Water/Air seperation

[Nor'Easter]

Hey guys, hoping I might be able to pick your brains on this one. I currently have a Devilbiss QC3 filter for sandblasting and painting, but after 2 hours and an estimated 1,800cf of air for the blaster the filter is shot. Instead of continuously throwing $50 filters at the QC3 for blasting I am thinking of a separate water separator for blasting. My question is, is there any system out there that only provides water separation? Obviously there is no need for a dust/dirt filter when blasting. I'm hoping to find a setup that works along the lines of a standard diesel/water separator that only works on water, obviosuly very different but similar in process. Separate enough water out and drain the filter, and just repeat as needed.

Thoughts/ideas?

 

[Jim C]

well there are plenty of water separators avail and are cheap. problem is none of them will separate the moisture if its in a vapor so you need to cool the air so it will condense. thats the expensive part. best thing you can do really is breakdown and get a refrigerated dryer. in a couple years you will spend more on the desiccant cartridges for your current setup than you will for a ref unit. if you dig around you can pick them up cheap slightly used on ebay or craigslist too.

 

[chevman]

I'm hoping to find a setup that works along the lines of a standard diesel/water separator that only works on water, obviosuly very different but similar in process. Separate enough water out and drain the filter, and just repeat as needed.

Thoughts/ideas?

Water is heavier than diesel fuel, and water is also heavier than air, all you have to do is cool the air to make it condense and you have it.

 

[Nor'Easter]

I do understand the vapor to liquid necessity. I currently have 30 ft of 3/4 copper between my compressor and the QC3 filter, although by the time I am done blasting for two hours, the copper is warm right up to the filter. It seems like another 30 ft should be enough? I think I found the type of filter I am looking for, its the Tsunami coalescing water and oil filters. I like them because they provide continuous separation and I don't have to change out filter media, which is my goal. Any thoughts on those?

 

[Jim C]

you can get a water seperator/filter almost anywhere. home depot and lowes have them i think rated up to about 35cfm. kinda small bowl on them but not sure of your size requirements.