Familiarise with High Pressure Terminology

Compressor Dictionary - A

Activated Carbon

An adsorption filter is used to remove gaseous contaminants from breathing air. These filters have an extremely porous particle structure and hence an extremely large surface area. Both activated carbon, used in purification, and molecular sieve, used as a drying agent (see diagram on the right), have these characteristics. Activated carbon is manufactured using raw materials that have high carbon content, such as peat, saw dust, wood, lignite or coal. During the activation process, all bituminous substances that block the pores are driven out.

Only the carbon lattice structure, which has a surface area of 600 to 1400 m² per gram, remains. Six level teaspoons of activated carbon have same surface area as an entire soccer pitch! The air's speed of flow may not exceed 0,5 m/s to ensure that the reaction time between filter material and potential contaminants is sufficiently long.

Water vapour reduces the filter's efficiency. Furthermore, physical and chemical reactions with water cause activated carbon to heat up. We therefore recommend drying the air before passing it through the activated carbon filter. Please note that this filter has been designed to absorb gaseous contaminants only. Felt layers, contained within special filter cartridges, remove suspended dust particles and aerosols.

Activated carbon, contained in our » TRIPLEX cartridges, produces taste- and odourless breathing air.

Filter cartridges by BAUER KOMPRESSOREN are manufactured using food grade plastics and fine grain activated carbon, which ensures optimal filter efficiency. The filter cartridges have been engineered to meet the specific requirements of every BAUER compressor model.

Clamp with relief valve (see » filling cock).
Besides the DIN connection, the international A-clamp is widely used amongst divers. According to German law, the latter may only be used up to a filling pressure of 200 bar.

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