Oil in Compressed Air Sensor

Some instrument air systems contain an oil pot immediately upstream of the pressure regulator feeding the downstream equipment. Its purpose is to introduce minute oil droplets into the compressed air and send them on their way to the equipment being air-lubricated.

The sensor is a Mk.1 eyeball, looking at the oil pot levels under Planned Preventative Maintenance.

If your using a oil lubricated compressor there will be some oil in the air as the separators do not remove 100 % of that material. I you are using a oil free compressor then you can be sure of no oils entering the air stream unless you have lubricators inline.

Are you asking this question for a specific reason? What is the process that you need to know if there is oil in the air? Are you wanting to use compressed air for breathing, if so then there is a hole other set of rules to follow.

Why? The amount of oil will depend on a lot of variables. It does contain oil. You should be able to see that in the condensate. That is why they put filters on the lines to remove it and any airborne particles. How much is left in the air will depend on your selection of filters. Filter selection dependent on the application.

I would look to medical use of compressed air to find your sensor. As they would be one of the few applications to need to know the purity of the air.

It is VERY interesting, the question is about a SENSOR able to detect oil presence in the air flow.

There are 3 answers none is correlated to the question.

Why?

I noticed very often that answers do not take into consideration the OP question.

Can one give an explanation for it ?

Maybe because we never question whether there is oil in the air coming from the compressor. Just how clean and dry it is in it's use. Which is where I would place the sensor if it that critical.

This post can be answered with a yes or no..............the answer is probably YES.

Is that helpful?

The other members were trying to glean some further information, so as to answer the OP as accurately as possible.

All this OP wants, it seems, like so many others, is for us to do his internet research for him and provide a spot on answer to a nebulous question.

You should be asking the OP why he is asking such a broad, non specific question, rather than worrying about the other members responses.

BTW, your off topic remark correlates to the OP, how?

Taking a lead from the first two helpful posts and I did a search for breathing quality air testing:

http://www.draeger.com/US/en_US/products/diving/test_equipment/dss_Aerotest_Navy.jsp?showBackButton=true

This looks expensive.

You actually have two questions 1. whether it contains oil 2. How much.

I hope this helps, otherwise I shall be held accountable.

You didn't say whether you wanted or didn't want oil in your air. Applications differ. Here's something I ran across with a quick Google.

Thanks RDGRNR. I explored the http://www.beko.de/Measurement.25.0.html and found the METPOINT OCV (Monitoring system for residual oil in compressed air). I am using the Tegnon FP and FA type filters and also installed a dryer in the system but still experiencing oil residues in the system. I will be usisg the device to determine the frequency of changing the filters. BIG Thanks Everyone.