New refrigerant air dryers with minimum energy profiles

4th September 2009
Posted By : ES Admin
New refrigerant air dryers with minimum energy profiles
The latest Arctic Energy range of compressed-air refrigerant dryers from Hi-line Industries Ltd combine high build quality with reliability, and provide an operating efficiency designed to achieve a minimum energy profile.
The dryers are suitable for operation at air pressures from 4 to 16 bar, with ex-compressor air inlet temperatures from 0° to 55°C being accommodated. Airline dewpoint settings from 2° to 10°C are maintained by a digital controller, within an ambient working condition range of 0° to 45°C.

By using the latest control and heat exchanger technologies, it is ensured that the dryer compressor is only operated when the pre-set dewpoint is exceeded. This ensures optimum energy efficiency in operation, with further savings achieved by ensuring that even in ‘no-demand’ conditions where a main compressor is shut down (eg overnight), then there will also be no residual energy demand by the dryer units. This overcomes the common practice of leaving dryer units running continuously as their compressors are viewed as low-energy units.

During normal operation, incoming warm, wet pressurised air from the compressor passes through an air to air heat exchanger within the dryer where it is pre-cooled by the already processed outgoing cold, dry air. This helps reduce the load on the dryer compressor to save energy. The compressed air supply then passes through an air to refrigerant heat exchanger which further cools the air down to a pre-set dewpoint. Where this is set at 2°C, water in the processed air condenses into water droplets. This condensate can be automatically removed as bulk water by auto drain, which preferably should be a Hi-line Gen 2 oil/water separator unit to ensure an environmentally safe disposal of both liquids.

As the final stage, the cool/dry processed air is then passed back through the air to air heat exchanger where it picks up heat from the incoming pre-processed air stream. This further reduces the relative humidity in the processed air to help prevent both internal corrosion and external condensation of the downstream airline system pipework.

A total of 32 models are available ex-stock (next day delivery) covering flow rates from 8 to 895scfm, with larger dryers up to 9080scfm also available to order. They all feature digital dewpoint display with compressor protection provided by high/low pressure switches. Refrigerant gas and dryer pressure manometers are also fitted. Single phase 230V operation is available up to 506scfm flow, with three phase operation available above 506scfm flow rates.

Only approved Freon gas refrigerants are used (R134a or R407c), and Hi-line is one of the few dryer manufacturers registered with REFCOM as competent to handle refrigerants. All dryers are designed for maximum commonality across the whole range, and are finished in RAL5015 (compressed air blue). Ten year optional warranties are also available.

You must be logged in to comment

Write a comment

No comments




Sign up to view our publications

Sign up

Sign up to view our downloads

Sign up

GISEC Global
23rd April 2024
United Arab Emirates Halls 2-8 - Dubai World Trade Centre
The Magnetics Show US
22nd May 2024
United States of America The Pasadena Convention Center
2024 World Battery & Energy Storage Industry Expo (WBE)
8th August 2024
China 1st and 2nd Floor, Area A, China Import and Export Fair Complex