Drain Condensate Without Losing Air
Compressed Air Condensate Management
Condensate management protects your equipment, keeps you in compliance with environmental regulations, and stops your compressor from throwing away the air it just spent energy making. Air Components supplies and services the Kaeser condensate management line across Michigan.
Why Condensate Management Matters
Compressor condensate is roughly 95% water and 5% oil. That oil content means it counts as industrial wastewater under the Clean Water Act and most municipal sewer codes. Dumping it down a floor drain is a violation, and one that's increasingly easy for inspectors to spot. Beyond compliance, the way you handle condensate also drives your energy bill:
Timer-based drains open on a fixed schedule whether condensate is present or not, releasing compressed air every time they cycle
Float drains stick, leak, or pass when contaminated, either flooding the system or wasting air
Untreated condensate sent to sewer can trigger fines, cleanup costs, and discharge permit problems
Outsourced condensate disposal (haul-away) typically runs many times the cost of treating it on-site
Contamination from untrapped condensate damages downstream tools, valves, and finished products
The Two Pieces of a Complete System
ECO-DRAIN Electronic Condensate Drains
Key Specs
Zero-loss drains that remove condensate without venting compressed air. A capacitive level sensor detects when condensate is actually present, then opens a wide-bore valve only long enough to release the liquid. No fixed timer cycles, no stuck floats, no wasted air.
- Zero-loss operation, no compressed air wasted on empty cycles
- Capacitive level sensor with no failure-prone mechanical floats
- Wide-bore valve handles heavily soiled condensate
- Sized for compressor flow rates up to 1,700 m³/min
- Network-capable alarm contact (model 31 and up) reports to SAM 4.0
- Versions available for high pressure (up to 63 bar), vacuum, and freeze-prone installations
Applications
- After-coolers and air receivers (compressor room)
- Refrigerated and desiccant dryer outlets
- Filter housings
- Low points in piping runs
AQUAMAT Oil/Water Separators
Key Specs
On-site treatment that cleans the oil out of condensate before it goes to drain. Cartridge-based filter media traps oil and other contaminants while purified water flows out to your existing wastewater system. The AQUAMAT i.CF model adds active process control, real-time fill monitoring, and predictive cartridge replacement alerts.
- Treats condensate so discharge water meets industrial wastewater discharge limits
- Cartridge-based filtration with bayonet fitting for clean, fast service
- Cuts condensate disposal costs by roughly 90% versus haul-away service
- Modular design — start with the smallest unit, add modules as compressed air demand grows
- AQUAMAT CONTROL reports status via Modbus TCP to SAM 4.0 master controller
- Fully saturated cartridges weigh under 55 lb for ergonomic single-person replacement
Applications
- Compressor room, downstream of all condensate collection points
- Facilities under wastewater discharge permits
- Operations currently paying for haul-away condensate service
- Plants pursuing ISO 14001 environmental certification
Not Sure Where You Stand on Compliance?
Most facilities don't think about condensate disposal until a sewer authority asks them about it. Our team will audit your existing setup, identify any drains that are wasting compressed air, and tell you straight up whether your condensate discharge would pass an inspection.
50+ Years of Customer Trust
Service, Cartridge Replacement & System Audits
Condensate management is one of the lowest-touch parts of a compressed air system, but it pays to keep the cartridges fresh and the drains tested.
- Scheduled AQUAMAT cartridge replacement programs sized to your condensate volume
- ECO-DRAIN service kits in local inventory
- Compressed air system audits including drain function tests
- Retrofit of timer or float drains to zero-loss electronic drains
- Integration with SAM 4.0 for centralized monitoring and predictive maintenance
Where We Work
We’re proud to serve customers across Western, Central, and Northern Michigan.
- Grand Rapids
- Holland
- Battle Creek
- Lansing
- Kalamazoo
- Jackson
- Cadillac
- Traverse City
- Saginaw
- Eastern UP
Get Started Today
If you're spec'ing a new system, building condensate management in from day one costs less than retrofitting later. If you already have a compressed air system and aren't sure where your condensate goes, that's the conversation to start.