Air oil requirements for air compressor
Air oil content standard and industry application specification for air compressor
In compressed air systems, the oil content of the air is the core indicator to measure the quality of the air source, which directly affects product quality and production safety. It has been verified by industry practice that there are significant differences in oil content requirements in different application scenarios, and professional configuration is needed based on specific working conditions.
1. Oil content classification standards
According to the international standard ISO 8573-1 “Compressed Air Part 1: Pollutants and Purity Grades”, the oil content of compressed air is divided into the following levels:
| level | Oil content range (mg/m³) | typical application scenarios |
|---|---|---|
| LV0 | ≤0.01 | Semiconductor manufacturing, biopharmaceutical, food packaging |
| Grade 1 | 0.01-0.1 | Electronic component assembly, precision spraying, medical equipment |
| Grade 2 | 0.1-1.0 | Automotive manufacturing, metal processing, general industrial automation |
| Grade 3 | 1.0-5.0 | Mining, ship repair, infrastructure construction |
2. Industry differentiation requirements
- High-precision and cutting-edge manufacturing fields
- Semiconductor chip production: It must meet Level 0 standard (≤0.01mg/m³), and adopt oil-free air compressor unit + catalytic oxidation oil removal device
- Pharmaceutical sterile workshop: equipped with a dual-stage oil removal filter, with residual oil content <0.003mg/m³, meeting GMP certification requirements
- Food comes into contact with air: transported through 316L stainless steel pipes, with oil content <0.01mg/m³ to avoid oil pollution
- General industrial applications
- Automobile assembly line: Level 1 standard (0.01-0.1mg/m³), equipped with cold drying machine + activated carbon filter
- Mechanical processing: Level 2 standard (0.1-1.0mg/m³), using basic configuration of air storage tank + gas-water separator
- Mine ventilation: Level 3 standard (1.0-5.0mg/m³), only basic filtration device is required
3. Equipment selection principles
- Application scenarios of oil-free air compressors
- Core advantages: Exhaust oil content ≤0.01ppm (0.01mg/m³), meeting the most stringent cleanliness requirements
- Typical configuration:
- Host material: 304 stainless steel/Teflon coating
- Cooling method: water-cooled or oil-free air-cooled
- Mandatory accessories: Dual-stage precision filter (0.01μm level)
- Oil air compressor application scenarios
- Economic advantages: 30-50% lower acquisition costs, 15-20% higher energy efficiency
- Purification plan:
- Basic configuration: cold drying machine + primary filter (1μm)
- Deep purification: Add activated carbon filter + catalytic oxidation device to reduce the oil content to 0.01mg/m³
4. Oil content testing methods
- Simple on-site testing
- Test paper method: Use clean white paper close to the exhaust port for 3 minutes. No oil stains are considered acceptable.
- Condensate observation: The drainage from the air storage tank should be clear and free of emulsified oil layer
- laboratory testing
- Infrared spectroscopy: detection limit of 0.001mg/m³, suitable for high-precision analysis
- Weighing method: Weighing by solvent extraction, complying with ISO 8573-5 standard
5. System configuration recommendations
- High cleanliness system
- Air compressor type: oil-free lubrication screw machine
- Post-treatment combination: cold dryer + adsorption dryer + dual stage precision filter
- Pipe material: 316L stainless steel, slope design ensures automatic drainage
- value configuration
- Air compressor type: frequency conversion oil screw machine
- Post-treatment combination: cold dryer + activated carbon filter
- Maintenance points: Replace the oil core every 2000 hours, and check the residual oil quantity every quarter
Understanding the control requirements for air oil content in air compressors will help companies build a compressed air system that meets production needs. When selecting equipment, process cleanliness requirements, operating costs and maintenance convenience should be comprehensively considered, and professional testing and system configuration should be used to ensure that the quality of compressed air meets industry specifications, providing reliable guarantee for precision manufacturing and special processes. For oil-sensitive applications, it is recommended to configure online monitoring devices to control the dynamics of gas source quality in real time.