Air Breather Applications

Air Sentry® Breathers should be considered for use on any enclosed container that breathes air in and out if the fluid in the container can be harmed by airborne contaminants such as water vapor and abrasive particles. Here is a sampling of Air Sentry® Breather applications. For more detailed examples please visit our Case Studies page.

COMPRESSORS

Air Sentry® breathers are rated to 60 PSI.

Water entering a compressor through the air intake reduces the life of pneumatic tools as well as vital compressor components. The presence of water in the compressed air may also adversely impact the materials being applied by the compressor system, such as sprayed paint.

Air Sentry® Breathers easily mount to the compressor’s air intake. The breather size depends on the required airflow and compressor horsepower.

GEARBOXES

Air Sentry® breathers are rated to 200 degrees F. Remote mounting provides unlimited placement.

Heating and cooling inside gearboxes results as the system is turned on and off and as speed changes take place during operation. When cooling occurs, air is drawn into the gearbox; the water vapor and abrasive particles in the air accelerate the aging of the gear lubricant, reduce lubricity and seal life, and lead to corrosion and excessive wear.

Air Sentry® Breathers insure that the air entering the gearbox is clean and dry and maximum lubricant life is obtained.

HYDRAULIC RESERVOIRS

Air Sentry® breathers rugged design makes them suitable for use on both stationary and mobile hydraulic equipment.

Hydraulic reservoirs are a major application area for Air Sentry® Breathers. Fluid contamination is the primary cause of component wear and shortened fluid life in hydraulic systems. Hydraulic fluid will last 3 to 4 times as long if kept clean and dry.

TRANSFORMERS

Air Sentry® breathers protect cooling fluid integrity.

The oil in power distribution transformers (and other oil filled transformers) acts as insulating fluids. If this oil becomes contaminated with water vapor or conductive materials, it no longer has the dielectric strength to insure system reliability. In other words, as load changes occur in the transformer, you may have “arcing and sparking,” resulting in system failure and significant repair and service costs.

Mounting an Air Sentry® Breather to a transformer is simple. When load demand changes, switching takes place inside the transformer. The devices that accomplish this are called Tap Load Changers. This switching causes the changes in air pressure as a result of the temperature changes, a vent hole or other opening is built into the transformer to allow the exchange of outside air. There is normally some type of cover over this vent to prevent rain, birds, tree limbs, etc. from entering the transformer. The Air Sentry® Breather is attached by replacing the cover with a standard adapter.

LUBRICANT STORAGE

Air Sentry breathers are perfect for tanks, reservoirs, totes, and drums.

Lubricants and other fluids are normally stored in vented tanks or drums. The vents allow air to enter the container to replace fluid that is being removed from the container. This protects the integrity of the container from the stress of increasing or decreasing pressure changes. However, the vents, in allowing air to enter the container, also allow airborne contaminants to enter. These contaminants often reduce the life and the effectiveness of the lubricants or other fluids. The Air Sentry® Breathers remove the harmful contaminants before they effect the fluids.

OTHER APPLICATIONS

Air Sentry breathers are designed for applications almost anywhere!

Air Sentry® Breathers can be used almost anywhere there is a enclosed container which breathes air. Air enters and exits containers for one of two reasons: 1) there is a change in internal pressure due to heating and cooling inside the container, a gearbox is a typical example, or 2) because the fluid level inside the container increases or decreases, such as in a hydraulic reservoir as the cylinders are stroking or in a fluid storage tank that is being filled or emptied.