Important Considerations before Using a Desiccant Air Dryer

 

With respect to compressed air systems, moisture can be a real issue. Moisture in compressed air can lead to operational downtime, production losses, and equipment damage. One notable type of dryer that is particularly effective at removing moisture is a desiccant air dryer.

 

Certain industries need compressed air systems that produce very clean, very dirty air. While there are an extensive variety of dryer options, this article examines the types and uses of desiccant air dryers.

 

Your unique applications will help with determining which desiccant air dryer works best for your system. No wonder you really need to factor in what you plan on doing with a desiccant air dryer preceding deciding on the next step of action.

 

One notable type of desiccant air dryer that you should consider using is the regenerative one. Indeed, this is a general term for dryers that utilize a desiccant material which attracts and holds moisture. The 'regenerative' part comes from the fact that the desiccant is regenerated, or dried out, for reuse.

 

There are various types of regenerative desiccant dryers, including single tower, heatless, heated, and blower purge dryers. They are typically utilized in applications requiring extremely dry air with a pressure dew point as low as - 100°F.

 

You can moreover choose to go with a single tower desiccant dryer. This contains a single tank filled with a desiccant that absorbs the moisture from the compressed air. Nonetheless, it can't regenerate the genuine desiccant, so manual intervention is required.

 

There is furthermore the heatless twin-tower desiccant dryer. This type of desiccant air dryer operates on a dual-tower setup. While one tower dries the incoming air, the other regenerates the spent desiccant using a portion of the dried compressed air (purge air).

 

It is worth mentioning that desiccant air dryers employ a moisture-absorbing substance, like silica gel or activated alumina, to extract moisture from compressed air. The air flows through the desiccant bed to undergo a series of chemical reactions, leaving the air dry and clean. It is then regenerated through a process of heating or purging.

 

One notable advantage of desiccant air dryers is their sheer ability to produce ultra-dry air. These dryers can remove up to 40% of the moisture present in compressed air. This is particularly critical in applications like pharmaceuticals, where contamination could lead to adverse effects.