Moisture in compressed air could be problematic especially if you’re using it for food processing, spray painting or electronics. Moist air can cause growth of microbes, rusting of pneumatic tools or damage to circuits. To remove this moisture, it is necessary to use an air dryer in your compressor. But you must know which air dryer suits your needs best. We at VEMC are the top ELGi air compressor dealers in Mumbai and in this blog, we tell you how to select the right air dryer for your compressor.
Types of compressed air dryers
Let us first look at the top 3 compressed air dryers and their working mechanism.
- Refrigerated dryers: These are the most commonly used air dryers and these operate by using an air-to-air heat exchanger and air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger. These remove moisture from the air through condensation.
- Desiccant dryers: Desiccant dryers use adsorbent material such as silica, activated charcoal, calcium chloride, calcium sulphate or zeolites to remove moisture from the compressed air.
- Membrane dryers: These dryers use a membrane to remove moisture from the air. The membrane is usually made of polyamides or polyurethane. The compressed air is passed through the membrane which has tiny pores that allow air to pass through but retain the moisture.
Factors to consider when choosing a dryer
A number of factors go into consideration when deciding upon which air dryer to choose for your operations. These are:
- Moisture removal capacity: First of all, find out how capable the air dryer is to remove the moisture from the compressed air. This is after all your main concern and should get the highest level of importance.
- Pressure dew point: This represents the temperature to which compressed air can be cooled without condensation. A good air dryer brings down the pressure dew point so that the moisture is turned into liquid and can then be removed with ease.
- Energy consumption: What amount of energy is your air dryer consuming is another factor you need to watch out for. This is especially true as electricity prices are rising every passing year, and most businesses aim to optimise their energy resources to be reduce their carbon footprint.
Impact of compressed air quality on downstream equipment and processes
When operating in an industrial setting, it is not just necessary to have compressed air, but the quality of the air also matters significantly. Compressed air loaded with moisture can cause rusting and early wear and tear of equipment including the compressor itself. Likewise, if you’re operating in sensitive industries like pharmaceuticals or food processing, moist air can hasten the growth of microbes in the product leading to spoilage.
For more on which air dryer will meet your needs the best, feel free to get in touch with our experts by calling on 022 43436655 or emailing us at marketing@vemc.co.in. We at VEMC are the leading dealers of ELGi reciprocating compressors and oil lubricated screw compressors.