Refrigerated Air Dryers

Refrigerated air dryers lower the temperature of compressed air to remove water vapor. When the dryer lowers the temperature, it causes condensation that forms water droplets. These droplets are then separated and removed from the air. This process may be completed with one or two heat exchangers. When two exchangers are used, the first one pre-cools the air and the second refrigerates to cause condensation. In addition to removing water from compressed air, refrigerated dryers may also remove oil and other contaminants. Unlike membrane air dryers that use a porous membrane to remove water vapor, refrigerated dryers are ideal for large-scale operations where some water vapor is acceptable. The refrigerated water removal process handles larger quantities of air while potentially allowing small amounts of vapor.