Atlas Copco launches new Breathing Air Purifiers with reduced footprint
Atlas Copco has launched a new and improved range of breathing air purifiers, the BAP(+). The footprint has been reduced by 30%, making BAP(+) purifiers smaller than other units on the market. They now include CO & CO² reduction as standard, while still delivering as much flow as previous models.
Announcing the expansion of the range, Andy Lill, Business Development Manager, Quality Air at Atlas Copco Compressors UK said: “The BAP(+) breathing air purifiers provide optimum performance, increased reliability, reduced purge loss and lower pressure drop with simplified maintenance.”
Designed from the outset for quick plug-and-play installation, the new BAP(+) units combine the functions of water separation, contaminant filtration and desiccant drying. They absorb asphyxiant gases, converting input air of any quality into an ultra-clean breathing-quality air supply for operatives within a diverse range of industrial and manufacturing process applications. The nine-model range, with operating pressures of 4 to 13 Bar G, offers flow rates spanning volumes from 12³ to 142³ litres per second.
The upgraded BAP(+) breathing air purifiers comply with a wide range of standards and regulations to ensure that the breathing air is free from fumes, oils, vapours, gases, solid particles and micro-organisms. These include the European EN 12021& European Pharmacopeia standards as well as, OSHA Grade D, NFPA-99, CSA Z180.1-00, CGA G7.1-1997, ISO 14971, OHSAS 18001, and other International Breathing Standards.
Lill commented: “We developed the BAP(+) breathing air purifiers with a high level of capability to guarantee universal compliance and to help employers provide a safe working environment that protects operatives’ health.”
Each compact BAP(+) unit features seven vital functions: a water separator that removes any liquid water, a bulk aerosol filter to eliminate oil and water content, a fine coalescing filter to remove even smaller particles of oil and water from the supply, plus a new desiccant dryer to take out any remaining water.
Air purity is assured by an activated carbon filter, with a 12-month service life, to remove gaseous impurities, while an integrated catalyst takes care of CO, and a bacteria filter eliminates micro-organisms and fine particles.
Measures to reduce pressure drop and achieve better flow distribution in the units include the integration of a single upstream UD+ filter to replace the original 2-filter configuration. In addition, they include desiccant dryers featuring re-designed top and bottom manifolds with oversized air channels, and an innovative direct-acting magnetic 3/2 valve concept to replace the original shuttle valve.
Optional features available across the new BAP+ range include Purge control, to save up to 90 per cent of purged air, a QDT indicator to monitor oil saturation and an O2, CO & CO2 sensors.
Atlas Copco breathing air purifiers play an essential role in hazardous applications, ranging from shot-blasting, tank cleaning, tunnelling, pharmaceutical manufacturing, spray painting, offshore/marine processes, asbestos removal, high-pressure cylinder filling, and many others.
Standard compressed air is generally insufficient to ensure consistent breathing air quality, so it is essential to carry out regular air quality tests. A breathing air quality test can be booked with Atlas Copco.