Air lines freeze up

by Tony Greer
(Cresco, IA)

i work in an automated feedmill and the air compressor that opens and closes my scale gates is located in a warehouse about 60 feet away from my mixing room. when the weather gets cold i have a problem with the vapor in the lines freezing and not allowing the celinoids to function properly which in turn won't allow the gates to open/close is there a way to use an air tool oiler or something to bleed airline antifreeze into the lines periodically

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Bill says...

Hello Tony:

I suppose you could put an air line lubricator in the line to add anti-freeze, but I don't recommend it.

I don't know what the anti-freeze would do to seals and so on, and then you would have anti-freeze fogging out the valve's exhaust port, too.

I think what you need to do is install a desiccant dryer to remove all water vapor until the air has a DEW point below the coldest point through which the compressed air has to travel. Pretty much bone dry. Then there is no vapor to condense and freeze.

Cheers,

Bill