Contec oil mist separators

Lubrication oil systems for gas, steam and water turbines, turbo-compressors and turbo-machinery generate smoke with high oil mist content, with fine oil droplets reaching emission values of 300-400 mg/m³ and even more.

In large workshops and machinery buildings, turbo-machinery, gears, turbines and compressor are used to produce power or compressed air. They often pollute the workplace and the environment more generally with oil mist from the lubricating oil tank. Legal provisions for workplaces limit this oil mist concentration, but these limits can often not be adhered to. The best that can be done is route the oil-laden exhaust air through complex pipe systems in the hall ceiling to the outside, which only shifts the problem instead of solving it.

High-performance filters with elements made of fiberglass fleece have proven themselves in oil separation from rotary press exhaust air wherever the existing system pressure, or overpressure generated by the machine itself, is sufficient. But for many machines, especially those for special applications or operating under unfavorable conditions, existing overpressure is not sufficient.

Such cases require a blower to extract oil-laden air and route it through the filter. Side channel compressors have proven effective for such applications: they are reliable, cost-effective and have an optimal throughput-pressure ratio. The filter elements are designed specifically for this application. They are 99.98% efficient with droplets of 0.1 µm, the pressure resistance is about 60 mbar. This means that the air released to the environment is much cleaner than the German Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control (TA Luft) prescribes. The separators fulfill all legal requirements and recapture high-quality lubricating oil that also usually contains expensive additives.

The oil mist separator essentially consists of the side channel compressor and the filter housing with filter elements. The side channel compressor generates a controllable negative pressure to extract the oil-laden air. The air flows through the standpipe in the intermediate space in the filter housing, disperses and flows from there through the filter elements. This prevents leaks and oil mist escaping from bearing points, shaft feed-throughs and crankshaft ventilation passages. The filter element's long service life and the automatic oil return mean very low maintenance.

The core of the COMS (Contec oil mist separator) is the specially developed glass fiber filter elements. The two-layer design with its incorporated reinforcing fabric optimizes the coalescing effect and ensures that oil separation remains consistently high. The efficiency (99.98% for droplets of 0.1 µm) is much less than the emissions limits set in TA Luft. This is one reason why our oil mist separators have been awarded the environmental technology prize.

The very compact design of Contec oil mist separators allows them to be used even under difficult installation conditions where space is tight.

The side channel compressor generates negative pressure to extract the oil-laden air from the lubricating oil tank. The air flows through the intake pipe into the filter-housing cavity, where it disperses to the filter elements and is fed through them. The fine oil aerosols in the air are retained on the filter surfaces, collected and finally returned to the machine. 99.98% of all oil droplets are separated from the air. The same is true of contamination particles. The exhaust air thus filtered is, technically speaking, absolutely dry and clean and can remain in the factory without hazard. Levels of contamination are far below the TA Luft limits. Complex, expensive exhaust ducts are a thing of the past.

The filter elements' long service life (usually at least a year) and the automatic return of the oil gives the lubricating oil system a low-maintenance feature. The quick-connect fasteners on the cover, or the swiveling cover (optional), make the filter elements quick and easy to replace.

The filter elements used in Contec oil mist separators (COMS) are developed specifically for cleaning oily gases in the exhaust air of rotating machinery. It is just here that high-performance filters with fiberglass fleece elements have proven themselves. The filter elements are disposable. They deliver exceptional filtration efficiency with low pressure losses and long service life.

The two-layer design consists of an integrated supporting inner layer between two bound outer layers. This design has outstanding burst strength, optimizes droplet coalescence and guarantees consistently high oil aerosol separation. Since the filter elements consist of multiple layers, they prevent oil mist that has already been extracted by the elements from being blown back.

The filter element composition is completely inert to all lubricants and practically resistant to all chemicals used in such machines as wheel gears, gas and steam turbines, turbo engines and compressors. The filter elements are 99.98% efficient for droplets of up to 0.1 μm, so they make the air much cleaner than the German Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control (TA Luft) prescribe.