Compressed air quality testing
We deliver compressed air testing for all industries
Air Quality Standards ISO8573.1
Compressed air is a critical utility widely used throughout the food industry. Being aware of the composition of compressed air used in your plant is key to avoiding product contamination. Your task is to assess the activities and operations that can harm a product, the extent to which a product can be harmed, and how likely it is that product harm will occur. Assessing product contamination is a multi-step process in which you must identify the important risks, prioritise them for management, and take reasonable steps to remove or reduce the chance of harm to the product, and, in particular, serious harm to the consumer.
CPS will undertake a comprehensive air sample test onsite testing:
Oxygen (O₂)
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)
Oil Content
Odour Check
Temperature
Relative Humidity
Water Vapour.
If the levels meet the Australian Standards, we then issue a certificate of compliance which indicates air quality is to AS1715:2009.
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Inline filters - three levels for breathing air
Filters
Compressed air is filled with particles, aerosols, and water/oil vapor that can contaminate the compressed air, causing potential harm to its end users or application. Inline filters are integral to a compressed air system, helping trap dirt, particles and other impurities that could contaminate the compressed air. Essentially, they work to remove contaminants from the compressed air after compression has occurred. The type of filter required depends on the air quality of your application needs, but can include:
Particulate Filters
These remove dry, solid particles of all sizes from the compressed air. The finer the particulate size, measured in microns, the higher the cost associated with removing them due to filter element life and system pressure drop. ISO 8573-1:2010 can be used to specify the level of solid particles removal needed.
Coalescing Filters
These filters bring small droplets of liquid together in order to form large droplets, which then fall from the filter into a moisture trap as they increase in size. This results in a cleaner and dryer compressed air stream. While used for collecting water, coalescing filters are not the best for trapping water vapour.
Vapour Removal Filters
These filters employ an absorption process in order to capture the gaseous contaminants that pass through a coalescing filter. By utilizing activated carbon granules, carbon cloth or paper filters, vapor filters can capture and remove the gaseous contaminants. Activated charcoal is the most common filter media because it has a large open pore structure.
AS1715:2009 The Breathing Air Standard in Australia
AS/NZS 1715:2009 Appendix A and International Breathing Air Standards BS EN 12021. REQUIREMENTS FOR AIR QUALITY (COMPRESSORS OR CYLINDERS) FOR SUPPLIED AIR STATES:
Compressed gas for breathing shall not contain contaminants at a concentration which can cause toxic or harmful effects. In any event, all contaminants shall be kept to as low a level as possible.
Filter Change Frequency
There is no set period to change the inline filters but there is limits to the usage. Each application is different and components used such as type of compressor needs to be considered. Warmer conditions will reduce life of filters and reduce the efficiency. The standard required for change out to be reduced to ensure all contaminants are as low as possible.
In any case the manufacturer of approved filters for use in Australia meeting ISO 8573-1:2010 & AS1715:2009 STATES: Regardless of run hours, conditions or usage inline filters must be changed every 12-months (or sooner as required).
Full details of the standard can be found here (note this document cannot be published as it is licensed): AS1715:2009 Download
Compressed Breathing & Air Quality Testing
Compressed Air quality testing is there to protect your product, reputation and your employees.
In many industries compressed air is used for applications in critical areas and is required to meet strict standards. Compressed Air Purity International Standard (ISO8573-1:2010) ensures that the compressed air is free from solid particles, water and oil contaminants.
Compressed breathing air is used to protect workers from air borne contaminants including moisture, carbon monoxide and oil and oil vapours. In industries such as food production compressed air quality it critical to maintain quality and standards. Compressed air must conform to Australian Standards AS1715:2009.
Such industries include:
Automotive Repairs
Sandblasting, Welding and Powder Coating
Chemical Cleaning
Mining, underground & confined spaces.
Annual compressed breathing air testing is necessary to ensure that it meets the Australian standard (AS1715:2009), in some states an annual inspection is a requirement of Worksafe. The filters used in the breathing air system must be regularly checked and maintained in good operating conditions. They should be changed every 6 months or 1 year without exception (depending on usage). Certain conditions may require a more frequent interval change - if you have any concerns about your breathing air filtration please ask us - we are here to help!
Air Quality testing - food industry
Food Grade Air in Manufacturing
Food grade air or clean process air in the food industry is integral to Quality Assurance and Quality Control and it should always be considered a Critical Control Point (CCP) if used in your food manufacturing process. Many industry standards and schemes regarding Quality Control in food and beverage refer to the Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan as an integral part of their directives.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is just one of many groups that recognize HACCP as a valuable Quality Control plan. In that vein, four major governing organisations have specifically identified compressed air as a Pre-Requisite Program (PRP) or Critical Control Point (CCP), that needs monitoring.
They are International Standardization for Organization (ISO), the British Compressed Air Society (BCAS), the British Retail Consortium (BRC), and the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQF). In addition the Canadian Food Safety Enhancement Program (FSEP) has identified compressed air and gas used in processing and packaging as a potential source of contamination. Typically in Australia we follow the BCAS standard.
Contamination in process air like particles, water, oil or microbial contaminants can have devastating results on a final product, potentially leading to recalls, down manufacturing time or worse.
Assuring food safety and quality is essential for the viability of any food manufacturer.
The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) was established to improve consumer trust by improving food safety through corporate responsibility and safer food supply chains.
The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) Food and Beverage Grade Compressed Air Best Practice Guideline 102 is an excellent reference for the food manufacturer and its suppliers. The BCAS Best Practice Guideline identifies the four primary areas of potential contamination in compressed air – Particles, Water, Oil, and Microbiological Contaminants. Section 7 of the Guideline states that compressed air coming in Direct Contact with food shall meet ISO 8573-1:2010 Purity Class 2:2:1; Indirect Contact 2:4:2. See Table below for limits.
Assessing the Impact of Compressed Air Quality on Food Products BCAS
A Requirement - Air Quality testing food industry
ISO 8573.1
A Very Good Start – ISO 8573.1
Food processors maintain a social responsibility for upholding the quality of their products and that accountability begins with the selection of compressed air system components. In most cases, end users select compressed air system components by comparing technical data from various air treatment manufactures. In 1991, the International Standards Organization (ISO) established the 8573 compressed air quality standard to facilitate compressed air system component selection, design and measurement.
ISO 8573 is a multi-part standard, with Part 1 classifying contaminant type and assigning air quality levels, and Parts 2 through 9, define testing methods to accurately measure a full range of contaminants within the end user’s facility.
ISO 8573.1 identifies three primary contaminant types as prevalent in a compressed air system. Solid particulates, water and oil (in both aerosol and vapor form) are recognized. Each is categorized and assigned a quality class ranging from class 0, the most stringent, to Class 9, the most relaxed. The end user-user is responsible for defining the air quality required for their particular application or process.
Air treatment manufacturers present technical data in reference to ISO 8573.1. An easy to understand ISO 8573.1: 2001 table defines the various air quality classes. The standard also determines that air quality shall be designated by the following nomenclature:
Compressed Air Purity Classes A, B, C:
Where:
A= solid particle class designation
B= humidity and liquid water class designation
C= oil class designation
Compressed Air Contamination
Contaminants originate from three general sources.
- Contaminants in the surrounding ambient are drawn into the air system through the intake of the air compressor. Ingested contaminants appear in the form of water vapor, hydrocarbon vapors, natural particles and airborne particulates.
- As result of the mechanical compression process, additional impurities may be introduced into the air system. Generated contaminants include compressor lubricant, wear particles and vaporized lubricant.
- A compressed air system will contain in-built contamination. Piping distribution and air storage tanks, more prevalent in older systems, will have contaminant in the form of rust, pipe scale, mineral deposits and bacteria.
Water
Water vapour enters the system through the intake of the air compressor. In total volume, condensed water vapor represents the majority of liquid contamination in a compressed air system. On a typical summer day of 80(F (21(C) and 70% relative humidity, approximately 19.5 gallons (73.8 liters) of water enters a 100 scfm (170 nm3/hr) system in a 24 hour period. This moisture will spoil food products, cause pneumatic machinery failure and promote bacterial growth in the compressed air piping. Compressed air systems serving the food processing industry must maintain dry, moisture free conditions mitigating the risk of micro-organism growth.
Since compressed air used in food processing operations may come in direct contact with the food, a compressed air dryer producing a sub-zero pressure dew point is required. Dew point, specified as temperature, is the point at which the water vapor held in the compressed air is equal to the compressed air’s capacity to hold water vapor. Desiccant dryers- using activated alumina- will adsorb water vapor from the air most effectively, delivering ISO 8573.1 Quality Class 2 (-40( F/-40( C) pressure dew point), ideal for the food processing industry. At this level of dryness, bacteria will cease to grow.
Liquid Oil and Oil Vapour
The most scrutinized and often discussed contaminant classified by ISO 8573.1 is oil. Compressed air “free from oil” is a requirement in a food processing environment.
End users are given the choice of selecting from several air compressor technologies, some of which require lubrication in the compression chamber for cooling and sealing purposes, and others that operate less lubricant in the compression chamber. The end user determines which compressor design best meets the desired requirements. The purpose of this discussion is not to tip the scale toward either technology, but to address air treatment requirements in food processing applications.
Lubricated compressors are typically less expensive to purchase and have a lower cost of ownership. Dependent on the age of the compressor and preventative maintenance programs performed, a lubricated rotary screw air compressor will introduced 2 to 10 ppm/w of oil into the air system. A well maintained 250 scfm lubricated air compressor, with a conservative 4 parts per million carry-over, will add up to 4.8 gallons (18.2 liters) of oil into the air system over an 8000 hour operation.
Lubricant free compressors generally have a higher initial cost and greater maintenance costs over the life cycle of the equipment. Lubricant is only required for the bearings and timing gears, which is segregated from the compression chamber. This compressor technology presents no risk of lubricant migrating into the process air.
Both air compressor technologies are subject to the inherent challenges presented by quality of the intake air. Ingested contamination in the form of water vapor, solid particulate and hydrocarbon vapor must be addressed regardless if the compressor is lubricated or free from lubricant. Depending on the location of the compressor intake, oil vapor levels in industrial areas may contain 20-30 ppm of airborne hydrocarbon aerosols. Hydrocarbon vapors, the primary component of fossil fuel combustion, will condense in a piping system when cooled forming a liquid contaminant.
Because compressed air may come in direct and indirect contact with food processing, an elevated level of filtration is required. A high efficiency coalescing filter capable of removing solids and liquids is recommended. It should be capable of removing solid and liquid aerosols 0.01 micron and larger. The remaining oil content should be 0.007 ppm, or less. An activated carbon filter, installed in series, is also recommended downstream of the coalescing filter. The adsorption filter will remove trace odors and oil vapor to 0.003 parts per million by weight. This filter combination will ensure specified filtration levels achieve ISO 8573.1 Class 1 for oil and vapor removal.
Solid Particles
In a general industrial area, there are nearly 4,000,000 airborne particles per cubic foot of air. When this ambient air is compressed to 100 psig, the concentration of solid contamination will reach significant proportions. Most air compressor intake filters are rated to capture sold particles 4 to 10 microns in size and larger and are rated at 90-95% efficiency. Approximately 80% of airborne particles are 10 micron or less. Spores, pollen and bacteria are less than 2 micron in size. This may seem like a lot of particulate matter, but keep in mind, a solid particle 40 um in size is barely visible to the naked eye. Even a well maintained and routinely changed intake filter will allow solid particles to enter the air system.
Solid particulate must be removed from process air serving the food industry. In pneumatic control circuits, solids particles plug control valve orifices, affect accuracy of gauging and score air cylinders walls, causing leaks. Particles may restrict flow through air jet nozzles used to clean food preparation surfaces or adversely affect the consistency of spray coatings applied on food products.
To achieve the recommended ISO 8573.1 Class 2 classification for solid particulate removal, a 1.0 micron particulate filter is recommended. The particulate filter will also enhance the service life of high performance coalescing filters by minimizing solid loading.