Equipment Required by Class
To achieve each ISO 8573-1 quality class, specific treatment equipment configurations are required.
Configuration for Class 1.4.1
High quality for food, automotive painting, and demanding applications:
Compressor → Separator → Tank → Refrigerated Dryer → Particle Filter → Coalescing Filter → Carbon Filter
(PDP +37°F) (1 µm) (0.01 µm) (oil vapor)
Components:
- Refrigerated dryer: Dew point +37°F/+3°C (Class 4 humidity)
- Particle filter: 1 µm retention
- Coalescing filter: 0.01 µm retention (Class 1 particles)
- Activated carbon filter: Removes oil vapor (Class 1 oil)
Configuration for Class 1.2.1
Critical quality for pharmaceutical, electronics, and clean rooms:
Compressor → Separator → Tank → Pre-filter → Desiccant Dryer → Particle Filter → Coalescing Filter → Carbon Filter
(PDP -40°F) (1 µm) (0.01 µm) (oil vapor)
Additional components:
- Pre-filter: Protects the desiccant dryer
- Desiccant dryer: Dew point -40°F/-40°C (Class 2 humidity)
- Post-filters: Same as 1.4.1 configuration
Equipment Summary Table
| Class | Dryer | Particle filter | Coalescing filter | Carbon filter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2.1 | Desiccant (-40°F) | Yes (1 µm) | Yes (0.01 µm) | Yes |
| 1.4.1 | Refrigerated (+37°F) | Yes (1 µm) | Yes (0.01 µm) | Yes |
| 2.4.2 | Refrigerated (+37°F) | Yes (1 µm) | Yes (0.01 µm) | Optional |
| 4.6.4 | Refrigerated (+50°F) | Yes (5 µm) | Optional | No |
Installation order
Equipment order is critical. Carbon filters always go last, after coalescing filters.