Refrigeration Dryer Thermal Mass

Principle of operation
In equipment with a high thermal load of the compressed gas to be treated, associated with high flow rates and low working pressures, the heat transfer between the compressed gas to be treated and the refrigerant fluid does not take place directly in the evaporator, but through an intermediate cold fluid in a heat exchanger called a chiller. The aim is to increase the thermal inertia of the system and improve the stability of the outlet temperature of the treated compressed gas against fluctuations in working conditions.

The intermediate fluid is a liquid mixture with a low freezing point to prevent it from freezing inside the pipes and heat exchangers. Driven by a pump in a closed circuit without losses, it circulates inside the cooler extracting the heat from the compressed gas to be treated. On leaving the chiller, it is directed to a storage tank thermally insulated from the environment from where the pump pushes it towards the fluid/chiller heat exchanger called evaporator, connected to a refrigeration system, where it cools down again.

If the thermal load of the compressed gas in the chiller decreases due to the operating conditions, the cooling system is switched off, as the temperature of the intermediate fluid in the tank is sufficient to maintain the efficiency of the drying process. Energy saving due to the mechanical compressor stop of the refrigeration system is an advantage in this type of dryer.

Main Features

• Working pressures up to 3.5 bar
• Air or water cooling
• Working temperatures up to 65ºC
• Working flow rates up to 15000 m3/h
• Pressure drops 1-3,5 gr

Applications:

• Glass MArket
• Chemical Market

Advantages:

• Environmentally friendly refrigerant
• Stable dew point
• Modular
• Energy efficient
• Very low pressure drop
• Special designs