Lube Oil Auto Backwash Filter
The Alfa Laval continuously automatic backflushing lube oil filter is a lube oil filtration system that can completely replace a disposable filter system. The Alfa Laval self-cleaning lube oil filter is designed for full-flow filtration of the engine’s lubrication oil. The Alfa Laval filter is used with engines that burn distillate, marine diesel oil (MDO), diesel oil (DO), biofuels, intermediate fuel oil, and heavy fuel oil (HFO) fuels. The role of the Alfa Laval lube oil auto backwash filter is to protect the engine from harmful particles. The entire lube oil flow to the engine passes through the filter system, where the harmful particles are stopped.
Most lube oil filters use depth filtration, where a paper element is used to filter the oil. The particles are embedded into the paper. Eventually, the particles fill the paper element, and the pressure drop across the filter increases. At some point, the paper filter loses its effectiveness and must be replaced. To replace the paper filters, the lube oil system must be opened. This increases the risk of introducing contaminants directly into the lube oil supply. There are disposal costs associated with these full-flow paper element filters.
The Alfa Laval lubricating oil filters (formerly Moatti Filter) use surface filtration. The Alfa Laval filter elements do not contain any paper products. The Alfa Laval Moatti filter utilizes disc-type filtering elements with an aluminum armature and stainless steel meshes. The dirt particles are trapped on these filter element screens. The advantage of surface filters is that they may be cleaned. The Alfa Laval Moatti filter continuously cleans itself without having to open the filter housing. The automatic full-flow filter uses a hydraulic motor to ensure continuous backflushing. No external power supply is required, as the filters’ hydraulic motor is driven by a small amount of the engine oil entering the automatic lube oil filter. Adding a centrifuge to the automatic self-cleaning lube oil filter will provide better engine protection and extend the lube oil life.
The Alfa Laval self-cleaning lube oil filter eliminates costly full-flow filters, bypass cartridge filters, and related disposal costs of hazardous paper filter elements.
Alfa Laval Self-Cleaning Lube Oil Filter
The Alfa Laval automatic lube oil filter (marine lube oil filter) is comprised of three (3) main assemblies: (1) Filtering Unit, (2) Filter Housing, and (3) Hydraulic Motor. One Alfa Laval filter element is made up of two-element halves. Each element half comprises an aluminum framework of equal sectors separated by radial ribs. Between each rib is a stainless steel filter screen.
The lube oil filtering unit is designed around two (2) types of filter elements. The two different types of Alfa Laval filtering elements are the full-flow and the diversion elements. The filter housing and the filtering unit form two (2) filter chambers. These chambers are called the Diversion Chamber and the Full-Flow Chamber. The diversion chamber includes the diversion filter elements, and the full-flow chamber consists of the full-flow filter elements. The oil passes through the elements from the inside to the outside through the holes on the inside edge of the elements.
Features of Alfa Laval Moatti Automatic Filter:
The Alfa Laval Moatti self-cleaning lube oil filter includes the following features:
– Robust disc-type filter elements
– Continuous Automatic Backflushing
– Filtered lube oil drives the back flushing process
– Constant pressure drop over the filter
– Compact and Lightweight
Advantages & Benefits of Alfa Laval Moatti Automatic Filter:
The advantages and benefits of the Alfa Laval self-cleaning lube oil filter are:
– Eliminates full-flow and bypass cartridge filters
– No engine stoppage for filter cartridge changes
– Reduced maintenance costs
– No pressure buildup over time, providing you with a low-pressure drop across the filter.
– Environmentally friendly
– Using filtered oil for the backflushing process eliminates the need for electric power or pressurized air.
– With the correct pressure from the backflushing oil, it is suitable to clean the backflushed oil with a centrifuge.
Operating Principles of the Alfa Laval Backflushing Lube Oil Filter
The main operating principles of the Alfa Laval automatic self-cleaning lube oil filter are:
– The lube oil to be filtered enters the filter and passes through the full-flow filter elements. The filtered lube oil flows to the engine through the filter outlet.
– Part of the filtered lube oil (3-5% of the max capacity of the Alfa Laval filter) is used to backflush and drive the hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor is located on top of the filter housing.
– The backflushed lube oil with solids from the full-flow chamber is led by the distributor to the diversion chamber, where it is filtered again before returning to the lube oil sump.
– The filter elements in the diversion chamber are backflushed (with filtered oil) in the same manner as in the full-flow chamber.
– The solids concentration in the diversion chamber is discharged from the system by periodic draining through the drain cock.
It is recommended that the Alfa Laval filter is installed after the lube oil cooler in the circuit. The inspection intervals of the Alfa Laval automatic filters are every 2,000 hours. It is designed to operate for an average of two (2) years or 12,000 hours between services. The Alfa Laval automatic filter is continuously backflushed with clean oil column-by-column, ensuring constant pressure in the lube oil system. There is no pressure drop during backflushing.
Alfa Laval Lubricating Oil Filters | Filter Fineness
The Alfa Laval Moatti filters can be equipped with a different fineness of filter screens. The engine manufacturer specifies the filter fineness. The Alfa Laval Moatti filtration finesses are:
– A01 is 10 µm absolute (or 6 µm nominal)
– A03 is 25 µm absolute (or 10 µm nominal)
– A05 is 35 µm absolute (or 20 µm nominal)
– A07 is 45 µm absolute (or 30 µm nominal)
The absolute rating provides assurance that the filter will stop 99.9% of particles at or bigger than the micron rating. This ensures that particles greater than the micron rating will not pass through.
A nominal rating indicates the filter’s ability to prevent the passage of a minimum percentage of solid particles greater than the nominal rating’s stated micron size. These particles of each specific contaminant are measured by weight. The nominal rating also represents an efficiency figure or degree of filtration. Per Alfa Laval, the nominal micron rating is 85-90% of all particles with a diameter larger than stated above are retained. A nominal rating is “85% of 20 micron,” where the filter prevents 85% of all 20 micron and larger particles from passing through.
We provide spare parts for Alfa Laval Moatti Automatic Filters. Spare parts supplied by Separator Spares & Equipment comply with the latest specifications and help prolong the lifecycle of your installation. Our supplied spare parts give you a true cost-efficient peace of mind. To learn more, visit our Alfa Laval Moatti Filter Spare Parts webpage.
Alfa Laval Auto Backwash Filter Diagram
The Alfa Laval Moatti self-cleaning lube filter utilizes disc-type filtering elements with an aluminum armature and stainless steel meshes. In the Alfa Laval automatic backwash lube oil filter, the oil to be filtered is pumped from the lube oil sump through the Alfa Laval filter to the engine. When the oil reaches the self-cleaning lube oil filter, the oil passes through full-flow filter elements (where the solids are trapped), and filtered lube oil continues to the engine. A part of the filtered oil (3-5% of the filter’s capacity) is used to backflush part of the full-flow filter elements. The automatic full-flow filter uses a hydraulic motor to ensure continuous backflushing. The backflushed oil with solids from the full-flow chamber leads to the lube oil sump.
Adding a centrifuge filter on the backflush line of the self-cleaning lube oil filter will remove and retain the solids (particles and contaminants) before the lube oil returns to the sump. Depending on the inlet pressure driving the centrifuge filter, it will remove particles down to 2 µm and below. The higher the inlet pressure to the centrifuge filter, the better the separation efficiency.
A centrifuge in the backflush flow line provides better engine protection and extends the lube oil life. The centrifuge removes extremely fine particles. Removing the fine particles from the lube oil will help to lengthen life cycles and reduce the overall wear rate. The Alfa Laval automatic self-cleaning filter does not provide water treatment.
Automatic Backflushing Filter with Integrated Centrifuge
How do you remove the contaminants from an Automatic Backflushing Filter?
By adding an IOW Group centrifuge filter on the backflushing of an automatic filter (Alfa Laval Moatti Filter or Bollfilter), you will remove the contaminants (clean the oil) before it returns to the lube oil sump. When adding an IOW centrifuge oil filter, you are ensuring reliable protection.
Truth be told, the backflushing lube oil pressure is too low to spin a centrifuge oil filter effectively. Remember that higher centrifuge RPMs equals better separation and filtration results. Adding a pump between the automatic self-cleaning lube oil filter and the centrifugal oil filter ensures the best contamination control. It will remove significantly more soot particles from the lubrication oil.
Use a Centrifuge to Remove Contaminants
The IOW Group centrifuges utilize a high-efficiency disc stack centrifuge to remove particles from the backflush oil before the oil is returned to the sump.
Unlike conventional centrifuges for self-cleaning lube oil filters, the IOW Group centrifuges utilize bowl disc stack technology to increase separation efficiency, dramatically reducing contaminants’ time in the oil. The combination of higher centrifuge RPMs due to the updated IOW centrifuge design with bowl disc technology increases the separation process by separating solids from liquids quicker and more sufficiently.
IOW Group centrifuges have dirt/sludge monitoring technology, informing the operator when the centrifugal separator needs cleaning, saving valuable personnel time on otherwise unnecessary cleaning. Unlike the Mann Hummel Centrifugal Oil Cleaners or the Spinner II Oil Cleaning Centrifuges, the IOW centrifuge unit will notify you when it needs cleaning. The IOW CentriClean system is Modbus or Bluetooth compatible and can easily connect to your existing alarm systems.
Better Technology:
– Bowl Disc Technology
– Modbus Remote Monitoring or Bluetooth Remote Monitoring
– Fully Sealed Centrifuge Bowl
– Eliminating Back Pressure
Better Results:
– 150% more efficient than any other centrifugal oil filter
– Increased Centrifugal Force
– Reduce Engine Wear
– Reduce Maintenance
– Reduce Costs
Compared to competitive centrifuge filters, the IOW centrifuges collect the highest abrasive particles in the same time frame. The IOW centrifuges outperform the Mann+Hummel Centrifugal Oil Cleaners, Spinner II Oil Cleaning Centrifuges, Glacier Centrifuges, Spin-Clean Oil Cleaning Centrifuges, and more. The combination of protection, performance, remote monitoring, and the ability to extend oil drain intervals has many turning to IOW Group as their centrifugal filter provider.
Protect your Engine from Harmful Particles
When adding a centrifuge filter to your engine or self-cleaning lube oil filter, add the best on the market – the patented IOW Group Centrifuge. To learn more about the next generation of centrifuge filters, visit IOW Group’s Centrifugal Oil Separators website or our IOW Group Centrifuge webpage. Get in touch with us!