SMC AFD30-03 Micro Mist Separator 0.01 Micron 3/8 Rc

The fine-filtration stage for clean, oil-reduced air

AFD30-03 is the size 30, Rc 3/8 micro mist separator of the SMC AFD series. Where the AFM mist separator reduces oil aerosol to a maximum of 1.0 mg/m3, the AFD takes the outlet down to a maximum of 0.1 mg/m3 (0.01 mg/m3 or less, about 0.008 ppm, before the element is saturated with oil) by filtering to 0.01 micrometre. It is intended for air that touches products or sensitive equipment: painting, packaging, pneumatic instruments and precision air bearings or air-driven analysers.

The code AFD30-03 gives the series and body size (AFD30) and the 3/8 port. With nothing appended it is the standard version with Rc thread and polycarbonate bowl. Optional letters in the how-to-order table add a bracket, auto drain, flow direction and other features.

Technical specifications

Place it in the right order

The finer the element, the quicker it clogs, so the AFD must never be used alone on a line carrying liquid oil or dirt. The usual order is a main-line filter or an AF air filter, then an AFM mist separator, then the AFD. The catalogue rated flow of 240 L/min (ANR) is about half that of the AFM30 at 450 L/min, which is the price of the finer element, and the rating changes with inlet pressure.

The two outlet oil figures in the table matter in practice: 0.01 mg/m3 or less is for a fresh element before it is saturated, while 0.1 mg/m3 is the maximum figure for a saturated element, so a replacement interval based on pressure drop should be set.

Installation and maintenance

Keep the air flow inside the rated flow so lubricant does not carry over to the outlet side, as the catalogue notes for the AFM and AFD pair. Mount vertically with the bowl down, and drain or fit an auto drain. Element replacement uses the part listed under replacement parts in the catalogue, and the element service indicator option can show when it is due for change.

SMC quotes the outlet figures for a new element with an inlet oil mist concentration of 10 mg/m3 and recommends an AFM mist separator as a pre-filter to prevent premature clogging. Do not expect a mist separator to remove vapour or gases such as carbon monoxide; a separate adsorption stage such as an activated carbon filter is needed for that.

Documents and quotation

The SMC catalogue linked at the end of this page covers the AFM and AFD range with order codes, specifications and dimensions. Please confirm thread, drain and bracket before ordering. For related items browse Regulators. Seven Star LLC is an independent supplier and quotes the exact code on request.

AFD30-03 Status and Current Successor

The AFD30-03 is the legacy code of this micro mist separator. SMC’s current catalogue covers the size 30 body in the AFD20-D to AFD40-D series, so the present-day equivalent of an AFD30-03 is the AFD30-03-D (Rc 3/8, polycarbonate bowl with bowl guard, manual drain cock, left-to-right flow). Where a legacy figure could not be confirmed, the values above are taken from the current AFD-D data.

Additional AFD30-D data from the SMC catalogue

The inlet class [3 : 7 : 3] is exactly the outlet class of the AFM mist separator, which is why SMC pairs the two units: AF filter, then AFM, then AFD.

How the AFD30-03 Micro Mist Separator Works

Air passes through a very fine fibrous element rated at 0.01 µm. Sub-micron oil aerosol and particles are caught by the fibres, the captured oil coalesces into droplets that drain into the bowl, and the condensate is released through the drain cock or a float-type auto drain. Because the element is so fine, its capacity for solids and liquid oil is limited; that is why its rated flow (240 L/min) is lower than the AFM30 and why the upstream filters are essential.

The float auto drain opens the drain valve as condensate lifts the float. The N.C. type (option C) keeps the drain closed when no pressure is applied, while the N.O. type (option D) opens the drain when pressure is removed. SMC recommends N.C. for small compressors (0.75 kW, under 100 L/min discharge) because the N.O. drain may leak air at start-up.

Selection & Ordering Guide

For example, AFD30-03BC-D is the Rc 3/8 body with bracket and N.C. auto drain. The clogging switch options use a D-A93VL reed auto switch. Our team can help confirm the correct ordering code when replacing an old AFD30-03 in a modular set.

Replacement parts for AFD30-D

• Element assembly: AFD30P-060AS
• Bowl seal: C32FP-260S
• Bracket assembly: AF34P-070AS
• Bowl assembly (polycarbonate, drain cock): C3SF-D; with N.C. / N.O. auto drain: AD37-D / AD38-D

AFD30-03 Installation & Maintenance

• Install an AF air filter and an AFM mist separator upstream; do not fit the unit on the inlet side of a dryer.
• When refitting the bowl, align the lock button with the groove on the front or back of the body so the bowl cannot drop.
• Replace the element every 2 years or when the pressure drop reaches 0.1 MPa, whichever comes first; with the M or MM clogging switch, replace it when the switch signals.
• The clogging switch has no output holding, so its signal turns OFF when there is no air flow through the element.
• Keep the polycarbonate bowl away from organic solvents, synthetic oil, alkali and thread-lock fluid; choose the metal bowl if in doubt.

Typical Applications in Oman & the GCC

Across Oman and the GCC, the AFD30-03 type of micro mist separator is used where air touches a product or a sensitive device: food and beverage packaging, pharmaceutical and cosmetics filling, paint finishing, laboratory and analyser air, and instrument air in water, oil & gas and power plants. Hot, humid coastal conditions put a heavy aerosol load on compressed air, so the full AF + AFM + AFD chain is important.

Why Source from Seven Star LLC

Seven Star LLC supplies SMC filtration and air preparation products across Oman and the GCC. Share the code from your existing unit and request a quote; our team can help confirm the correct ordering code for the -D successor and its elements.