You’re probably already familiar with how useful air dryers are when it comes to removing water vapor from compressed air and providing a clean and dry flow to the rest of your equipment. However, you might not be as familiar with the fact that there are actually a large number of different options when it comes to working with this kind of equipment.
If you’re at all looking for the best in pneumatic gear, then you’re certainly going to want to go over this list of different devices that can serve as air dryers. Keeping your airflow clean and dry is especially important for those who have to work around certain industrial equipment or in extremely humid environments. We asked the experts at SMC Pneumatics for some input and they shared some of their favorite technical solutions with us.
1. Combined Units
Sometimes, it can be somewhat difficult to categorize various types of air dryers because of the fact that some classifications can be applied to a number of different devices. For instance, many air dryers are combined units that offer a mist separator or a micro-mist separator combined with a single unit. This is somewhat similar to the way that FRL devices combine the functions of a filter, a regulator and a lubricator into one single housing.
As a result, countless devices could be classes as combined units, but that’s not at all a drawback considering how useful this can potentially make them depending on whether you need additional devices in your equipment to make it function as a complete pneumatic installation.
Consider the example of someone who is dealing with mist or spray from their industrial processes that also needs to install an air dryer as well to deal with problems related to humidity. In this case, having one single combined unit can save a substantial amount of resources while also simultaneously representing a potential saving in terms of space as well.
2. Membrane Air Dryers
One of the most popular types of air dryers, and certainly one of the ones you’re most likely to come into contact with, membrane air dryers have continued to grow in terms of the total installed base. As the name suggests, dependable membrane dryers use a membrane coalescent filter that removes moisture from the stream of air and allows it to pass through uninhibited. Since these units are mechanically simple, they have few parts that will simply break down over time and that means they can keep going longer.
Combination units with membrane air dryers are of course available, which include a mist separator and a micro-mist separator. Options on these models include one-touch fittings that exhaust any purged air. If the purged air isn’t exhausted directly around the membrane air dryer itself, then it gets exhausted through tubing that’s located away from the dryer. Best of all, these are light and compact so they’ll save space over many types of competing designs.
3. Refrigerated Air Dryers
Refrigerated air dryers like those belonging to the IDF series are able to dry air and cool it down. They work at a maximum operating temperature of 60°C, though the IDU series are capable of working at one up to 80°C. The use of these systems can lead to a rather substantial reduction in the number of installation labor hours since they’re comparatively simple to work with.
In keeping with the guidelines set forth by the Montreal Protocol Regulations, these use refrigerants like R407C and R134a, which limit the amount of damage done to the planet’s ozone layer. There’s been a lot of talk about the use of certain types of refrigerant gasses, but these use modern ones that are within the boundaries set by engineering best practices. That should be good news for those who are doing their best to work hard and green their company’s existing operations.
4. Desiccant Dryers
When you need dry air with an extremely low dew point, then you might want to rely on a heatless desiccant air dryer. These are capable of supplying dry air that has a dew point lower than 30°C. In fact, they, work anywhere from 5-50°C in terms of inlet air temperature, which should prove to be a good thing for those working in almost any kind of climate-controlled industrial environment.
Best of all, they boast a wide range of operating pressures. You could use them with systems that operate anywhere as low as 0.3MPa all the way up to a full 1MPa without straying beyond the manufacturer’s original specifications.
5. Thermo Dryer
Integrated heaters, regulators, dryers and filters can be found in a single package with a line of thermo dryers. These allow technicians to deliver a constant volume of clean compressed air at just the right temperature and dew point regardless of any external conditions or seasonal situations that are related to local weather and climate.
As a result, you won’t have to worry about anything in the workplace even if you work inside of a facility that has to be kept at a certain temperature to ensure that certain industrial processes always work properly.
If your managers have to keep things either rather cold or quite warm, then you’ll probably want to invest in one of these so you can ensure the ready flow of air without having to risk the outside temperature or humidity having any influence on it. This is especially important for those who have to keep things within certain specifications. No matter what kind of air dryer you need, you’ll be able to find it in one single place.
Get The Best Kind Of Air Dryer For Your Business Operation From SMC Pneumatics
SMC Pneumatics always has a selection of different air dryers to pick from, which means you’ll be free to get exactly the parts you need regardless of the type of equipment you’re currently working with. Each of these is designed to adhere to an industry-standard size, so you won’t have to worry about compatibility or any of the other problems that often impact those working with compressed air-driven equipment. Instead, you’ll be able to find the right kind of components the first time.
Granted, if you need any help then we’re always available. Simply visit our online contact form and tell us more about your company’s concerns. We’ll be sure to get a member of our seasoned team on your problem to help you get the solutions you need fast, no matter the type of dryer.