Air dryers are crucial for air compressors to remove unwanted humidity or moisture. They ensure that the compressor remains moisture-free, thus preventing condensation and rust problems from developing. As you can imagine, air compressors create high volumes of water, and even though this can be removed, the moisture remains. This is why an air compressor is required. However, several types of air dryers make it difficult and overwhelming to know which one suits your needs.
This article will discuss the different types of air dryers and advise you on how to choose one to make this process much easier.
What Are The Different Types of Air Dryers?
Refrigerated Air Dryers
One of the most commonly used air dryers is the refrigerated type. This particular air dryer reduces the air temperature in the compressor to create condensation and drain the water through an internal moisture divider so that the compressed air is left dry. You can choose refrigerated cycling dryers, which are more efficient in terms of costs and energy consumption. You also have non-cycling refrigerated dryers, which run consistently, therefore using more power. These types of air dryers are great choices for several industries as long as they do not require extremely dry air. They are easy to maintain, not expensive to set up, and resilient to airborne particles.
Desiccant Air Dryers
This dryer relies on desiccant substances, which extract the water from the compressed air through adsorption. Like the air dryer for compressor previously discussed, you also have a choice of two different types, in which heat is the differentiating variant. The heated desiccant dryer redirects some of the air through a heater to remove moisture, whilst the heatless dryer does not. You should note that the initial cost of setting-up desiccant dryers can be considerably high, as well as its maintenance, as parts of it will need to be replaced every three to five years, depending on their usage.
Chemical Air Dryers
The chemical air dryers, as the name suggests, collect moisture from the compressed air through moisture-absorbing chemicals. These are cost-efficient to install and need little supervision whilst operating. However, you will need to consider the disposal of chemicals, which can be a complicated process.
Membrane Air Dryers
Membrane air dryers use semi-permeable membrane fibers to clean the air of moisture. They are a good option for smaller businesses. They are easy to work and upkeep and do not need electricity to function, which is a bonus. However, they do require the prefilter to be regularly changed to prevent issues and increase effectiveness.
What to Look for When Choosing an Air Dryer?
The Purpose
As explained above, different air dryers will serve different purposes, and the type you choose should reflect your needs. For example, if you have a smaller project, a membrane air dryer may be more appropriate.
The Size
The size of air dryers is based on the room temperature and the capacity of your air compressor. Evidently, if the air compressor requires a larger amount of power, your air dryer will have to meet these needs.
The Costs
Surely you will not want to spend a lot of money on this – different types of air dryers require different upfront costs as well as to maintain it, so have this in mind when choosing the type you want.
Choosing an air dryer does not have to be difficult and overwhelming. As long as you know what you are looking for. The information discussed on this page should give you a clear idea of what you need to know about the different types of air dryers and how to choose them.