Filters for booster drive gas

japandiver

First of all - apologies for posting without a long personal introduction. I've been lurking for a some time and been using the many good Rebreather World discussions to (unfortunately) conclude that my decision to stop using a Rebreather 5 years ago remains the right one - for the diving I do the risk / reward / cost is balanced towards OC.

So instead I've been improving my set-up for OC including recently purchasing a large booster pump to improve blending - which leads me to my question......

The booster needs 12 - 15 scfm of drive air which is more than my dive compressor can keep up with and will drain a twin set in around 15 minutes. So I have brought several low pressure air compressors to provide drive gas. These are oil-lubricated and will need filters to clean the air before the booster. From the Plarge fittings suppliers like Parkers or Dominic Hunter I can buy the necessary combination of a water separator, AO / AA coalescing filters and an oil vapour filter (or two) which will provide suitably clean drive air - but at a price.

Does anyone have alternative recommendation of either filter designs or suppliers?

thanks in advance

Hugh

USSMEG

Haskel and HI do not need filters as they are designed to run on dirty drive gas. Which kind are you using? This may help us answer the question.

Later Paul

vidodivr

I saw a guy using one from global today, I will get the model # for you.

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japandiver

Booster is a Under Pressure Diving Midi (badged Maximator). Drive gas spec is oil-free air (ie breathing air), particles <5 micron and <15mg/m3 water content <9.4g/m3 at 10degC.

All advice on workable filter options appreciated - the industrial filters I have been looking at will definitely meet the spec and whilst not cheap are not exhorbitant.

thanks for the advice to a discriminating non-Rebreather diver!

Hugh

japandiver

For filtering LP air to "oil free" and "breathing gas" Norgren appear to have a good range of sized / priced filters. The "Olympus Plus" 1/4 G size appear to have the necessary flow rates and a filter / regulator with a 5micron element plus an Oil mist coalescer / hydrocarbon adsorber appears to do the job. This set up appears to be used by Hookah divers. Any experiences / comments?

thanks

Hugh

Loanwolf

Number one you go by japandiver were are you located at?

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aainslie

I have to ask... why did you buy an oil-lubed compressor?

Your solution might be to do the obvious and get rid of your shop compressor, and replace with one or more oil-free units.

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Andrew Ainslie

japandiver

Japandiver lives in ..... Japan. British but over here for work.

Why an oil-lubricated compressor - oil lubricated compressors have lower frictional losses / higher efficiency. Power supply here, and in other countries with a less robust grid, is limited to 30 A 100V thus using the most efficient LP compressors is important. As it is, the LP compressors will have to be supplemented with banked HP air (from petrol compressor)

IMVHO I'd filter any drive gas going to a O2 booster - whether from an oil or oil-free compressor.

Further investigation is suggesting that a Norgren 5 micron filter / regulator plus Norgren oil coalescer will give the filtration required / flow rate / WP / Price.

Hugh

Heliox

our haskel uses a Zinga AE-10. i hear it is the same filter used on air brakes in trucks.
-heo2

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Loanwolf

Japan is not quite the same as the US you do not have Grainger and other Huge industrial supply warehouse stores everywhere. I checked your boosters web site it is all screwed up and links take to wrong pages so i was not able to download anything prevalent for your booster to look at the specs. With all boosters I have ever set up all you have needed for shop air was a 20 micron filter, a water separator, and if needed a oil filter. and yes 10-15 cfm for the larger ones. Standard shop "speedaire" units are what i have always installed and in the us they cost about $30 - $80 replacement filters are about $20 each. I have bought speedaire products in Japan at the tool pro-shops but my filters for the booster i have their was shipped form the US.

Pneumatics & Hydraulics > Air Treatment > Filter-Regulator > Filter/Regulator : Grainger Industrial Supply

This is the one I have installed many times and am currently using on a IH and a Haskel booster now.

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