Working Principle and construction

The condenser oil separator is used in air brake system fitted with Air dryers. Air dryer is used to remove moisture from the compressed air. The moisture removal performance of air dryer is dependant on desiccant. When the desiccant in air dryer is affected by oil contaminants present in compressed air, the drying efficiency of air dryer reduces. By fitting condenser oil separator before air dryer, the oil contaminant are removed prior to air dryer and thereby increases air dryer life.

2. Function:

The main functions of condenser oil separator are:

· Removes moisture condensate and oil from the compressed air

· Ejection of collected condensate and oil during cutout cycle.

3. Construction and Operation:

The cut section of condenser oil separator is shown in fig. 2. Condenser oil separator consists of a head, body and baffle. Seal housing fitted with filter houses seal, which is retained against drain valve body by conical spring and spring seat. The seal seals air pressure and condensate collected during charging and automatically exhausts the condensate during cut out. The head has inlet and delivery port for air line connection.

Condenser oil separator operates in two cycles. They are

· Cut in cycle – Compressor charging the system

· Cut out cycle – Compressor unloading

3.1 Cut in cycle:

The compressed air delivered from compressor enters through the inlet port. The air is then circulated through the head and then passes into body. Compressed air is cooled when it is circulated through head and body. Then the air is passed into baffle where it is subjected to centrifugal action. Due to centrifugal action, the oil particles present in the air will flow through the inner walls of body and then passes through filter. Condensed moisture also flows through inner walls and then passes through filter. The filter filters solid carbon particles.

Filtered condensate will flow through lip seal via. Seal housing and collects in the drain valve body. The condensate is sealed by conical portion of seal due to spring force. Clean air will then pass through inner portion of baffle, and then passes through the delivery port.

3.2 Cut-out cycle:

During cut out cycle, the compressed air acting above the seal is discharged to atmosphere through the unloader valve. The pressure acting above the seal will the less than the pressure acting below the seal. This pressure differential causes the pressure acting below the seal to lift against spring force and the seal lip seals the air pressure in the seal housing. As the seal is lifted above the conical seat of drain valve body, the entrapped pressure purges out the condensate collected into the atmosphere.

The cycle is repeated during the entire period of operation