Filtering Compressed Air From Dirty Old Black Iron Lines

[ZooCity]

Is anyone in a space where they used existing black iron compressed air runs that were run wet/dirty?  My scenario is a former truck or auto repair site, 35+ years old, with comp air ran to each bay but no filtration or chiller ever used and assuming there is no major leaks and that the service air pipe i.d. is adequate to serve the useage.

Wondering if it's worth using existing and filtering extensively before air enters machines or if that just equals constant cleaning and filter replacement and therefore it's easier to just run fresh pipe despite the large up front cost of quality, new, rigid. 

I understand this is extremely situational but would love to hear from anyone who's done it.

[mt_signex]

I actually had to deal with this exact scenario, well, that and along with removing 40+ years of oil and grease from a concrete floor.. I have a few tips for that too if you're tired of ruining a dropped shirt

I sent my air all the way through the entire shop and then on one of the vertical drops I installed a $30-40 Kobalt water trap (make sure you get one that supports your needed CFM) before connecting it to my automatic, since my lines were ran along the rafters the moisture naturally was going to drop down and enter the line, but the filter/trap that I installed worked perfectly and I drained it daily, and it auto drains if the air pressure drops and allows it.

Once I installed the filter, i noticed that the water trap on my press itself never discharged anything and all the lines remained clear.

Hope it helps!

[ZooCity]

Thanks.  Sounds like it's an option and I'd much rather buy a handful of filters than 3k in pipe. 

All ears to any tips for getting grease off a shop floor

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Binkspot]

Pull some of the drops and see what the inside looks like. Personally I would just replace with what you need and be done with it. Do you really want to take a chance on a $100k+ equipment over maybe $1k in plumbing.

Look for an industrial floor degreaser, Zep (industral stuff not the Home Depot stuff) has some nice products. I used their Marine Formula 50 on a shop floor, scrubbed it in with a stiff brush then power washed it.

[ZooCity]

Existing pipe is in the concrete, stubbed out at each of the former truck bays.  I can't imagine them being anywhere near clean!  I'm with you that new pipe is best, then you know exactly what you are feeding the presses and run no risk of the crew missing PM on a filter and choking out air, etc.  I always try to use what's in a building first though. 

[mt_signex]

I tried Simple Green, and Zep Degreaser, the best solution to clean the oil and grease from the floor was the cheapest powdered washing detergent you can find (I found the one that worked best was in the hispanic area of our local grocery store).  Sprinkle it around, suds it up and scrub a bit with a broom/brush and then power wash it.  Of course we washed it before we had much equipment in the shop but as long as you have some floor drains you might be able to make due with just a garden hose sprayer and see how it goes.

With the filter in place, as long as the compressor is not on 100% of the time, it will auto drain, but I never once had a failure and my press had a water trap/filter on it as well, and if someone forgets and it actually clogs up enough to kill the CFM needed (which mine never did), a simple drain and you're back to printing.  Sometimes a simple solution is the best and works out better for the pocket book at the time.

[Maxie]

Why is your piping so expensive, I've worked for years with irrigation pipes used for gardens.
Really easy to install and not that expensive.

[jsheridan]

Why is your piping so expensive, I've worked for years with irrigation pipes used for gardens.
Really easy to install and not that expensive.

I did golf course irrigation as a kid with my dad, thousands of miles of pipe and yeah it's cheap and wicked easy, for water.

Compressed air is a no-go for PVC.

Copper or blackwall or the new stainless quick connect stuff.

[mk162]

I would leave the lines in and just put in particulate filters either on every piece of equipment or at every air hose connection.  They mount just like an oiler or a water/oil separator.  That is the easier route...

[ZooCity]

I would leave the lines in and just put in particulate filters either on every piece of equipment or at every air hose connection.  They mount just like an oiler or a water/oil separator.  That is the easier route...

Exactly what I'm mulling.  Maybe find a way to flush out the pipes prior to cleaning the space up?  I know the black iron will continue to corrode but it should begin to minimize once feeding clean, dry air through it. 

Maxie, jsheridan is correct, don't use pvc for comp air.  It's useable but not worth it for exposed pipe.  If/when the pipes shatter they blast plastic shrapnel everywhere.  Our system runs at 135psi at the comp and through the loop, that's enough to hurt somebody bad should a section of pipe kerplode. 

[Mr Tees!!]

...first place I worked at in '93 had a 12 color Challenger that was fed via PVC across a small section on the floor. Accidentally kicked it one day walking around the press and it exploded. Yes, plastic shrapnel shot everywhere.  No injuries or anything, but man was that LOUD. I think it happend a few times after I left too.

...remember you are down for whatever time it takes to repair the pipe. Ergo, not a good idea.

[jvanick]

OSHA doesn't recommend the use of PVC for compressed air applications either...

I wouldn't want to be on the 'employer' side of an insurance claim if someone got hurt from an exploding pvc pipe.

Edit: just found the OSHA 'recommendations' for pvc and compressed air.
https://www.osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/hib19880520.html

[ZooCity]

...first place I worked at in '93 had a 12 color Challenger that was fed via PVC across a small section on the floor. Accidentally kicked it one day walking around the press and it exploded. Yes, plastic shrapnel shot everywhere.  No injuries or anything, but man was that LOUD. I think it happend a few times after I left too.

...remember you are down for whatever time it takes to repair the pipe. Ergo, not a good idea.

Wow, that's just plain dumb.  Not that you kicked it but I can't believe the pipe was just on the floor. 

[Maxie]

I'm not using PVC
There is 16 bar PE pipe with fittings that any really easy to use.
I've used this for 15 years without any problems.
http://www.plasson.com/content/page/mechanical-fittings

[JBLUE]

Here is what I run for all our lines except the press. The press is fed by copper. Good stuff and easy to install. For a hundred bucks you can add a couple of lines and make it look super clean. They sell their stuff on Amazon at a discount.

http://www.rapidairproducts.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjwi9K4BRCQzq7d1c6A_XASJABueAO2vjZKTwArqE82vbY-Yld07o0gQ3M7L6Gr88lsnHH5dxoCtRDw_wcB