---
title: "Moisture Separator"
industry: "Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing"
verification_protocol:
  urn: "URN:CNFX:ME:MOISTURE_SEPARATOR"
  data_integrity_hash: "0d5b6ed9613a7e25ab37913074089480"
  source_authority: "https://cnfx.com"
  strict_mode: true
source_identity:
  provider: "CNFX Industrial Knowledge Graph"
  index_version: "2026.Q1-Universal"
  authority_id: "URN:CNFX:ME:MOISTURE_SEPARATOR"
  data_source_uri: "https://cnfx.com/llms/industry/machinery-and-equipment-manufacturing/product/moisture-separator.md"
  official_resource_url: "https://cnfx.com/industry/machinery-and-equipment-manufacturing/product/moisture-separator"
  is_verified_logic: true
attributes:
  spec:
    status: "config-dependent"
    typical_range: "0.5-16 bar (7.25-232 psi) at 4-40°C ambient temperature"
    unit: "mm"
engineering_limits:
  max_safe_operating_point:
    value: 0.01
    unit: "g"
    consequence: "Coalescence failure due to surface tension breakdown at droplet sizes below 3 μm, causing aerosol penetration through fiber bed"
fmea_matrix_quantitative:
  - node_1:
      trigger: "Oil contamination exceeding 5 ppm in inlet air"
      severity: 8
      occurrence: 3
      detection: 4
      mitigation_protocol: "Install 0.01 μm pre-filter with activated carbon layer upstream"
  - node_2:
      trigger: "Cyclic thermal stress from &gt;10°C/min temperature fluctuations"
      severity: 8
      occurrence: 3
      detection: 4
      mitigation_protocol: "Replace with glass-filled nylon housing and add thermal expansion compensation bellows"
bom_nodes:
  separator-housing:
    type: "part"
    urn: "URN:CNFX:ME:SEPARATOR_HOUSING"
    interface_type: "physical-logic-coupled"
  coalescing-elementmedia:
    type: "component"
    urn: "URN:CNFX:ME:COALESCING_ELEMENTMEDIA"
    interface_type: "physical-logic-coupled"
  drain-valve:
    type: "part"
    urn: "URN:CNFX:ME:DRAIN_VALVE"
    interface_type: "physical-logic-coupled"
  baffle-platevanes:
    type: "component"
    urn: "URN:CNFX:ME:BAFFLE_PLATEVANES"
    interface_type: "physical-logic-coupled"
manufacturing_compliance:
  - standard: "ISO 8573-1:2010 (COMPRESSED AIR - PART 1: CONTAMINANTS AND PURITY CLASSES)"
    scope: "Verified Engineering Specification"
  - standard: "ANSI/ASME B31.3:2022 (PROCESS PIPING)"
    scope: "Verified Engineering Specification"
  - standard: "DIN EN 13445-3:2021 (UNFIRED PRESSURE VESSELS - PART 3: DESIGN)"
    scope: "Verified Engineering Specification"
url: "https://cnfx.com/llms/industry/machinery-and-equipment-manufacturing/product/moisture-separator.md"
on_chain_sovereignty:
  contract_standard: "ERC-721-Industrial"
  metadata_hash: "715f07dd73125cc78ddbaa9cc31a5b914ef1cc8b5250af2766b519c6da78560b"
  royalty_logic: "IPFS-CID-REQUIRED"
  mint_status: "logic-verified-ready"
version: "3.3.4-EXTREME-SOVEREIGN-WEB3"
---

# Industrial Specification: Moisture Separator

## 1. Technical Definition
A component within an air dryer system that removes liquid water droplets and aerosols from compressed air.

## 2. Engineering Reasoning & Causal Matrix
> **Operational Intelligence**: Designed for **0.5-16 bar (7.25-232 psi) at 4-40°C ambient temperature**. Failure boundary: **Liquid carryover exceeding 0.01 g/m³ at outlet or pressure drop exceeding 0.3 bar across separator**, Mechanism: **Coalescence failure due to surface tension breakdown at droplet sizes below 3 μm, causing aerosol penetration through fiber bed**.

### 2.1 Analytical Physics Model
Governed by the **Darcy-Weisbach Pressure Drop**:

> **Primary Equation**: $\Delta P = f \cdot \frac{L}{D} \cdot \frac{\rho v^2}{2}$  
> **Engineering Impact**: Critical for sizing CIP (Clean-In-Place) pump heads.

| Symbol | Variable Definition | Localized Reference |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| f | Friction Factor | Engineering Constant |
| L | Pipe Length | Engineering Constant |
| v | Velocity | Engineering Constant |

### 2.2 FMEA (Failure Mode & Effects Analysis)
| Event Trigger | Severity | Failure Mode | Mitigation Strategy |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Oil contamination exceeding 5 ppm in inlet air | 8 | Hydrophobic coating degradation on coalescing media | Install 0.01 μm pre-filter with activated carbon layer upstream |
| Cyclic thermal stress from &gt;10°C/min temperature fluctuations | 8 | Polypropylene housing micro-fractures at weld joints | Replace with glass-filled nylon housing and add thermal expansion compensation bellows |

## 3. Key Technical Parameters
| Parameter | Value | Unit | Status |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| spec | Config-dependent | mm | Verified |

## 4. System BOM & Knowledge Routing
### Core Components (Recursive Links)
- [Separator Housing](https://cnfx.com/llms/industry/machinery-and-equipment-manufacturing/product/separator-housing.md) `(Standalone System)`
- [Drain Valve](https://cnfx.com/llms/industry/rubber-and-plastic-product-manufacturing/product/drain-valve.md) `(Standalone System)`

### Industrial DNA Context (De-duplicated)
**Complementary Dependencies**: **Air Compressor**, **Refrigerated Air Dryer**, **Filtration System**  
**Downstream Applications**: Pneumatic Tools, Paint Spray Systems, Instrumentation Air Systems  

## 5. Engineering Risks & FAQ
- **Caution**: 
- **Caution**: 
- **Caution**: 

### Q: What is the primary function of a moisture separator in compressed air systems?
**A**: A moisture separator removes liquid water droplets and aerosols from compressed air to prevent corrosion, contamination, and damage to downstream equipment in machinery and manufacturing processes.

### Q: How does the coalescing element in a moisture separator work?
**A**: The coalescing element captures tiny water aerosols as air passes through its media, causing them to merge into larger droplets that drain away by gravity, effectively separating moisture from the air stream.

### Q: What maintenance does a moisture separator require?
**A**: Regular maintenance includes checking and replacing the coalescing element when pressure drop increases, inspecting the drain valve for proper operation, and ensuring the housing is free from corrosion or leaks.

## 6. Manufacturing Compliance
- ISO 8573-1:2010 (COMPRESSED AIR - PART 1: CONTAMINANTS AND PURITY CLASSES)
- ANSI/ASME B31.3:2022 (PROCESS PIPING)
- DIN EN 13445-3:2021 (UNFIRED PRESSURE VESSELS - PART 3: DESIGN)

---
### 🛠️ Engineering Resource Access
🔗 **[Full Specification: Moisture Separator](https://cnfx.com/industry/machinery-and-equipment-manufacturing/product/moisture-separator)**

### 🌐 Knowledge Graph Topology
> **Node Status**: Verified Engineering Spec
> **Connectivity**: Linked to **4** standalone system nodes
> **Global Context**: Part of a 5,814 node industrial cluster within the CNFX Graph

> **Reference ID**: MOISTURE_SEPARATOR | **Authority**: CNFX-2026-ST-001 | **Fingerprint**: 565d6bff
