How The AEHD Series Works
Filtering and drying incoming
air. Hot, saturated compressed air is filtered as it
passes through our 0.01 micron high-efficiency coalescing prefilter
(F1, recommended option) before entering the dryer. Compressed air
continues through the inlet valve (V1), is dried in the desiccant
tower (T1), and exits through an outlet valve (V5) and final
particulate filter (F2, recommended option), while the other
desiccant tower (T2) is being regenerated.
Desiccant regenerated in
T2. A portion of the dried air is diverted through purge
valve (P3) at near atmospheric pressure and heated by the electric
heater (or optional steam heater) to 400°F before passing through
regeneration valve (V4) and into the regeneration tower (T2). The
heated air removes moisture vapor from the desiccant surface.
Dryer operation is performed
automatically by a programmable logic controller (PLC). The
standard drying and regeneration time cycle is 8 hours. While one
tower is drying incoming compressed air for 4 hours, the other
tower is regenerating for 3 hours (heating time), then cooling for
50 minutes, and finally repressurizing to the line pressure for 10
minutes before switching over to the other tower. Switching from
one tower to the other is performed only when both desiccant towers
are at line pressure to prevent line surge and to minimize
desiccant abrasion.
