The lubricator

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A very fine haze of oil is used for lubrication of the air. Lubrication of the air has positive influences on the lifetime and efficiency of equipment used in the system. Lubrication reduces friction and thus minimizing decay. Lubrication has to be applied to equipment where it is explicitly indicated. However in most cases it is indicated that the equipment is suitable for lubricated as well as non-lubricated compressed air.

These equipment have been treated with a special lubricant during manufacturing or it does not contain any sensitive parts. In these cases it is not necessary to lubricate to achieve longer lifetimes.

In some applications where extreme circumstances are demanded from the cylinders lubrication can be necessary. For instance where it operates at high speeds, quick reactions, very high or low temperatures. Ask for advise at your reseller / manufacturer when in doubt.

In some applications it is not even allowed to lubricate the air. For instance the air through a vacuum pump must be dry otherwise the oil-particles will stick onto the inner surfaces of the pump.

Equipment that once has been exposed to lubricated air should always be continued to be used with lubricated air.

Operation

 Air enters from the left and flow to the right. Part of the air is flowing into the oil-reservoir. This pressure causes the oil in the reservoir to be pressed down and through the tube pressed up.

By adjusting the screw on top the oil flow can be adjusted. A small amount of drops of oil will be pushed through and falls in to the venturi where it is blended in to the passing air.

Please mind; this will only work when air flow from left to right since the principle of the venturi only applies for moving air. If no flow is present there will not be a difference in pressure between oil reservoir and the end of the venturi and therefore oil will not be pressed down in the reservoir and pressed through the tube.

 There are possibilities to achieve a finer haze of oil.