March 21, 2022
Air dryers are used downstream of an air compressor to rid the compressed air of any moisture or humidity before it reaches your application or final product. Using air dryers is imperative in many applications such as the food/beverage industry, electronics, manufacturing and spray painting in the automotive industry.
But how do I know which type of air dryer I need for my specific air compressor?
If the ambient temperature is less than 40°C/104°F and main usage of a dryer to prevent condensation or having dew-point around 3°C-4°C/37°F-39°F C, a refrigeration dryer is best to use. These dryers are often used in manufacturing plants, auto shops, food manufacturing and breweries. Refrigerated dryers come in both cycling and non-cycling variants to fit the need of your application. These dryers are energy efficient and are the most popular dryer type.
If the ambient temperature and incoming air are over 40°C/104°F, typically a high-temp dryer is recommended or using an after cooler after the compressor is advised. If you need a high level of dry ambient air (PDP of -40°C/-40°F or -70°C/-94°F) an adsorption dryer would be used. Adsorption dryers can reach pressure dew points as low as -70°C/-94°F and are often used in very cold climates to avoid ice forming in pipes and applications. Adsorption dryers are also used in applicationssuch as mold prevention, medical applications, textiles and food factories to keep the air as dry as possible. These dryers use desiccant material (similar to the non-edible packs you find in your newest shoebox) to adsorb and remove the humidity from compressed air. Adsorption dryers also come in different technologies such as heatless dryers, heated purge dryers or blower purge and zero purge dryers.
Air dryers are recommended for almost all compressed air applications, but determining the right dryer for your business it is important to keep your production running as safely and efficiently as possible. To browse Pneumatech's dryer product lines, click HERE.