How to avoid microorganisms in compressed air

How to avoid microorganisms in compressed air

Did you know that microorganisms thrive in humid environments, and humid environments can be created by compressing the atmosphere? This means that in the food and beverage industries, clean and dry compressed air is particularly important to eliminate conditions for microbial growth, thereby reducing the risk of microbial growth in the final product.

　All microorganisms need five factors to survive and reproduce: nutrition, proper pH, gas, temperature and moisture. However, nutrition, proper pH and air medium will not be affected during the compressed air process. This means that only temperature and humidity can be directly related to or affected by air compression.

　Temperature. Each microorganism has its own heat resistance, although heat is usually fatal to these organisms. In an oil-free compressor, the high temperature (>180°C or 356°F) in the oil-free compression element is usually high enough to significantly reduce the presence of microorganisms.

moisture. Like temperature, the amount of water required for microbial growth varies from organism to organism. Having said that, growth usually requires a relative humidity level of 75% or higher, and a relative humidity level of 50% or lower usually results in little or no microbial reproduction. The key goal is to have a relative humidity between 10% and 20% to completely inhibit the growth of microorganisms.