Compressed air dryers are used in all types of gas plants including oxygen plants, hydrogen gas plants, Nitrogen plants, N2O plants, and so on. The presence of water in any compressed air system can damage the entire system. It can corrode valves, pipes, and can even cause outdoor airlines to freeze. Air dryers are basically used for the removal of contaminated water and other foreign particles from the compressed air. In any system where there is presence of water in the compressed air system, an air dryer is definitely required for addressing the situation. Water can exist in three ways in a compressed air that is vapor, mist, or liquid. Different types of compressed air dryers are available on the market, and each comes with its own specific functions of removing maximum amount of water from the compression system.
Different types of compressed air dryers include: Internal Heat Reaction Type, Heatless Type, No Purge Loss Type, Heat of Compression (HOC) Type, Desiccant dryers, and Refrigerant dryers.
Industrial compressed air dryers may include single, or even multiple stages for drying the air and correcting various other problems associated with the water. These dryers may need either DC power, AC three phases, or AC single phase power for operation. They can be expanded to the atmospheric pressure, which drops immediately to its dew point in degrees Fahrenheit.
Most of the industries use refrigerated air dryers. These dryers have two functions, the first is to cool down the incoming hot air using cool air, and secondly, they increase the temperature of outgoing air to prevent condensation. Many new models of compressors are being introduced in the market and have compressors closely integrated with the dryers.
Deliquescent dryer is also popular and uses powder at the bottom that absorbs water from the air compressor and turns into liquid. One the entire powder turns to liquid, the entire vessel contents are emptied and new tablet is inserted. These compressors are easy to use and work perfectly in remote sites and need little maintenance. Another type of industrial compressed air dryer uses silica gel to lower the temperature of water to condense. This helps in improving the efficiency of the air dryer.
Each industrial compressed air dryer helps in the efficient removal of water and comes with its own set of functions and uses. It all depends upon the requirements of the industry where the air dryer will be used. These compressed air dryers use specific processes and tools for drying the air only. These dryers are very important for the efficient functioning of compressed air mechanism in any industry. Without them, the operational efficiency of any system will be severely compromised.