Overview
Pre-Cleaners Lighten the Load and Extend the Life of an Air Filter
When conditions are extreme and high amounts of dust or debris are expected, pre-cleaners are an essential component in a filtration system. Pre-cleaners can take care of the larger debris, dust particles, and water droplets, greatly reducing the amount of contamination that reaches the air filter, resulting in extended filter life.
Why Donaldson Pre-Cleaners?
- Pre-cleaners extend the life of air filters – many also serve a dual-purpose as rain caps
- Made of durable materials, including metal or impact-resistant plastic for long-lasting performance
- Many are designed to be installed entirely outside of the engine compartment, leaving more space under the hood for other components
- No wires or power requirements, use the engine airflow to separate contaminant
Customized Solutions for Any OEM Application
Donaldson pre-cleaner technology can be designed for specific OEM requirements – including particularly challenging or unique contaminant conditions. Our inertial particle separation tubes can be configured in either large- or small-vane configurations for a range of applications and dust conditions.
In heavy dust environments, a large number of vanes can be packed into relatively small spaces to improve separator efficiency; this also helps prevent premature clogging in environments with heavy debris, like ag applications.
This inertial particle separation technology offers maintenance-free filtration for turbines, diesel engines, and environmental applications, and has a proven track record on ground vehicles and equipment facing the harshest filtration environments, such as military applications in desert conditions.
Inertial Particle Separation Technology
Donaldson pre-cleaner technology can be configured in many different ways to adapt to specific OEM requirements. Our inertial particle separation tubes can be configured in either large or small vane to help address requirements for a range of applications and dust conditions. In heavy dust environments, a large number of vanes can be packed into a relatively small space to improve separator efficiency. In environments with heavy amounts of chaff or debris (such as agricultural applications) large vane may help to prevent premature clogging.
Our light-weight pre-cleaning Strata™ Tubes have no moving parts to wear out or break. They are self-cleaning and do not require regular maintenance. Pre-cleaning tubes can be arranged in various patterns, depending on the space and efficiency requirements of your application.
Strata™ Tubes offer low airflow restriction with efficient contaminant removal of up to 99%.
How Strata™ Tubes Work
- Stationary vanes cause incoming air to spin
- Centrifugal force spins dust and dirt to the outer walls
- Dust and dirt can be removed via gravity or scavenge airflow for greater efficiency
- Clean air continues on through the tube to the primary air cleaner or engine
Advantages of Scavenging
Pre-cleaners can be configured with standard airflow or can be augmented by a scavenge system to improve pre-cleaner efficiency. Scavenging introduces a secondary airflow to the drop tube on the air cleaner, typically through the use of an ejector or an ejector muffler. This flow creates a vacuum that draws the separated contaminant from the pre-cleaner and ejects it via the exhaust stream. Scavenging devices add more components to the system, but offer much higher pre-cleaner efficiency and longer filter life, and are virtually self-servicing.
This flow creates a vacuum that draws the separated contaminant from the pre-cleaner and ejects it via the exhaust stream. Scavenging devices add more components to the system, but offer much higher pre-cleaner efficiency and longer filter life, and are virtually self-servicing.
Features
Types of Pre-Cleaners
Some pre-cleaning devices, like Donaldson Full-View, collect the contaminant for operator removal while others, like TopSpin and Top Spin HD with in-line separator, eject or drop the contaminant and are virtually maintenance-free. Many pre-cleaners can be connected to a scavenge system that routes debris out the exhaust system. Pre-cleaners with scavenge systems, like Donaldson Strata Cap and Donaspin for heavy dust, require additional components like hoses, check valves, clamps, and exhaust ejectors, but offer even greater pre-cleaning separation efficiency in return.
Featured Pre-Cleaners
Large Vane Pre-Cleaners
Pre-cleaners configured with large vanes may be preferable for environments with large chaff or debris, like many agricultural applications.
Strata™ Cap
The scavenged Strata Cap pre-cleaner removes up to 96% of incoming contaminant – the highest efficiency rating of any Donaldson self-contained pre-cleaner. It is designed for the most demanding heavy dust environments in the construction and mining industries.
Applications
- Primarily used for off-road vehicles and equipment operating in heavy dust environments
- Recommended mounting: outside of engine compartment on top of the air cleaner inlet stack
TopSpin™ HD
TopSpin HD™ all-metal pre-cleaners are a durable solution for punishing conditions. TopSpin HD will extend primary air filter life, boost system efficiency and extend engine life in medium to heavy dust environments. TopSpin HD is self-scavenging and operates at up to 80% separation efficiency.
Applications
- Primarily used for off-road vehicles and equipment operating in medium to heavy dust environments
- Recommended mounting: on top of the metal-air cleaner inlet stack – do not mount on non-metal inlet stack
Products
The Donaldson PowerCore Edge and PowerCore PSD series air cleaners offer pre-cleaners that are built directly into the filter housing, reducing the number of components in an overall system without compromising efficiency. If you have the space on your application, PowerCore Edge or PSD get the job done with fewer parts to track, maintain and manage. And some models can be used with scavenge systems.
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