Air Testing and Wildfires

[William McDaniel]

Soooo, I was excited to get my air sample test kit from Tri-Air yesterday. I planned on doing my sample first thing in the am. I was reading through the instructions and thought to myself I wonder if air quality going into the compressor would have an impact on air quality going out of it. I know it is filtered twice but do the engineers who design it expect quality air going in? Air quality was rated as "Unhealthy" due to wildfires in my area. This is common this time of year with wildfires in the west. I called Tri Air who has been awesome to deal with and they agreed with me. They said to hold off till the air clears up and they would not charge me extra for having the equipment longer if that is what ends up happening. The sky is fairly hazy here.

Thoughts?

Bill

 

[iain/hsm]

Good point. First take a quick look at your air intake filter element, normally its a pleated paper or polyester element inside a metal or plastic can. Take a photo of it for reference.
Then do your days filling, after which check and photo again the element after your daily filling task.
You will be surprised the amount of black soot and junk the pleated element will retain.

Next change the paper element out sooner than a polyester element and change both much more often than you normally would. The paper type is around 2Mu Micron the polyester type around 7Mu if you are normally using polyester change it to paper if you can for this period of heavy air bourne particulate matter.

Also if you are using an oil lubricated compressor you also need to consider changing out your oil out when this is over. If your using a Rix oil free compressor dont bother as it wont harm the pump and its hard trying to find oil in the pump.

The chemical filtration cartridge will also need changing out more often but the long chain hydrocarbons from the atmosphere is less than the oil carry over in a conventional oil lubricated compressor. However its the particulate matter inside mixed with the oil that is your biggest consideration it wrecks the tight piston to liner tolerances and adds to scoring the piston liners. Again with an oil free compressir unit its not a problem only with the oil lubed designs.

Bottom line verify the pollution on the air intake filter element before and after each filling and adjust your maintenance to suit.

 

[nadwidny]

Soooo, I was excited to get my air sample test kit from Tri-Air yesterday. I planned on doing my sample first thing in the am. I was reading through the instructions and thought to myself I wonder if air quality going into the compressor would have an impact on air quality going out of it. I know it is filtered twice but do the engineers who design it expect quality air going in? Air quality was rated as "Unhealthy" due to wildfires in my area. This is common this time of year with wildfires in the west. I called Tri Air who has been awesome to deal with and they agreed with me. They said to hold off till the air clears up and they would not charge me extra for having the equipment longer if that is what ends up happening. The sky is fairly hazy here.

As per my answer on another thread, I used to work at an air testing lab (like Tri Air but in Canada). We did some tests during major smoke events. The air coming out the end showed no signs of contamination.

However I'm not running my compressor now during this smoke event we are going through. No particular reason. Just because.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Over our summer 2019-20, we had horrendous bushfires in Australia. The air in Sydney was full of smoke for months on end. During this time I regularly filled tanks. I never had any taste of smoke in the resultant air.

 

[William McDaniel]

As per my answer on another thread, I used to work at an air testing lab (like Tri Air but in Canada). We did some tests during major smoke events. The air coming out the end showed no signs of contamination.

However I'm not running my compressor now during this smoke event we are going through. No particular reason. Just because.

Copy and thank you. I wonder if the filter is able to remove it or is it just something not tested for?

Bill

 

[nadwidny]

Copy and thank you. I wonder if the filter is able to remove it or is it just something not tested for?

Bill

We don't test for the particulate found in smoke but we expected elevated CO, CO2, NO2 and such. Didn't see anything.

 

[shurite7]

Forest fires are almost an annual thing in my area. When it is quit smokey the element filter has to be changed more often. Other than that the quarterly tests always passed.

 

[iain/hsm]

My primary consideration is damage caused to the compressor by ingesting unexpected air bourne particulate. Inspect the air intake filter before and after and make your own mind up when faced with this unexpected circumstance.

As for the breathing air quality what you dont test for you dont find.
And again the rule of unexpected input resuting in air quality changes applies.

But on a brighter note not for the first time divers find changes to the input
result in some unexpected results on the output and consideration applies:
Hydrogen cyanide suggested max 0.4 ppm
Phosphuretted Hydrogen suggested max 0.012 ppm
Arseniuretted Hydrogen suggested max 0.002 ppm