandassigningairqualitylevels,and
Parts2through9,definetestingmethodstoaccuratelymeasureafullrangeofcontaminantswithintheend
usersfacility.
ISO8573.1identifiesthreeprimarycontaminanttypesasprevalentinacompressedairsystem.Solid
particulates,waterandoil(inbothaerosolandvaporform)arerecognized.Eachiscategorizedandassigneda
qualityclassrangingfromclass0,themoststringent,toClass9,themostrelaxed.Theenduseruseris
responsiblefordefiningtheairqualityrequiredfortheirparticularapplicationorprocess.

ResourcesforEnergy
Engineers
kWhCalculator

AirtreatmentmanufacturerspresenttechnicaldatainreferencetoISO8573.1.AneasytounderstandISO
8573.1:2001tabledefinesthevariousairqualityclasses.Thestandardalsodeterminesthatairqualityshallbe

CO2 Calculator
TrainingGuides

designatedbythefollowingnomenclature:

https://www.airbestpractices.com/systemassessments/airtreatment/n2/airqualitystandardsiso85731iso12500

1/6

7/4/2016

AirQualityStandardsISO8573.1&ISO12500|CompressedAirBestPractices

CompressedAirPurityClassesA,B,C:
Where:
A=solidparticleclassdesignation
B=humidityandliquidwaterclassdesignation
C=oilclassdesignation
Morethanyouthought

CompressedAirContamination
Contaminantsoriginatefromthreegeneralsources.
1.Contaminantsinthesurroundingambientaredrawnintotheairsystemthroughtheintakeofthe
aircompressor.Ingestedcontaminantsappearintheformofwatervapor,hydrocarbonvapors,
naturalparticlesandairborneparticulates.
2.Asresultofthemechanicalcompressionprocess,additionalimpuritiesmaybeintroducedinto
theairsystem.Generatedcontaminantsincludecompressorlubricant,wearparticlesand
vaporizedlubricant.
3.Acompressedairsystemwillcontaininbuiltcontamination.Pipingdistributionandairstorage
tanks,moreprevalentinoldersystems,willhavecontaminantintheformofrust,pipescale,
mineraldepositsandbacteria.

Water
Watervaporentersthesystemthroughtheintakeoftheaircompressor.Intotalvolume,condensedwatervapor
representsthemajorityofliquidcontaminationinacompressedairsystem.Onatypicalsummerdayof80(F
(21(C)and70%relativehumidity,approximately19.5gallons(73.8liters)ofwaterentersa100scfm(170
nm3/hr)systemina24hourperiod.Thismoisturewillspoilfoodproducts,causepneumaticmachineryfailure
andpromotebacterialgrowthinthecompressedairpiping.Compressedairsystemsservingthefoodprocessing
industrymustmaintaindry,moisturefreeconditionsmitigatingtheriskofmicroorganismgrowth.
Sincecompressedairusedinfoodprocessingoperationsmaycomeindirectcontactwiththefood,acompressed
airdryerproducingasubzeropressuredewpointisrequired.Dewpoint,specifiedastemperature,isthepoint
atwhichthewatervaporheldinthecompressedairisequaltothecompressedairscapacitytoholdwatervapor.
Desiccantdryersusingactivatedaluminawilladsorbwatervaporfromtheairmosteffectively,deliveringISO
8573.1QualityClass2(40(F/40(C)pressuredewpoint),idealforthefoodprocessingindustry.Atthislevelof
dryness,bacteriawillceasetogrow.

LiquidOilandOilVapor
ThemostscrutinizedandoftendiscussedcontaminantclassifiedbyISO8573.1isoil.Compressedairfreefrom

https://www.airbestpractices.com/systemassessments/airtreatment/n2/airqualitystandardsiso85731iso12500

2/6

7/4/2016

AirQualityStandardsISO8573.1&ISO12500|CompressedAirBestPractices

oilisarequirementinafoodprocessingenvironment.
Endusersaregiventhechoiceofselectingfromseveralaircompressortechnologies,someofwhichrequire
lubricationinthecompressionchamberforcoolingandsealingpurposes,andothersthatoperatelesslubricantin
thecompressionchamber.Theenduserdetermineswhichcompressordesignbestmeetsthedesired
requirements.Thepurposeofthisdiscussionisnottotipthescaletowardeithertechnology,buttoaddressair
treatmentrequirementsinfoodprocessingapplications.
Lubricatedcompressorsaretypicallylessexpensivetopurchaseandhavealowercostofownership.Dependent
ontheageofthecompressorandpreventativemaintenanceprogramsperformed,alubricatedrotaryscrewair
compressorwillintroduced2to10ppm/wofoilintotheairsystem.Awellmaintained250scfmlubricatedair
compressor,withaconservative4partspermillioncarryover,willaddupto4.8gallons(18.2liters)ofoilinto
theairsystemoveran8000houroperation.
Lubricantfreecompressorsgenerallyhaveahigherinitialcostandgreatermaintenancecostsoverthelifecycleof
theequipment.Lubricantisonlyrequiredforthebearingsandtiminggears,whichissegregatedfromthe
compressionchamber.Thiscompressortechnologypresentsnoriskoflubricantmigratingintotheprocessair.
Bothaircompressortechnologiesaresubjecttotheinherentchallengespresentedbyqualityoftheintakeair.
Ingestedcontaminationintheformofwatervapor,solidparticulateandhydrocarbonvapormustbeaddressed
regardlessifthecompressorislubricatedorfreefromlubricant.Dependingonthelocationofthecompressor
intake,oilvaporlevelsinindustrialareasmaycontain2030ppmofairbornehydrocarbonaerosols.
Hydrocarbonvapors,theprimarycomponentoffossilfuelcombustion,willcondenseinapipingsystemwhen
cooledformingaliquidcontaminant.
Becausecompressedairmaycomeindirectandindirectcontactwithfoodprocessing,anelevatedlevelof
filtrationisrequired.Ahighefficiencycoalescingfiltercapableofremovingsolidsandliquidsisrecommended.
Itshouldbecapableofremovingsolidandliquidaerosols0.01micronandlarger.Theremainingoilcontent
shouldbe0.007ppm,orless.Anactivatedcarbonfilter,installedinseries,isalsorecommendeddownstreamof
thecoalescingfilter.Theadsorptionfilterwillremovetraceodorsandoilvaporto0.003partspermillionby
weight.ThisfiltercombinationwillensurespecifiedfiltrationlevelsachieveISO8573.1Class1foroilandvapor
removal.

SolidParticles

Inageneralindustrialarea,therearenearly4,000,000airborneparticlespercubicfootofair.Whenthis
ambientairiscompressedto100psig,theconcentrationofsolidcontaminationwillreachsignificant
proportions.Mostaircompressorintakefiltersareratedtocapturesoldparticles4to10micronsinsizeand
largerandareratedat9095%efficiency.Approximately80%ofairborneparticlesare10micronorless.Spores,
pollenandbacteriaarelessthan2microninsize.Thismayseemlikealotofparticulatematter,butkeepin
mind,asolidparticle40uminsizeisbarelyvisibletothenakedeye.Evenawellmaintainedandroutinely
changedintakefilterwillallowsolidparticlestoentertheairsystem.
Solidparticulatemustberemovedfromprocessairservingthefoodindustry.Inpneumaticcontrolcircuits,
solidsparticlesplugcontrolvalveorifices,affectaccuracyofgaugingandscoreaircylinderswalls,causingleaks.
Particlesmayrestrictflowthroughairjetnozzlesusedtocleanfoodpreparationsurfacesoradverselyaffectthe
consistencyofspraycoatingsappliedonfoodproducts.
ToachievetherecommendedISO8573.1Class2classificationforsolidparticulateremoval,a1.0micron
particulatefilterisrecommended.Theparticulatefilterwillalsoenhancetheservicelifeofhighperformance
coalescingfiltersbyminimizingsolidloading.

https://www.airbestpractices.com/systemassessments/airtreatment/n2/airqualitystandardsiso85731iso12500

3/6

7/4/2016

AirQualityStandardsISO8573.1&ISO12500|CompressedAirBestPractices

MeetingtheNewestChallengeISO12500
TheISO8573AirQualitystandardisservingtheindustrywellbyraisingenduserawarenessofhowtomeasure
anddefinethequalityofcompressedair.Usingthis,theendusercanmakeeducateddecisionsastothefiltration
performancerequiredtogenerateacertainqualitylevel.However,thisstandarddoesnotaddresshow
manufacturersaretotestandratethefilters.Theplayingfieldisnotlevelandconsumersbecomeconfused.The
ISO12500filterstandardaddressesthisissueandestablisheshowmanufacturerstestandratecompressedair
filters.
Thestandarddefinescriticalperformanceparameters(namely,inletoilchallenge,inletcompressedair
temperatureandpressuremeasurementtechniques)thatwilldelivercertifiablefilterperformanceinformation
suitableforcomparativepurposes.
ISO12500isamultipartstandard,withISO125001encompassingthetestingofcoalescingfiltersforoilaerosol
removalperformance,ISO125002quantifiesvaporremovalcapacityofadsorptionfilters,andISO125003
outlinesrequirementstotestparticulatefiltersforsolidcontaminantremoval.
TheSPXDehydrationandFiltrationResearchandDevelopmentcenter,locatedinCanonsburg,Pennsylvania,
maintainsadvancedtestingresourcestoconductISO125001,2,and3filtertesting.Threeseparatetest
laboratorieswereconstructed,eachequippedwithstainlesssteelpiping,stateoftheartinstrumentationand
contaminantmeasurementequipment.SPXD&Fmaintainscapabilitiestogeneratedehydrateandfilter
compressedairthrough3000scfm.

TestMethods
ThefollowingdescribesmethodsSPXDehydrationandFiltrationhaselectedtoperformfilterperformance
testingundertheguiseofISO12500standards.

ISO125001:2007FiltersforCompressedAirPart1:OilAerosols
ISO125001hasidentifiedtwoopposinginletoilaerosolsconcentrationstodeterminetheperformanceand
pressuredropcharacteristicsofcoalescingfilters.Theinletconcentrations,10mg/m3and40mg/m3,were
selectedtoprovideawidechallengevariance.Filtermanufacturermayelecttopublishperformancedateat
eitherofthetwoinletconcentrations.Thechallengeconcentrationselectedshallappearinpublishedtechnical
data.
Note:1mg/m=0.84ppmbyweight
a.TheISO125001coalescingfiltertestbeginswithaclean,reliablesourceofcompressedair.
b.Testingconditionsshallbecontrolled:inletairpressure101.5psig(7bar)inletairtemperature
68(F(20(C)ambienttemperature68(F(20(C).
c.Aninitial(dry)pressuredropmeasurementistaken.Initialpressuredropratingsarerelevantto
quantifycostofoperationinthatcondition.
d.ALaskinnozzlegeneratordevelopsasupplyofaerosolswithapeakdistributionprofile0.1to0.3
micronsinsize.Aerosolsinthisrangearethemostdifficulttoremove.Theseoilaerosolsare
injectedintothecleancompressedairstream.
e.Awhitelightscatteringphotometermeasurestheupstreamconcentrationtoensurethemixture
complieswiththe10mg/m3or40mg/m3aerosolchallenge.

f.Airthenentersthecoalescingtypefilter.
g.Oncethefilterreachesequilibrium,oftenreferredtoasthewettedcondition,measurements
aretakentodeterminetheeffectivenessofthefilter.Awhitelightscatteringphotometerisused
tomeasureofpenetrationoftheoilaerosolsthroughthecoalescingelement.Thepressuredrop

https://www.airbestpractices.com/systemassessments/airtreatment/n2/airqualitystandardsiso85731iso12500

4/6

7/4/2016

AirQualityStandardsISO8573.1&ISO12500|CompressedAirBestPractices
acrossthefilterhousingisalsomeasuredandrecorded.
h.Threesetsreadingsaretaken.Themanufacturerpublishestheaverageperformancevalue
derivedfromthethreetests.
i.Atthegiveninletconcentrationofoil,the125001testwillconfirm:
Oilaerosolpenetration(expressedasmassperunitvolume(mg/m3)
Oilaerosolfiltrationefficiency(expressedinpercent(%captured)
Pressuredrop(p)

ISO125002:2007FiltersforcompressedairPart2:OilVapors
ISO125002determinestheadsorptioncapacityandpressuredropofhydrocarbonvaporremovalfilters.
Adsorptionfilters,utilizinganactivatedcarbonmedium,possessthepolaritytoattracthydrocarbonvaporsfrom
anairstreamontoaporoussurface.Theadsorptionprocesswillcontinueuntiltheactivatedcarbonmediaisfully
consumed.Amassmeasurementistakenconfirmingthevaporremovalfiltersadsorptivecapacityexpressedin
milligramsofhydrocarbonadsorbed.
a.TheISO125002adsorptionfiltertestbeginswithaclean,reliablesourceofcompressedair.
b.Testingconditionsshallbecontrolled:inletairpressure101.5psig(7bar)inletairtemperature
68(F(20(C)ambienttemperature68(F(20(C).
c.Aprecisionrotametermeasurestheconcentrationofnhexaneliquid.Nhexaneiswidelyusedin
laboratorytestingforhydrocarbonmeasurementandpossessesthepropertiesrequiredtoconduct
adsorptionfiltertesting,i.e.,easytoevaporate,colorless,lightdistinguishableodor,andeasyto
measure.
d.Aheatervaporizesthenhexaneliquidat155.6(F(68(C).Whenheated,nhexanechangesphase
andturnsintoavapor.
e.Thevaporenrichedairisinjectedandmixedwiththecleanairsource.
f.Themixtureofairandnhexanevaporenterstheadsorptionfilter.Aninitial(dry)pressuredrop
measurementistaken.Note:Adsorptionfiltersaredesignedtoremovevaporandnotliquid
contaminants.Establishingadrypressuredropisusefultodeterminecostofoperation.
g.Aninfraredspectrometerisusedtodetectthepresenceofnhexanevaporatthefilteroutlet.

https://www.airbestpractices.com/systemassessments/airtreatment/n2/airqualitystandardsiso85731iso12500

5/6

7/4/2016

AirQualityStandardsISO8573.1&ISO12500|CompressedAirBestPractices
h.Thefilteriscontinuallymonitoreduntilvaporpenetratesthroughtheadsorptivefilterelement.
Breakthroughindicatesthefilterisfullyconsumedandisincapableofadsorbingadditionalvapor.
i.Anadsorptivecapacityvalue(totalamountadsorbed)isestablishedinmilligrams.
j.Threefiltersofthesamesizeshallbetestedunderidenticalconditions.Themanufactureris
publishestheaverageperformancevaluederivedfromthethreetests.

ISO125003:2009FiltersforCompressedAirPart3:Particulates
Note:Onemicronparticlemeasures0.000039ofaninch.
ISO125003providesguidanceforthetestingandmethodsfordeterminingparticulatefilterremovalefficiency,
byparticlesize.Filtersshallbechallengedbysolidparticulateintherange0.01<5.0um,finetypefilters,and
particulateof5.0>40um,forcoursetypefilters.
a.TheISO125003particulatefiltertestbeginswithaclean,reliablesourceofcompressedair.
b.Testingconditionsshallbecontrolled:inletairpressure101.5psig(7bar)inletairtemperature
68(F(20(C)ambienttemperature68(F(20(C).
c.Initialpressuredropmeasurementsacrossthefilterhousingaretakenandrecorded.
d.Togeneratesolidparticlesforthetest,asaltsolutionisatomizedandthendried,formingsalt
particlesrangingfrom0.050to0.1micronsinsize.
e.Theseparticlesaretheninjectedintothecleanairstream.
f.AScanningMobilityParticleSizer(SMPS)provideshighresolutioncountingofparticlesbysize
andplotsadistributioncurveforthefilterinletchallenge.
g.TheSMPSisalsousedtomeasuretheparticledistributiondownstreamofthefilter,thus
determiningthefilterspenetrationcharacteristics.
h.Filterefficiency,byparticlesize,canbecalculated(expressedinpercent(%).
i.Threefiltersofthesamesizeshallbetestedunderidenticalconditions.Themanufacturer
publishestheaverageperformancevaluesderivedfromthethreetests.

ComplimentingEachOther
TheISO8573standardwillcontinuetobenefitendusersbydefiningairqualitylevelsandmethodsto
determinecontaminantspresentintheirairsystem.TheISO12500teststandardswillbenefitairtreatment
manufacturersbyprovidingthemeanstocommerciallyseparatefilterproductsthroughcertifiableperformance.
Weallbenefit,appreciatingthatISO,aglobalinternationalstandardsorganization,continuestorefineits
standardsforthebettermentofthecompressedairindustryandprivatesector.

FormoreinformationpleasecontactJayFrancis,VicePresidentofMarketingSPXDehydration&Filtration.

ABOUTUS CONTACTUS MEDIAKIT ADVERTISE PRIVACYPOLICY TERMS&CONDITIONS SITEMAP

https://www.airbestpractices.com/systemassessments/airtreatment/n2/airqualitystandardsiso85731iso12500

Copyright2016

6/6