Catalytic converter for pure compressed air

Bekokat, the innovative catalysis method for compressed-air processing by Beko Technologies, provides oil-free and dry, compressed-air, class 1 and better, in a single process step after compression

Bekokat offers one single system for complete compressed-air de-oiling, with pure water as condensate, which may be discharged directly into the foul sewer.

With Bekokat, Beko Technologies has made a big step forward.

We are talking about a catalytic system which has been developed and optimised specifically for the total oxidation of hydrocarbons in compressed air.

Associating the name with the catalytic converters used in the automotive industry is deliberate.

Because everybody has already heard of cats for petrol and diesel engines.

Here, contaminants in the waste gas, in particular hydrocarbons, are combusted to carbon dioxide and water vapour.

Bekokat technology now also makes good use of this principle for compressed air.

In the compressed air of oil-lubricated compressors, hydrocarbons are available in the form of lubricants and oils, and further air components in the form of gas, vapour and aerosols.

They are sufficiently well-known as impurities and condensate and require, depending on the application, extensive filtration, discharge and condensate processing.

The innovative Bekokat systems fully convert these very substances into carbon dioxide and water.

For compressed-air processing with the Bekokat, a pressure vessel is filled with a specifically developed granular material.

First, the entire vessel is heated up to an operating temperature of 150C.

The oil components of the compressed air streaming through the heated vessel are then fully converted into water and carbon dioxide at the surface, in the pores of the granular material of the catalytic converter.

Subsequently, the purified compressed air is cooled down in a heat exchanger to a temperature of approximately 10C to 15C higher than at the inlet, and is available for use in the application required.

The Bekokat operates independently of the ambient conditions, oil inlet concentration and relative humidity of the compressed air.

Fully de-oiled compressed air leaves the vessel.

The air is so clean that it may also be used as breathable air.

The condensate accumulated during the cooling down of the compressed air is also absolutely oil-free and can be discharged into the sewerage system without needing to be processed.

Highly advantageous, as far as cost-effectiveness is concerned, is the enormously long durability of the specific Bekokat granular material: only after a good 20,000 hours will replacement be required.

"The customer benefit of the Bekokat technology is obvious", emphasises Melanie Muller-Preuss, Bekokat product manager: "With Bekokat, we produce oil-free compressed air from oil vapours and aerosols.

With this, we outperform even the severe requirements on compressed air in accordance with DIN EN8573-1/ISO 8573-1, class 1 oil content.

This also applies to higher inlet temperatures up to 100C and to partial load operation.

Even the best commercially available filters reach their limits in this case".

Melanie also suggests that the Bekokat will open up some totally new markets, for example compressed-air solutions for clean and ultraclean rooms: further applications for breathable air, medical engineering, pharmaceuticals, measurement technology or the transport of hygroscopic food also suggest themselves.

Bekokat is also perfect for point of use applications, protecting just the part of a facility where the compressed air system needs to be oil-free, and leaving the rest of the plant with standard compressed air supplies.

Back to top