Recycled purge air dryer system and method of use

摘要

Heat generated by the first stage compressor while it is running (either loaded or unloaded in the recycled purge air dryer system is recaptured by a stream of dried, cool system air drawn off of the outlet of a online drying tower in an air compressor system via a purge heat exchanger placed after the first stage compressor. The dried, hot air is used help regenerate the offline tower. This regenerating, pressurized, and heated purge air is then cooled in its passage across or through the desiccant in the regenerating tower. It then reenters the main airflow at the outlet of the first stage air compressor as wet cool pressurized purge air. This process is completely closed loop within the system, achieving zero air loss, and avoiding dew point spikes, increasing the efficiency of the air compressor system.

主权项

1. A recycled purged air dryer comprising:
an inlet filter for receiving wet inlet air; a control valve; a first stage compressor; a heat exchanger connected; an intercooler; an intercooler separator; a second stage compressor; an aftercooler; an aftercooler separator; a first desiccant filed drying tower; a second desiccant filed drying tower; a conduit structure for interconnecting said inlet filter to said control valve, said control valve to said first stage compressor, said first stage compressor to said heat exchanger, said heat exchanger to said intercooler, said intercooler to said intercooler separator, said intercooler separator to said second stage compressor, said second stage compressor to said aftercooler, said aftercooler to said aftercooler separator, and said aftercooler separator to said first drying tower and said second drying tower; and a valve configuration connected to said conduit structure for controlling airflow through said conduit structure; wherein said valve configuration can be actuated to divert a portion of the dry compressed air exiting said first drying tower to said heat exchanger for heating and then diverted to said second drying tower as dry compressed heated air.