Regulators/filter regulators
- Can standard pressure regulators be operated with nitrogen?
- What type of lock is used in the case of D series pressure regulators?
- Can a regulator and/or filter with a manual condensate drain be converted to an automatic condensate drain?
- Is there an LRVS-D padlock for locking the regulators by means of universal locking?
- Is the knurled nut part of the scope of delivery for a regulator of the type MS?
- Are D-Maxi pressure regulators available with increased return venting?
- Are D-Micro pressure regulators available with increased return venting?
- Why in the case of some pressure regulators is there a choice between a short and long rotary knob?
- Is an assembly position defined for filter regulators?
- Can Festo pressure regulators be used for water?
- Can a regulator LRP be installed in a working line?
Filters
- Can a regulator and/or filter with a manual condensate drain be converted to an automatic condensate drain?
- Do filter bowls have to be fitted with a metal bowl guard?
- Can VAF-... vacuum filters also be used in the positive pressure range?
- How is excess water removed from the compressed air?
- Does Festo have coalescing filters in its product range?
Lubricators
- Does compressed air have to be enriched with oil?
- Are bio-oils approved for lubricating Festo components?
- How can the lubricator LOE be refilled with oil?
- What oil is approved for the lubricators?
Dryer
- Is the cartridge for the membrane dryer available as a spare part?
- What happens when an adsorption dryer or membrane dryer is pushed beyond its limits?
- How does a membrane dryer (type LD) work?
- Can air that is insufficiently lubricated damage devices downstream?
- How is the excess water removed from the compressed air?
Pressure amplifier
Regulators/filter regulators
- Can standard pressure regulators be operated with nitrogen?
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Nitrogen can be used as a pressure medium if the following constraints are adhered to.
- The nitrogen used must be available in a gaseous state
- The operating pressure and operating temperatures must comply with the values specified for compressed air on the data sheet
- Contamination of the nitrogen used in terms of residual humidity, residual oil content etc. corresponds to the specifications in the catalogue for operation with compressed air
Provided that these parameters are adhered to, the products can be operated without any significant restriction to their service life.
- What type of lock is used in the case of D series pressure regulators?
- Pressure regulators with a lockable knob in the D series are all fitted with an E11 lock.
- Can a regulator and/or filter with a manual condensate drain be converted to an automatic condensate drain?
- Yes, if the entire filter bowl is replaced. You will find a spare parts catalogue on the Internet site. The correct part number can be selected here.
- Is there an LRVS-D padlock for locking the regulators by means of universal locking?
- No, the padlock is not available as an E11 lock or for use with a master key. With around 30,000 possible locking mechanisms, it can usually be assumed that no two locks within any one delivery will be able to be opened with the same key.
- Is the knurled nut part of the scope of delivery for a regulator of the type MS?
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In the case of pressure regulators in the MS series, sizes 4 and 6, types LR-... and LRB-..., the knurled nut (aluminium) is included in the scope of delivery.
In the case of filter regulators LFR-... and FRC-..., the knurled nut is not included in the scope of delivery because the mounting bracket is usually used for mounting. A hex nut (aluminium) can be ordered as an accessory.
- Are D-Maxi pressure regulators available with increased return venting?
- The pressure regulators LR-D-...-Maxi are designed with an increased return flow as standard.
- Are D-Micro pressure regulators available with increased return venting?
- The pressure regulators LR-D-...-Micro are designed with an increased return flow as standard.
- Why in the case of some pressure regulators is there a choice between a short and long rotary knob?
- With service units in the MS series you have a choice of a long or short rotary knob for pressure regulators. The total height of the regulators with different rotary knobs is identical. The difference is that part of thread and lock nut are visible in the case of the shorter rotary knob. This variant is, for example, suitable for installation in control panels. In contrast, the longer regulator knob covers the thread, protecting it against contamination.
- Is an assembly position defined for filter regulators?
- As filter regulators are fitted with a filter bowl for condensate, these devices must always be installed vertically. It is possible that the automatic condensate drain will no longer close properly, if there is a deviation of more than 5°.
- Can Festo pressure regulators be used for water?
- All Festo regulators are constructed for neutral gases and are therefore not suitable for liquid media.
- Can a regulator LRP be installed in a working line?
- A working line normally has flow in both directions. Since the regulator LRP does not have an internal return flow, this function can be ensured using a parallel-installed non-return valve.
Filters
- Can a regulator and/or filter with a manual condensate drain be converted to an automatic condensate drain?
- Yes, if the entire filter bowl is replaced. You will find a spare parts catalogue on the website. That's where you can select the correct part number.
- Do filter bowls have to be fitted with a metal bowl guard?
- According to section 8.4.1 of ISO 4414, non-metal filters and separator casings must be fitted with anti-burst protection.
- Can VAF-... vacuum filters also be used in the positive pressure range?
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The vacuum filters VAF-... cover a pressure range up to 7 bar.
- How is excess water removed from the compressed air?
- The only correct solution is to use a dryer. If a dryer cannot be used, there is the option of removing at least part of the water from the compressed air via filters. To do so, we recommend the use of a filter combination with at least a 1 µ prefilter and a subsequent 0.01 µ filter.
- Does Festo have coalescing filters in its product range?
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Our fine filters (1 µm) and micro filters (0.01 µm) are coalescing filters.
Lubricators
- Does compressed air have to be enriched with oil?
- An increasing number of users no longer wish to use lubricators. Festo components are lubricated for life and can therefore be operated unlubricated. There are some components that must only be operated without lubrication (please refer to the catalogue specifications). However, in some situations we recommend lubricated compressed air, for instance with extremely fast cylinder movements. If components which are usually operated without lubrication, are operated with lubricated air even once, then the air must always be lubricated from then on because the oil washes away the life-time lubrication.
- Are bio-oils approved for lubricating Festo components?
- Bio-oils contain ester and are a popular choice for applications such as compressor lubrication. Such oils alter the properties of various materials and are therefore not suitable for lubricating pneumatic components (see FAQ "What type of oil is approved?").
- How can the lubricator LOE be refilled with oil?
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D series – Mini: to top up oil:
The lubricator can remain under pressure during refilling.
- Unscrew the vent screw at the top of the lubricator beside the oil sight glass; the valve will vent the lubricator bowl
- Unscrew the lubricator bowl and top it up with oil: fill it with a maximum of 45 ml of oil
D series – Midi: to top up oil:
The lubricator can remain under pressure during refilling.
- Unscrew the vent screw at the top of the lubricator beside the oil sight glass; the valve will vent the lubricator bowl
- Unscrew the lubricator bowl and top it up with oil: fill it with a maximum of 110 ml of oil
D series – Maxi: to top up oil:
The lubricator can remain under pressure during refilling.
- Unscrew the vent screw at the top of the lubricator beside the oil sight glass; the valve will vent the lubricator bowl
- Unscrew the lubricator bowl and top it up with oil: fill it with a maximum of 190 ml of oil
D series – Micro: to top up oil:
The lubricator must be free of pressure during refilling.
- Vent the system
- Unscrew the lubricator bowl and top it up with oil: fill it with a maximum of 6.5 ml of oil
MS series – MS4: to top up oil:
The lubricator can remain under pressure during refilling.
- Unscrew the vent screw at the top of the lubricator beside the oil sight glass; the valve will vent the lubricator bowl
- Unscrew the lubricator bowl; pull the blue catch on the bayonet lock downwards while simultaneously twisting the lubricator bowl
- Top up the lubricator bowl with oil: fill it with a maximum of 30 ml of oil (36 ml in the case of a metal bowl)
MS series – MS6: to top up oil:
The lubricator can remain under pressure during refilling.
- Unscrew the vent screw at the top of the lubricator beside the oil sight glass; the valve will vent the lubricator bowl
- Unscrew the lubricator bowl: pull the blue catch on the bayonet lock downwards while simultaneously twisting the lubricator bowl
- Top up the lubricator bowl with oil: fill it with a maximum of 75 ml of oil (80 ml in the case of a metal bowl)
MS series – MS12: to top up oil:
The lubricator can remain under pressure during refilling.
- Unscrew the vent screw on the top of the lubricator beside the oil sight glass: the valve will vent the lubricator bowl
- Unscrew the lubricator bowl: pull the blue catch on the bayonet lock downwards while simultaneously twisting the lubricator bowl
- Top up the lubricator bowl with oil: fill it with a maximum of 1500ml of oil
- What oil is approved for the lubricators?
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We recommend the following type of oil:
Festo special oil (1-l container), type OFSW-32, order no. 152 811
Other suitable types of oil are as follows:
- ARAL Vitam GF 32
- BP Energol HLP 32
- Esso Nuto H 32
- Mobil DTE 24
- Shell Tellus Oil DO 32
Viscosity range: 32 mm²/s (=cSt) at 40°C; ISO class VG 32 in accordance with ISO 3448
Dryer
- Is the cartridge for the membrane dryer available as a spare part?
- No, because providing the cartridge as a spare part would cost nearly as much as an entire unit.
- What happens when an adsorption dryer or membrane dryer is pushed beyond its limits?
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Each dryer performs at its best as long as the quantity of air flowing through the dryer does not exceed a certain amount.
If this maximum permissible air quantity is exceeded, the dryer is "overdriven". As a result, the dryer ceases to work efficiently and the air is not dried as much as required. - How does a membrane dryer (type LD) work?
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The dryer consists of a large number of coated hollow fibre membranes, positioned in parallel to one another in a longitudinal direction. Air flows through these fibres in the longitudinal direction and molecules of water can then penetrate the sidewalls of the hollow fibres. Some of the air that has already been dried is released along the external surfaces of the fibres. This drier air absorbs the moisture already located on the outside of the fibres and carries it along into the atmosphere (drying current). The drier external surfaces of the hollow fibres gives rise to a concentration gradient between the moister air within the fibre and the drier air outside of the fibre. This leads to the diffusion of water from the internal surface to the external surface of the fibre.
- Can air that is insufficiently lubricated damage devices downstream?
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A low pressure dew point does not shorten the service life of Festo's products. There is also no need for additional lubrication.
- How is the excess water removed from the compressed air?
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The only correct solution is to use a dryer.
We recommend using an adsorption dryer of the series PDAD-...
Pressure amplifier
- Can the pressure intensifier (pressure booster) be installed in the working line between the valve and the cylinder?
- No because the pressure booster cannot vent itself. (Tip: insert VLO-3-.... in the working line and connect the actuation circuit upstream of the DPA, paying attention to the permissible pressure range for the valve.)
- By how much can the supply pressure be increased using a pressure booster?
- Festo pressure boosters increase the supply pressure by about 100 %. The maximum output pressure is 16 bar, depending on the size of the pressure booster.