Is Your HVAC System Ready for Summer?

hvacCooling season is just about here, and it’s never too early to start preparing. Even if the weather hasn’t been particularly warm just yet, it’s time to start thinking about spring cleaning. Part of your regimen should include preparing your HVAC systems to run at peak performance when it comes time to run your air conditioning. Keep reading for some important steps to take before summer arrives.

Change your filter
HVAC filters should be changed at least once a season. If you haven’t changed it recently, springtime is a great time to do so. You’ll also have a fresh filter to capture all those pesky spring allergens – something your employees are sure to be thankful for.

Clean away winter debris
Debris left over from the winter season, such as trash and yard waste, can restrict airflow. When your HVAC system works harder to overcome the restricted airflow, it commonly leads to increased utility bills. Keeping the area clear of debris and overgrown plants will ensure a properly functioning system.

Schedule preventative maintenance
Contractors are less busy in the spring versus the summer. By scheduling an inspection now, any potential issues regarding your HVAC air filter housing can be identified before they have the opportunity to cause havoc in the summer.

Uses for Oil Water Separators

oil water separatorOil water separators are crucial pieces of equipment that are invaluable for a wide range of industries and applications. By removing suspended solids and oils from wastewater before they enter the municipal wastewater system, oil water separators in North Carolina play an essential role in protecting the environment. The following are the most common applications and situations where an oil water separator (or multiple) would be needed.

Industrial
Certain industries and their facilities create large quantities of contaminated water on a daily basis. If this contaminated water was allowed to enter the wastewater stream directly, it would wreak havoc on the environment. An oil water separator can remove harmful petroleum and other contaminants from the water so it can enter the municipal wastewater system both safely and legally.

Food industry
Water waste created by restaurants is contaminated with grease, oil and suspended solids. These contaminants must be removed by an oil water separator system; otherwise, they would lower oxygen levels in waterways, seriously affecting local ecosystems.

Stormwater
If stormwater flowed directly into the environment, it would cause erosion due to excess runoff. Oil water separators play a crucial role by releasing the water at a pace that allows it to be properly absorbed by the soil, thus preventing erosion.

Tips for Storing Industrial Process Filters

Lifetec filtersWhen searching for industrial filters, Donaldson Lifetec Process Filters are an excellent choice. However, it’s possible to damage our filters before we even install them. This can cause harm to your machinery, shorten product lifespans, and waste money. Here are a few habits to keep in mind for your company’s industrial filters.
Even if your replacement filters are individually wrapped and sealed, be sure to secure the box you’re storing them in before placing them on a shelf or storage room. This simple habit can keep contaminants out and prevent your filter from transferring debris to your machine.

Ensure that product labels, including manufacturing dates and product names, are visible when selecting from the shelves. Also, keep note that metal shelves can cause condensation to form around the product, resulting in rust.

When it comes time to use your replacement filters, select the oldest inventory of filters first. Handle with care and wipe away any dust or debris on the box before opening. This will help prevent debris from prematurely coming in contact with the filter.

By storing your industrial filters properly before installation, you can prevent unnecessary maintenance and avoid losses. Handling and storing your filters properly will also ensure they will make a quality product for your machinery.

For questions on Donaldson filters and other industrial filtration products, call the leading Donaldson filtration distributor in VA at Greenleaf Filtration. Our experts have the answers to your filtration questions.

What to Consider When Seeking a Quality Contamination Control Breather

Air Sentry breatherContamination control breathers (or desiccant breathers) continue to be at the top of the list of essentials for preventative maintenance and attacking contamination. They are low cost option that proves a significant return on investment. Today, there are many variations to choose from; here are a consider when choosing a quality breather.

Headspace
It’s important to understand how much the headspace of a system can fluctuate. For example, the headspace in a splash-lubricated gearbox will fluctuate less than that of a hydraulic system reservoir, where there are large volumetric changes within the sump. This volumetric flow rate must be within the capabilities of the breather, or it may cause a pressurization condition inside the component.

Environment
If you’re working in severe environments (such as those with large amounts of dirt), choose a breather than can withstand the expected amounts of contamination. Consider a breather with a check valve or bladder assembly to help prolong its lifespan. Our Air Sentry Breathers in North Carolina feature an isolation check valve, which isolates the absorbent from exhaust air.

Construction
Tritan® is a material highly resistant to impact and chemicals with a broad range of operating temperatures. This means a longer life for your breather and your equipment.

Clarification & Prefiltration in Beverage Processing

food and beverage processingYou may already know that food and beverage processing creates complex liquids that require specialized steps for filtration. Typically, the first step is removing larger particles and sediment. Whether the beverage is raw juice, fermented wine, beer or even spring water, it carries sediment and particulates that must be removed in order to create products that are both flavorful and safe for consumption.

Nearly all clarification filtration applications are performed using depth filtration media. Cartridge filters, for example, use two forms of depth media. The standard depth filter is a self-supporting tube made with a polymer (usually polypropylene), and the tube is formed using the melt-blown or nano-spun process. The other form of cartridge depth filter uses pleated flat sheet media. These are typically made with polypropylene or fiberglass.

It’s not uncommon for custom filtration systems to be designed for new applications and to solve challenges in a manufacturer’s existing process(es). As one of the leading Donaldson filter distributors in VA, we will work with you to design, build and install a system that is cost-effective and meets your needs for excellent beverage filtration. Contact us or visit our page on industrial process filters or Donaldson’s new Lifetec® process filters for more information.

Oil Interceptors vs. Oil Water Separators

oil water separatorThe terms “oil interceptor” and “oil water separator” are often used interchangeably. However, these units are very different.

Oil Interceptors
Oil interceptors are designed for use in drain lines where oils, sediment and other liquids are intercepted. They are usually steel, fiberglass or poly boxes, and include a baffle plate (designed to restrain the flow of a fluid), a solids bucket, and a separation area. As the water enters the interceptor, the baffle plate then diffuses the flow, which reduces the turbulence of the incoming water. Depending on the flow of the water, some debris and sludge are stopped by the baffle plate and collected in the solids bucket.

A low flow rate and low turbulence allows the oils to rise to the surface of the water through the interceptor, thus producing water that is relatively oil-free for discharge.

Oil Water Separators
Oil water separators are used in applications where there is a potential for a higher volume of water and oil (industrial wash operations, military installations, etc.), as they have a much more sophisticated design. An oil water separator is a tank containing an inlet compartment, baffles system, sludge chamber, separation chamber, and clean water outlet chamber. When water enters the inlet compartment, the oil separation process begins and solids drop out. The water passes through coalescing media, removing essentially all free and dispersed emulsified oils to an effluent concentration of less than 5 ppm.

Due to this design, oil water separators in North Carolina are associated with enhanced efficiency. In comparison to oil interceptors, significantly smaller units are needed for higher volume applications.

Why You Shouldn’t Re-Use Disposable Air Filters

industrial air filters richmond VAPermanent and semi-permanent models of air filters can be cleaned as a regular part of HVAC system maintenance, and then reinserted to the unit for continuous use. However, disposable filters simply don’t work the same way. Despite an urge you may have to save money, we have several reasons why re-using disposable industrial air filters in Richmond, VA isn’t a good idea.

They Aren’t Designed to Get Wet
The only air filters that are meant to be washed and re-used are made from materials than can get wet and dry again without forming mold or mildew. Because mold is an obvious IAQ issue, a moldy filter is the last thing you’ll want to put in your HVAC system.

They Can Get Damaged
While cleaning a disposable HVAC filter with a vacuum or your hands may seem like an easy way to conserve resources, a filter can also be damaged if it’s handled this way. If you tear a hole in the fibers or loosen their density, your air filter will simply not work as well as before.

Even Vacuuming Isn’t Effective
While using a vacuum may make the filter appear cleaner, particles of dirt and dust are still trapped within the layers of material. Even if you keep the fibers intact while you clean the filter, a vacuum simply isn’t enough to get it clean again.

Knowing When to Change Your Hydraulic Filters

hydraulic filter suppliers VAFilters keep the hydraulic fluids in your unit clean, and prevent clogs and abrasion that can damage equipment performance and cause the failure of various parts. By changing filters regularly, you can avoid nasty surprises and system failures.

However, if you change your hydraulic filters too early, you may be wasting money on unnecessary filter changes. On the other hand, waiting too long to change them can reduce the lifespan of every component in the hydraulic system.

Overall, you can expect the best bang for your buck by changing hydraulic filters when they’ve reached their dirt-holding capacity, but before the bypass valve opens. This will require a mechanism to monitor the restriction to flow (pressure drop) across the filter element, and then alert you when this point has been reached. Also, monitoring the filter elements in a hydraulic system continuously can provide valuable insight regarding the performance of the filter, as well as the condition of the system. Hydraulic filter suppliers in VA know that with an early warning of potential issues such as component failures and element rapture, you could save a significant amount of money.

If you would prefer a simpler method, refer to your machine’s gauges to tell you when filters need cleaning. However, you should also note the cleaning intervals recommended by the filter manufacturer and use them to create a filter maintenance schedule.

How Manufacturers Can Generate Less Waste

industrial process filters VirginiaUnfortunately, not all manufacturing facilities have yet recognized the benefits of optimized filtration for process water. This is likely because installing a filtration system may be difficult to justify when budgets are especially tight. However, recognizing key cost factors can easily justify the investment of an up-to-date filtration system.

When exploring options for water treatment filtration, there is a growing area of concern regarding water conservancy and water supply. When combined with an increased emphasis on reducing waste, it is important that all industries determine if it is time to evaluate newer filtration technology. Actually, the cost savings earned from a new system may surprise you.

There are two primary methods: Using equipment that requires less fresh water, or reusing water when the amount used is mandated by the process requirement. With this trend, you will notice reduced costs for the purchase and treatment of fresh water, heating process streams, and waste treatment.

In addition to minimizing overall maintenance costs, other factors include labor costs, the potential costs of lost production, conversion, and recovery of valuable products during scheduled and unscheduled downtime. While this may seem overwhelming, there are a few easy ways to determine whether your current filtration system needs an update.

For more tips and information on everything filtration, contact the leading provider of industrial process filters in Virginia.

Tips on Improving Your IAQ During the Winter

HVAC air filters RichmondBecause windows and doors are generally kept closed in the winter months and people spend more time indoors, indoor air is recycled more during this time of year. In order to keep the air quality in your building healthy all season long, you will need to have the properly maintained air filtration system.

Change Your Air Filter
When outdoor temperatures drop below 40 degrees, it’s your air filter that allows you to keep the air from getting “stuffy” without the need to crack open a window. However, in order to work properly, an air filter needs to be free of dirt and debris. Replace filters according to the schedule recommended by the manufacturer, or use a pressure gauge to determine when the filter has reached its final pressure drop.

Choose Filters with Mechano-Electret Media
With mechano-electret filters, businesses can reap huge benefits. These filters offer a combination of electret and mechanical efficiency and are more powerful at eliminating particles from the air that could cause respiratory problems.

Look into the ASHRAE 52.2 Test Report
The filtration efficiency of HVAC air filters in Richmond are rated by MERV: the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. It is measured by the ASHRAE 52.2 Test Standard, which provides the efficiency of the filter over three particle size ranges. It is crucial to inspect the ASHRAE 52.2 Test Standard, especially if occupants in your building have respiratory problems.