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Filter Regulator Lubricator: What You Need to Learn About FRL and How It Works

Filter Regulator Lubricator: What You Need to Learn About FRL and How It Works title and a model of Filter Regulator Lubricator

Introduction 

The air that comes out of a compressor might be hot, filthy, and damp. If not properly maintained, it can significantly shorten the life of any downstream equipment, such as valves and cylinders.

These tools can eventually corrode with time, causing major concern for anyone who relies on air compressors. To avoid this, you should invest in a filter regulator lubricator (FRL) to remove oil, water droplets, and other impurities.

What is a Filter Regulator Lubricator? 

An FRL combines a filter, regulator, and lubricator into a single component to keep air compressor systems running smoothly. It is sometimes referred to as a box set. This equipment contains a shut-off valve and gauge, which shortens installation timeframes and lowers labor costs, making it a more affordable choice than separate pieces.

How Does a Filter Regulator Lubricator Work? 

To understand how a filter regulator lubricator works, you need to learn first the functions of its three components.

Filter 

The filter is the first part of the FRL system, located between the regulator and the lubricator. It cleans the air in the line of pollutants and enables air to pass through while trapping dirt, rust, or dust. In addition, the filter may separate liquids into oil and water.

There are three types of filters: coalescing filters, vapor removal filters, and dry particulate filters.

• Coalescing Filters

They are utilized in the removal of water and aerosols. Coalescing filters work by capturing small droplets in a filter medium and combining them to form bigger droplets. They are then removed from the filter. In addition, these filters include a re-entrainment barrier that prevents droplets from reentering the air.

If coalescing filters are not replaced on a regular basis, they can take particles from compressed air systems and retain them inside the filter media, resulting in pressure reduction. They can effectively remove pollutants and decrease particle levels to 0.1 micron and liquid levels to 0.01 ppm.

• Vapor Removal Filters

Vapor removal filters are often used to remove gaseous lubricants from the coalescing filter. These filters should not be used to collect lubricant aerosols since they employ an adsorption process. This approach uses activated carbon granules or carbon fabric to collect and remove pollutants.

The reason for this is that particles quickly saturate the filter, rendering it ineffective in a couple of hours. To avoid this, run the air through a coalescing filter before the vapor removal filter.

• Dry Particulate Filters

After an adsorption drier, dry particulate filters are utilized to remove desiccant particles. These filters may be used to eliminate any corrosion particles from compressed air. They also function similarly to a coalescing filter in that they capture and hold particles within the filter medium.

Regulator 

The regulator works by keeping pressure at an appropriate level for your system. It can lower the pressure entering the system upstream while maintaining a steady flow downstream. The regulator should ideally be under perfect continuous pressure. However, in actual application, it will always be influenced by various factors upstream.

A regulator is used to manage the pressure on a variety of tools, including:

• Aerosol Lubrication Systems

• Air Bearings

• Air Compressors

• Air Cylinders

• Air Engines

• Air Logic Valves

• Air Metering Apparatus

• Blowguns

• Hydraulic Systems

• Spraying Apparatus

Regulators are available in both relieving and non-relieving forms. When the pressure in a system grows too high, a relieving regulator pauses the pressure flow and opens a vent, enabling the pressure to escape. The vent remains open until the system’s pressure levels return to normal.

Meanwhile, when the pressure rises, a non-relieving regulator limits the flow. However, instead of releasing the pressure, it retains it. Using this type requires the use of another mechanism to alleviate pressure elsewhere.

This is why non-relieving regulators are better suited to hazardous applications. When it traps excess gases or air, it guarantees that combustible, costly, or dangerous gases are released into the atmosphere in a controlled manner.

Lubricator 

A lubricator is a device that injects controlled amounts of tool oil into a compressed air system to reduce friction caused by moving components. Aside from that, most air tools, cylinders, valves, air motors, and other air-driven equipment require it to extend their usable life.

An air line lubricator is used in a FRL system as the lubricator. It overcomes the problems of excessive or insufficient lubrication caused by traditional lubrication techniques such as grease guns or oil. Aside from that, an air line lubricator may provide the appropriate lubrication for the equipment utilized. Keep in mind that insufficient and excessive lubrication can lead to component failure and component seizing after extended downtime.

There are two types of airline lubricators: oil-fog lubricators and micro-fog lubricators.

When using oil-fog lubricators, all the oil droplets seen in the sight dome are directly injected into the airflow, resulting in rather big oil droplets moving downstream.

In micro-fog lubricators, meanwhile, the oil droplets seen in the sight dome are atomized and gathered in the region above the oil in the bowl. The smaller, lighter particles are pulled into the airflow and travel downstream, accounting for 10% of the apparent oil droplets in the sight dome.

Applications of Filter Regulator Lubricator in the Philippines 

The FRL helps keep things moving well. There’s no need for you to buy a stand-alone filter for your operations because the FRL system will quickly do the job for you.

Airline Filter 

Using an air compressor can exhaust your inline filters over time. After all, they keep particulate matter from getting into the airflow. In addition, there’s a good chance that the ambient air contains unnecessary particles despite the pneumatic systems’ rigorous process.

Pressure Regulator 

Pressure regulators have been incorporated into many compressed air systems to reduce and control air pressure in air tools, blowguns, air cylinders, and more. However, these machines can still cause damage if there’s too much stress. If the pressure exceeds the manufacturer’s specifications, it can cause the tubing to explode.

With an FRL system, you won’t have to worry about the pressure levels as much because it can help maintain a constant output pressure no matter how much input pressure you have. You will also be able to release excess downstream pressure to ensure that your system is functioning optimally.

Lubricator 

A lubricator is essential for compressed air systems because it helps reduce friction between moving components by adding a controlled amount of tool oil. The lubricator can also get rid of compressor oils that may build up on system components, helping extend the lifespan of your compressed air systems. In addition, this device is designed to release the appropriate kind of lubricant, depending on the tools you use.

Pneumatic System 

Not regularly checking your compressed air systems can cause several pneumatic issues that might arise over time, including:

• Air Seal Leaks

• Dirty or Damaged Filter

• Slow-Moving Actuator

• Cylinder Drift

• Unchanging Directional Control Valve

• Low Pressure

By using a filter regulator lubricator, you can resolve these pneumatic issues immediately.

Things to Consider in Selecting a Filter Regulator Lubricator? 

Aside from knowing the benefits of using a filter regulator lubricator for your compressed air systems, you must consider various factors in choosing the right FRL system for your business.

Environment 

There are many kinds of filter regulator lubricators in the market, but they are not built equally. Keep in mind that some FRL models were designed for a specific environment.

Suppose you’re going to use an FRL system for harsh industrial environments, such as foundries, shipyards, or anything that involves heavy machinery. In that case, it’s highly recommended that you choose a metallic FRL system.

However, if you’re going to use them for smaller industries, especially in vehicle service environments, a composite FRL system would be a better option.

Type of FRL 

Because there are many FRL systems in the market, you must choose the right type for your business needs. Most of the time, industries opt for filter regulator lubricator units with two- or three-stage applications.

However, keep in mind that both of them can deliver the same three functions. The only differences are the aesthetics and compactness. For usages with high dynamic pressure, the three-stage unit is recommended.

Meanwhile, if you need an FRL system for specific environments, such as one with oil and paint, consider having a system with only one or two functions. In this case, you can choose a one-stage filter regulator lubricator to ensure the needed function. This is because you should avoid having oil in your working environment.

Thread Size 

Before buying a filter regulator lubricator for your business, you must include the air line installation thread and standards. This is to match the condition of all your compressed air systems. The available thread sizes for the FRL system are 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 3/8.

In addition, there are some regional differences and industry preferences. Most of the pressure systems use British Standard Procedure (BSP). However, some would often use National Pipe Thread (NPT) in the oil and gas industry.

Air Flow Requirements 

When looking for a filter regulator lubricator in the market, you must check for its air tool manufacturer recommendations. These recommendations will indicate the airflow requirements for your FRL system to ensure that the airflow capacity is superior to the tool requirements. Aside from that, the airflow requirements must be indicated in liter per second (l/s) or cubic foot per minute (cfm) for customers to understand easily.

Tips in Maintaining the Filter Regulator Lubricator System

Many factors can cause compressed air systems or pneumatic equipment to fail or not work as efficiently as they should.

One main reason behind a pneumatic equipment’s failure can be side-mount loading. In this case, you must ensure that the valve will shift in a push-pull type of motion during the operation. If it remains stationary, you have to assess it carefully as you might not spot these errors immediately.

In addition, it is recommended to avoid piston rod side-load mounting, especially when you want to achieve maximum operating performance from your FRL system. This can cause misalignment, rod deflections, and imprecise tie-rod torque during operations.

Lastly, always check the placement of the cylinder in the machinery. If it’s misaligned, it will cause excessive wear to the rod gland and cylinder bore. In addition, this will lead to a decreased lifespan of your products, which will require you to replace them immediately.

Level of Filtration 

Not all infiltration levels can fit all kinds of filter regulator lubricator systems. That’s why you have to select the right level of filtration to suit your equipment and business needs. In this way, you get to manage your energy costs better and produce less waste in the long run.

Aside from that, you’re eliminating excessive levels of filter treatment to your compressed air systems. After all, they help increase the amount of energy due to the resistance of some filters.

For example, it would be best to use a coarser filter than a coalescing one because the latter provides a more vigorous resistance.

High-Quality Filter 

When choosing the right filter for your FRL system, it’s vital to take note that a high-quality air filter will always have a lower pressure drop than a low-quality one. This is because low-quality air filters can clog muck quicker and consume more energy at their maximum rated flow. This will result in wearing down your FRL system in a shorter amount of time.

Regulator Settings 

A regulator is essential in balancing out the amount of energy that a compressed air system uses. If pneumatic equipment operates with an unregulated pressure setting, it causes a higher demand for compressed air and unnecessarily uses energy in the long run. This will eventually lead to higher maintenance costs, shorter product lifespan, and wasted compressed air.

Lubricator Size 

If your equipment has parts that are constantly moving and rubbing against each other, they will require a form of lubrication. After all, a lubricator helps avoid excess wear and damage to moving components inside a pneumatic machine.

For example, you can use an air-line lubricator to inject a pre-measured oil mist or fog on the machinery so the components will not rust and wear down quickly.

Where to Purchase Filter Regulator Lubricator in the Philippines? 

Turn to Compresstech Resources Inc. for your air tool needs in the Philippines. We provide one of the most cost-effective and top-notch filters, regulators, and lubricators for different industries in the country.  Our product can remove solid and liquid contaminants for compressed air systems to ensure that your running tools downstream will receive sufficient lubrication.

In addition, our filter regulator lubricator helps keep all your air tools in their peak condition and prevents leakage. This will result in an increased return on your investment and a longer lifespan.

We have partnered with Ingersoll Rand to offer you our finest filter regulator lubricator: the 1/2″ Piggyback FRL and 3/8″ Piggyback FRL.

What Filter Regulator Lubricator You Can Buy at Compresstech in the Philippines 

1/2″ Piggyback FRL, C38341-600-VS 

This filter regulator lubricator is a complete unit that comes with pre-assembled components to save space. It has a modular mounting bracket for extra convenience, a quarter-turn drain, a 1.3-ounce quick-release bowl, and a 71-scfm flow capacity at 90 PSI.

3/8″ Piggyback FRL, C38231-600-VS 

This product combines a larger filter, regulator, and lubricator into one unit to save spaces for various industrial purposes. This complete unit is pre-assembled with a modular mounting bracket for fast drainage and extra convenience. In addition, it consists of a 1.3-ounce quick-release bowl and quarter-turn drain for easy maintenance.

Conclusion 

If you don’t take good care of your air compressors, they can end up being damaged. Aside from that, it will shorten the lifespan of the equipment, including the other parts such as valves, cylinders, air tools.

Compresstech Resources Inc. has got you covered! We provide high-quality filter regulator lubricators at their best prices. Contact us today to find out more details about this product.