Out of all the compressed air dryers, the refrigeration air dryer is the most popular and widespread type. True to its name, the refrigerated air dryer functions in a similar manner to home refrigerators in that a cooling process is employed that prevents moisture. The main difference is the objects or elements being cooled, because whereas a kitchen refrigerator cools and preserves perishable foods and beverages, a refrigerated air dryer maintains the quality of air in manufacturing plants.
In a refrigeration air dryer, compressed air is cooled to around 35 degrees Fahrenheit. After the air has passed through the inlet valve, the moisture is extracted and drained, and the newly dried air is reheated by incoming air. At the end of each cycle, the outgoing compressed air has a dew point in the range of 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Overall, the process of the refrigeration air dryer creates a more sanitary working environment that is also far more conducive for manufacturing.
In a non-cycling refrigeration air dryer, the refrigerant perpetually circulates within the machine. This allows for quick responses to changes in the load, be it low or high densities of moisture within the incoming air. As such, factory environments with steamy engines can be de-moisturized in much the same way as low-moisture environments. The flow of the refrigerant is regulated with a bypass or unloader valve. In most units, the refrigerant is condensed by a heat exchanger after the compression process has completed a cycle.
CFC refrigerants like R12 and R22 were used in vintage refrigerant air dryers, though times have changed regarding the acceptability of such gases due to concerns over their impact on the environment. Therefore, in newer refrigerant dryers, a different range of chlorine-free refrigerants are used, such as the eco-friendlier R134A and R410A. The change was brought about by the Montreal Protocol, an international, anti-ozone-depletion treaty that was implemented in 1989.
Refrigerant dryers of the cycling variety use refrigerant to cool down a glycol or aluminum mass, which surrounds the air passage. The compressed air is then cooled by a thermostat-controlled heat sink.
This article comes from quincy-compressor edit released
