General Purpose Filters
General purpose filters are great for removing basic water, oil, and dirt from a compressed air line. Most compressed air systems rely on general purpose air filters because of their versatility. General purpose filters typically handle 5 micron particulates, but many are able to handle particulates as small as 1 micron.
Activated Carbon Filters
Activated carbon is a highly absorbent material created from charcoal or biochar. Once the charcoal is activated, it contains millions of pores, expanding its surface area, and making it more absorbent. Activated carbon filters are also able to remove oil vapors and odor, which makes them very common for use in breathable air systems.
High Efficiency Filters
Like their name suggests, high efficiency filters filter air more efficiently than other filters. This means they are able to filter more water, oil, dust, and other contaminants than other filters, while at the same time reducing the drop in air pressure. High efficiency filters also use less energy than traditional filters, and are able to handle particulates as small as 0.01 microns.
Water Separator Filters
Water separator filters, as you might have guessed, are used when the primary contaminant in the compressed air system is water. Although many water separator filters are also able to filter out oil and dirt, their primary objective is to remove water from your compressed air. They work by trapping the water at the bottom of the filter and sending the air back up, eliminating additional contaminants.