ED3000 Drains Water Not Air

01/07/06 - Condensate drains need no longer squander precious compressed air, with the recent introduction of the auto-drain ED3000 series from leading compressor technology group, Champion Compressors.

The 'no noise, no loss' ED3000 series is a fool-proof automatic drainage device for compressed air systems with volumetric flows of up to 60,000 cubic metres per hour.

"Most condensate drains are time-controlled with intervals that are inevitably either too short or too long, since condensate levels are variable," said Graeme Cole, national product manager for Champion Compressors. "The ED3000 auto-drains are level-controlled and comprise two chambers to ensure there is no compressed air leakage."

A non-wearing magnetic-core level-control system monitors the condensate level between two switching points in a collection chamber. As the maximum level is reached, the electric drain valve opens, and the condensate is drained into a second chamber, until the minimum level is reached in the first chamber. When this happens, the valve closes. This minimum level is set to ensure no loss of compressed air.

Between the two chambers, an integrated dirt screen is linked to an alarm monitoring system. Legacy drainage devices require system-shutdown and specialised tooling if the passage becomes clogged. With the ED3000 series, if the drain becomes blocked, the alarm is signalled and the dirt screen can be easily replaced.

"Another benefit of the double-chamber system is that it doesn't rely on pressure to release the condensate, so it’s a quiet discharge," said Cole. "The condensate is expelled as a slow trickle instead of producing high-pitched ear-splitting squeal." This is made possible by a large cross-section diaphragm valve which ensures all contaminants are flushed out, adding to the service life of the part, and preventing the emulsification of the oil/water condensate.

The ED3000 series is available in five models to handle condensate levels of one litre per hour to 53 litres per hour. What is more, with one service kit to suit all five models, all spare parts are identical. Regardless of the condensate composition or quantities, the one ED3000 series can handle it. "We''ve fine-tuned the component that has the potential to be the weakest link in a compressed air system," said Cole.

What Our Customers Think

"We were doubtful other compressors would be able to service our air demand as efficiently as Champion’s VOC compressor. Power savings came to approximately $145,000 per year.”

Paul Timmermans - Mars Petcare