Air driers are installed to remove remaining moisture from the compressed air. Basically, two types of air driers are in common use today viz., Refrigerated driers and Regenerative driers. Using a principle similar to that of the cycling-type driers, on some designs the thermal mass takes the form of an intermediate circuit or water loop containing water or a glycol solution. The cold liquid refrigerant passes through a heat exchanger, cooling the fluid in the water loop, which, in turn, passes through another heat exchanger to cool the air. Use of the water loop modulates temperature fluctuations, preventing freezing of condensate in the air circuit. This design is generally limited to larger driers (approximately 5000 scfm - 8500 scfh) and larger and nominally rated for 50°F (10°C) pressure dew point performance.
Most refrigerated-driers also incorporate an air-to-air heat exchanger, which serves two purposes:
ADSORPTIVE DESICCANT DRYER
Adsorptive desiccant driers adsorb moisture from compressed air as the compressed air passes through the desiccant. Adsorption is a physical process of condensing and holding moisture on the surface of a porous area of a hygroscopic or moisture-attracting substance.
Hygroscopic materials are solid substances that have the ability to attract moisture. These driers may use a single tower of desiccant where the desiccant is replaced when saturated, however, they normally consist of two towers through which air flow is alternated so that one tower is drying the compressed air while the other tower is being regenerated.
DEGREE OF DRYING
Adsorptive desiccant driers are normally designed to provide air at 40°F (-40°C) pressure dew point. Lower dew points can be supplied depending on type of desiccant and dryer design, reaching as low as -100°F (-73°C) at 100 psig (6.9 bar) pressure, or less than I part per million of water vapor (by volume).
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Silica gel is a granular, amorphous form of silica made from sodium silicate and sulfuric acid. It has a high capacity for adsorbing water and is readily reactivated by heating or purging with dry air or a combination of both.
Activated alumina is a porous form of aluminium oxide with a high surface or pore area. For compressed- air drying, a type that combines aluminium oxide and some silicon dioxide is generally used. This is in the form of small balls and is highly resistant to shock or contact with liquid water. It is readily reactivated by heating by heating or purging with dry air or a combination of both.
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Working Principle and Operation
Refrigerated dryers remove moisture from compressed air by cooling it in an evaporator, which reduces the air’s ability to hold water vapour. As the air cools, moisture condenses into liquid form and is then removed using a separator and drain trap. These dryers typically deliver pressure dew points between 33°F and 39°F (0.5°C to 3.9°C) under standard operating conditions, and are commonly rated at about 35°F (1.7°C). Some high-capacity models may operate at around 50°F (10°C). As long as the air leaving the dryer is not exposed to temperatures below its dew point, further condensation in downstream equipment is prevented.
Basic Working Principle
The operation of a refrigerated air dryer is similar to that of a refrigerator or air conditioner. In a direct-expansion system, high-pressure liquid refrigerant from the compressor flows into the evaporator through a control device. This device reduces the refrigerant pressure, causing it to boil and absorb heat from the compressed air. As heat is removed, the air cools and its moisture condenses into liquid, which is then separated and drained from the system.
The refrigerant, now in vapour form, moves back to the compressor where it is compressed into a hot, high-pressure gas. This gas enters the condenser, where it is cooled by air or water until it turns back into liquid. The liquid refrigerant then returns to the evaporator, and the cooling cycle continues.
Types of Refrigerated Dryers
Non-cycling direct-expansion dryers use a capillary tube or thermostatic expansion valve along with a hot gas bypass valve to regulate refrigerant flow. This helps maintain stable performance and prevents freezing during low-load or no-load conditions.
Cycling dryers, on the other hand, use a thermal mass such as glycol or an aluminium block to store cooling energy. During reduced load conditions, the stored cooling allows the compressor to switch off and restart only when needed, improving energy efficiency.
Note on Desiccant Systems
In contrast to refrigerated dryers, desiccant dryers use molecular sieves made of crystalline aluminium silicates to adsorb moisture. These materials can be regenerated by heating or purging with dry air, making them suitable for applications requiring extremely low dew points.
✅ A compressed air dryer should be selected as part of the overall system, ensuring compatibility with plant requirements, auxiliary equipment.
✅ The key selection factors are compressed-air flow, required dew point, operating pressure, and inlet air temperature.
✅ Dew point is the most important performance indicator, as it determines how effectively moisture is removed from the air.
✅ Regenerative desiccant dryers typically achieve very low dew points around −40°F (−40°C) or lower at operating pressure.
✅ Refrigerated dryers generally provide moderate dew points of about 35°F to 50°F (2°C to 10°C) based on saturated inlet air at 100°F (38°C).
✅ Deliquescent dryers offer higher dew points (65°F to 80°F / 18°C to 27°C) and are more sensitive to inlet temperature conditions.
At higher pressures, saturated air holds less moisture per standard cubic foot than at lower pressure. Considering air at 100 psig (6.9 bars) as the normal pressure, the moisture-holding potential increases rapidly at lower pressures. At higher pressures, above 100 psig (6.9 bars), the potential water content increases at a much slower rate as the pressure rises. Drying air at the highest pressure consistent with the air system design will result in the most economical operation.
The temperature of air entering the dryer is usually close to the temperature at which it leaves the aftercooler. Saturated air at 100°F (38°C) contains almost twice as much of moisture as saturated air at 80°F (27°C). For every 20°F (11°C) increase in the temperature of saturated air, there is an approximate doubling of the moisture content. Thus, it is desirable to operate the dryer at the lowest feasible temperature.
Gem Equipments entered the engineering and fabrication industry in 1984. We specialise in design, engineering and fabrication of Cooling Towers, Compressed Air Dryers, Industrial Chillers and Compressed Air Treatment Accessories.
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S.F. No.103, Avinashi Road, Arasur,
Coimbatore - 641 407,
Tamil Nadu , India
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