Air Dryers Flashcards
What is the purpose of an air dryer?
Remove moisture from the air.
What are some variables that determine how much moisture air holds?
Temperature
Pressure
Nearby bodies of water
Wind conditions
As air warms up the amount of water in the form of vapour ________?
Increases
What is needed to dry materials other than warm air?
Flow,
Warm air will just become saturated and not able to dry anything
Relative humidity is low after it comes out of the compressor. What happens when it come into the after cooler?
Relative humidity increases
Dropping back down as it leaves the air dryer
What is relative humidity?
A comparison of the amount of water a sample of air holds to the amount it could hold if saturated
If the atmospheric relative humidity rises What also rises?
The amount of water the air must remove from the system
What is the dew point?
Further cooling after 100% relative humidity results in condensation of water vapour.
Dew point is temperature to which a gas must be reduced before the water vapour it Carries begins to condense
What is the function of an air dryer?
To reduce the dew point of the air
As compressors reduce the volume of gas, the pressure and temperature rise. The increase in temperature tends to reduce the amount of moisture the air can carry but the increase in temperature does what?
The opposite
Why are slugs (large quantity of liquid) bad?
Because liquid is not compressible could damage compressors or any tool that compresses the gas
Why are low points in air systems important?
To catch the water and get drained out of the system
In cold environments what can happen to moisture in air lines?
Can freeze and block lines completely
Called a frost plug
Why is excess moisture in air systems bad for air spraying?
Wet air can result in poor adhesion of the product being applied to the surface being coated
What are the types of air and gas dryers
Adsorption dryers
Absorption dryers
Refrigerant dryers
Mechanical dryers
What is the difference between adsorption dryers and absorption dryers
Absorption dryers use a chemical bond between the drying agent and the gas stream being dried
Adsorption dryer - the moisture is absorbed by the absorption material and forms a solution
Absorption is not always _______ as it is with with adsorption dryers
Reversible
Adsorption dryers is the?
Adhesion of molecules in a thin layer on a surface. Adsorption dryer uses the attraction of certain compounds to water.
Alumina is used in adsorption dryer to?
Attract water vapour
Why are two towers needed in adsorption dryers?
One tower is in service while the other is regenerating (drying medium)
Regeneration means?
Process of removing accumulation of moisture from the dryer bed
How much percent or dry air is used to regenerate a dryer bed??
10 to 15 percent
To reduce wear on moving parts what do some types of adsorption dryers do?
Measure the dew point of the air leaving the system: this prevents the air dryer from switching prematurely
What system can reach the lowest dew points
Adsorption
What are the four common desiccants
Activated alumina
Granular silica gel
Bead type modified silica gel
Molecular sieves
Activated alumina is?
Porous aluminum oxide and is inert
Suitable for us with a variety of gas streams and processes
Spherical shape most common
Granular silica gel
Acts as a filter by restricting the size of particles able to pass through the bed
Available in Rod or sphere particles
Applications are:
Hydrocarbons
Nitrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen sulfide
Carbon dioxide
Sizing of adsorption dryers is important because:
Correct velocities so that air passing through the desiccants spends adequate time in contact with it to ensure proper moisture removal
Because desiccant wears down over time it is recommend to have _______
A down stream filter
Why would a pre filter be important on a desiccant filter he important
To ensure the desiccant does not become loaded with oil or any other contamination
Flow from the regeneration is usually reversed through the bed. Why?
Flow is generally reversed through the bed
Reverse flow can break up or reduce compaction of the bed