Compressed gas dehumidifier

Abstract

The present invention provides a compressed gas dehumidifier that, when a cooling fluid is used for dehumidification due to condensation, fully utilizes the cooling effect of the cooling fluid to improve heat exchange efficiency, thereby improving the performance and miniaturizing the device. [Solution] The first heat exchanger section 10 is provided such that a pre-cooling passage 11 and a reheating passage 12 intersect, and the second heat exchanger section 20 is provided so as to dehumidify by cooling the cooling fluid flowing through the cooling pipe 22, and an extension cooling pipe is arranged in a communication space 15 that connects the pre-cooled primary side compressed gas so as to flow from the first heat exchanger section 10 to the second heat exchanger section 20, and the extension cooling pipe is arranged in a continuous extension downstream of the portion of the cooling pipe that is a component of the second heat exchanger.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention provides a compressed gas dehumidifying apparatus in which a heat exchanger is provided in two stages of a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section so as to dehumidify the primary compressed gas introduced from the outside by heat exchange and discharge the dehumidified secondary compressed gas to the outside. The first heat exchanger section is provided with a pre-cooling flow path for the primary compressed gas and a reheating flow path for the secondary compressed gas so as to pre-cool the primary compressed gas and reheat the secondary compressed gas, and the pre-cooling flow path and the reheating flow path are arranged to intersect. The second heat exchanger section is provided to cool the primary compressed gas pre-cooled by the first heat exchanger section with a cooling fluid flowing through a cooling pipe arranged in the second heat exchanger section to cause condensation and dehumidify the gas.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a system related to a compressed air dehumidifying apparatus that dehumidifies compressed air in a high-temperature and high-humidity state introduced from a compressor (compressed air apparatus) that generates compressed air as a compressed gas, a heat exchanger and a device that cools the compressed air through the heat exchanger (for example, a refrigeration cycle or a device that uses a cooling medium such as groundwater, which is cold water) are components for aggregating and condensing moisture contained in the air to remove it.

[0003] As such a compressed air dehumidifying apparatus (compressed gas dehumidifying apparatus), for example, in order to preferably enhance the dehumidifying effect, a horizontally placed type in which the heat exchanger is provided in two stages of a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section and is horizontally provided to cause condensation and dehumidify by cooling the compressed air with a cooling medium using a refrigeration cycle has been previously disclosed by the present applicant (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] Furthermore, a vertically mounted compressed air dehumidifier (compressed gas dehumidifier) ​​has also been previously disclosed by the present applicant, which, like the horizontally mounted type, has a heat exchanger arranged in two stages: a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section (see Patent Documents 2 and 3). The purpose of these vertically mounted compressed gas dehumidifiers is to prevent the scattering of drain.

[0005] However, in compressed gas dehumidifiers of the form shown in Patent Document 3, where a cooling fluid is used for dehumidification by condensation, the cooling effect of the cooling fluid (e.g., chilled water) is not fully utilized. For example, the temperature of the chilled water at the inlet of the second heat exchanger (inlet of the cooling pipe) is 7°C, and the temperature of the chilled water at the outlet of the second heat exchanger (outlet of the cooling pipe) is 12°C. This temperature of the chilled water at the outlet of the cooling pipe (12°C) is sufficiently lower than the temperature of the compressed gas (compressed gas that has exited the pre-cooling channel of the first heat exchanger) at the inlet of the second heat exchanger (inlet of the cooling channel) (approximately 35°C), but it is not utilized without heat exchange.

[0006] Furthermore, in conventional compressed gas dehumidifiers with two heat exchangers, the structure is complex, resulting in the compressed gas inlet and outlet being at different vertical positions (heights), making in-line integration difficult. In this context, in-line integration refers to the rational construction of a system by connecting and arranging equipment equipped with gas component adjustment functions and filter functions in a linear fashion, thereby simplifying piping, reducing installation space, lowering airflow resistance, and improving maintenance. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-183014 (page 1) [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-190987 (Claim 1, Figure 1) [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-127801 (page 1) [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The problem that we aim to solve with conventional compressed gas dehumidifiers is that, in compressed gas dehumidifiers where the heat exchanger is provided in two stages, a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section, when a cooling fluid is used for dehumidification by condensation, the cooling effect of that cooling fluid is not fully utilized.

[0009] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a compressed gas dehumidifier that, when a cooling fluid is used for dehumidification by condensation, can fully utilize the cooling effect of the cooling fluid to improve heat exchange efficiency, thereby improving the performance and miniaturizing the device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To achieve the above objective, the present invention comprises the following configuration. According to one embodiment of the compressed gas dehumidifier according to the present invention, a heat exchanger is provided in two stages, a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section, to dehumidify a primary side compressed gas introduced from the outside by heat exchange and to discharge the dehumidified secondary side compressed gas to the outside, and the first heat exchanger section is provided such that a pre-cooling flow path for the primary side compressed gas and a reheating flow path for the secondary side compressed gas intersect, so as to pre-cool the primary side compressed gas and reheat the secondary side compressed gas, and the second heat exchanger In a compressed gas dehumidifier, the exchanger section is configured to dehumidify the primary compressed gas, which has been pre-cooled in the first heat exchanger section, by cooling it with a cooling fluid flowing through cooling pipes arranged in the second heat exchanger section, thereby causing condensation. In this dehumidifier, a cooling pipe extension is arranged in a communication space through which the pre-cooled primary compressed gas flows from the first heat exchanger section to the second heat exchanger section. This extension is continuously located downstream of the portion of the cooling pipe that constitutes a component of the second heat exchanger section.

[0011] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the compressed gas dehumidifier according to the present invention, the first heat exchanger section and the second heat exchanger section are arranged adjacent to each other inside a pressure vessel, comprising an outer cylindrical housing and an inner cylindrical housing arranged inside the outer cylindrical housing so as to be eccentric with respect to the axis of the outer cylindrical housing, wherein the first heat exchanger section is formed by arranging heat exchange components mainly in the wider part of the space inside the outer cylindrical housing where the inner cylindrical housing is not installed, and the second heat exchanger section is formed by arranging heat exchange components inside the inner cylindrical housing, and the narrower part of the space inside the outer cylindrical housing where the inner cylindrical housing is not installed is the communication space.

[0012] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the compressed gas dehumidifier according to the present invention, the outer cylindrical housing and the inner cylindrical housing are provided in a vertically elongated pressure vessel shape so that the first heat exchanger section and the second heat exchanger section are arranged to be vertically elongated when in use.

[0013] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the compressed gas dehumidifier according to the present invention, an upper chamber is provided in the shape of a small chamber above the first heat exchanger section and the second heat exchanger section, and a reheating channel outlet is provided at the upper end of the first heat exchanger section so as to communicate with the interior of the upper chamber from the reheating channel, and a gas outlet is formed for discharging the secondary compressed air to the outside, and an outlet pipe section is provided on the side of the upper chamber so as to be connected laterally when in use, and a pre-cooling channel inlet is provided at the upper end of the first heat exchanger section so as to introduce the primary compressed gas into the pre-cooling channel, and a gas inlet is formed for introducing the primary compressed gas from the outside into the pre-cooling channel, and an inlet pipe section is provided on the side of the upper chamber so as to be connected laterally when in use.

[0014] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the compressed gas dehumidifier according to the present invention, the gas inlet of the inlet pipe section and the gas outlet of the discharge pipe section are provided to be at substantially the same height when in use.

[0015] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the compressed gas dehumidifier according to the present invention, the gas inlet of the inlet pipe section and the gas outlet of the discharge pipe section are arranged to be in opposite positions in the lateral direction when in use.

[0016] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the compressed gas dehumidifier according to the present invention, fins that enhance heat exchange are provided on the outside of the inlet pipe section located inside the upper chamber.

[0017] Also, according to one form of the compressed gas dehumidifying device according to the present invention, the cooling fluid can be characterized in that it is cold water or a refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle.

Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the compressed gas dehumidifying device according to the present invention, when a cooling medium is used for dehumidification by condensation, the cooling action of the cooling medium can be fully utilized, the heat exchange efficiency can be improved, and the performance improvement and miniaturization of the device can be achieved, which has a particularly advantageous effect.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a central longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a form example of the compressed gas dehumidifying device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X of the form example of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a plan view (upper figure) and a front view (lower figure) schematically showing the appearance of a form example of the compressed gas dehumidifying device applicable to the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of the form example of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B of the form example of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C of the form example of FIG. 3. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D of the form example of FIG. 3.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, a form example of the compressed gas dehumidifying device according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings (FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0021] The compressed gas dehumidifier to which the present invention is applied is provided with a heat exchanger in two stages, a first heat exchanger section 10 and a second heat exchanger section 20, to dehumidify the primary side compressed gas introduced from the outside by heat exchange and to discharge the dehumidified secondary side compressed gas to the outside. The first heat exchanger section 10 is provided so as to pre-cool the primary side compressed gas and reheat the secondary side compressed gas, by arranging a pre-cooling passage 11 for the primary side compressed gas and a reheating passage 12 for the secondary side compressed gas to intersect. The second heat exchanger section 20 is provided so as to dehumidify the primary side compressed gas pre-cooled in the first heat exchanger section 10 by cooling fluid flowing through cooling pipes 22 arranged in the second heat exchanger section 20, thereby causing condensation.

[0022] The cooling fluid flowing through the cooling pipe 22 can be chilled water or a refrigerant from a refrigeration cycle. For the chilled water, groundwater or cooling water generated appropriately through heat exchange in factory equipment can be used.

[0023] Furthermore, in the compressed gas dehumidifier according to the present invention, a cooling pipe extension 22E is arranged in a communication space 15 through which the pre-cooled primary compressed gas flows from the first heat exchanger section 10 to the second heat exchanger section 20. This extension 22E extends continuously downstream of the portion of the cooling pipe 22 that is a component of the second heat exchanger section 20. As shown in Figure 1, the cooling pipe extension 22E in this embodiment is provided in a folded shape, and can be held within the communication space 15 by a retaining member (not shown) such as a lower partition plate 35a (see Figure 4) or an appropriate partition wall, similar to the holding configuration of the cooling pipe 22 within the second heat exchanger section 20.

[0024] According to this, when a cooling medium is used for dehumidification due to condensation, by fully utilizing the cooling effect of the cooling medium and improving the pre-cooling performance of the compressed gas before it flows into the second heat exchanger section, the heat exchange efficiency can be improved, resulting in particularly advantageous effects such as improved performance and miniaturization of the device.

[0025] Next, as an example of a cooling fluid, we will describe an example of temperature change due to heat exchange between compressed gas and chilled water when chilled water is used.

[0026] First, in the pre-cooling and reheating process in the first heat exchanger section 10, the primary side compressed gas, which is the inlet gas (55°C) at the gas inlet 32a, and the secondary side compressed gas, which is the outlet gas (10°C) of the second heat exchanger section 20 that has flowed into the lower chamber 35, exchange heat, pre-cooling the primary side compressed gas and reheating the secondary side compressed gas. After pre-cooling, the temperature of the primary side compressed gas, which is the outlet gas of the first heat exchanger section 10, drops to approximately 35°C and flows into the second heat exchanger section 20 through the communication space 15. The reheated secondary side compressed gas reaches a temperature of approximately 40°C and is discharged to the outside from the gas outlet 33a.

[0027] Next, in the cooling and dehumidification process in the second heat exchanger section 20, the primary side compressed gas (35°C), which is the outlet gas from the first heat exchanger section 10, is introduced into the second heat exchanger section 20 via the communication space section 15, and heat exchange is performed with chilled water at a temperature of 7°C at the chilled water inlet 22a, thereby cooling and dehumidifying the compressed gas. As a result, the compressed gas is cooled and dehumidified to 10°C and becomes the secondary side compressed gas, which flows into the first heat exchanger section 10 via the lower chamber 35. Meanwhile, the chilled water rises to approximately 12°C in the second heat exchanger section 20 and flows through the cooling pipe extension section 22E towards the chilled water outlet 22c.

[0028] In this invention, an extension of a heat-exchangeable chilled water pipe (cooling pipe extension 22E) is provided in the communication space 15 between the outlet of the first heat exchanger section 10 and the inlet of the second heat exchanger section 20. Chilled water (approximately 12°C) from the outlet of the second heat exchanger section 20 passes through this cooling pipe extension 22E, exchanging heat with the primary side compressed gas (approximately 35°C) that has exited the first heat exchanger section 10, thereby further cooling (pre-cooling) the primary side compressed gas. As a result, the temperature of the compressed air flowing into the second heat exchanger section 20 can be lowered, reducing the burden of heat exchange in the second heat exchanger section 20. Therefore, by improving the pre-cooling performance of the compressed gas before it flows into the second heat exchanger section 20, the heat exchange efficiency can be improved, leading to improved performance and miniaturization of the device.

[0029] In other words, according to the present invention, if the performance of the first heat exchanger section 10 is kept the same, the second heat exchanger section can be miniaturized. Conversely, the temperature of the primary side compressed gas that is pre-cooled and discharged from the first heat exchanger section 10 can be set higher than the aforementioned approximately 35°C, and heat exchange can be performed with the cooling pipe extension section 22E arranged in the communication space section 15, thereby lowering the temperature of the primary side compressed air flowing into the second heat exchanger section 20 to approximately 35°C. In this case, the burden of heat exchange in the first heat exchanger section 10 can be reduced, and the first heat exchanger section can be miniaturized. Therefore, the heat exchange efficiency can be improved and the device can be miniaturized.

[0030] The configuration examples shown in Figures 1 and 2 are vertically oriented compressed gas dehumidifiers, but the present invention is not limited thereto and can of course be applied to horizontally oriented compressed gas dehumidifiers. Furthermore, the cooling fluid flowing through the flow path of the cooling pipe 22 is not limited to chilled water, but can of course be a refrigerant from a refrigeration cycle. In addition, the arrangement of the cooling pipe extension 22E is not limited to the configuration example shown in Figure 2, but can be appropriately arranged within the space of the communication space 15, and the arrangement position of the pipes, the spacing between the pipes, or the number of bends in the pipes can be set as appropriate. Moreover, the cooling pipe extension 22E may be fitted with a configuration to improve heat exchange performance, for example, by appropriately attaching something equivalent to fins. Furthermore, as long as the compressed gas dehumidifier has a two-stage heat exchanger and is equipped with a communication space 15, the present invention is not limited to those equipped with a pipe-type heat exchanger as in the present configuration example, but can also be applied to those equipped with a plate-type heat exchanger.

[0031] Next, examples of compressed gas dehumidification devices to which the present invention can be applied will be described based on Figures 3 to 7.

[0032] In a compressed gas dehumidifier to which the present invention can be applied (this embodiment), similar to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the heat exchanger is provided in two stages, a first heat exchanger section 10 and a second heat exchanger section 20, to dehumidify the primary side compressed gas introduced from the outside by heat exchange and to discharge the dehumidified secondary side compressed gas to the outside. The first heat exchanger section 10 is provided so as to pre-cool the primary side compressed gas and reheat the secondary side compressed gas, by arranging a pre-cooling passage 11 for the primary side compressed gas and a reheating passage 12 for the secondary side compressed gas to intersect. The second heat exchanger section 20 is provided so as to dehumidify the primary side compressed gas pre-cooled in the first heat exchanger section 10 by cooling the primary side compressed gas with a cooling fluid flowing through a cooling pipe 22 arranged in the second heat exchanger section 20, thereby causing condensation.

[0033] In this embodiment, the first heat exchanger section 10 and the second heat exchanger section 20 are arranged side by side and are positioned vertically when in use, and are housed in an outer cylindrical housing 30 which is provided in the shape of a vertically elongated pressure vessel. An upper chamber 31 is provided above the first heat exchanger section 10 and the second heat exchanger section 20, and a reheating channel outlet 12b is provided at the upper end portion 10a of the first heat exchanger section 10 so as to communicate from the reheating channel 12 to the inside of the upper chamber 31, and a gas outlet 33a for discharging compressed air from the secondary side to the outside is formed. An outlet pipe section 33 is provided on the side of the upper chamber 31 so as to be connected laterally when in use.

[0034] In this embodiment, a pre-cooling channel inlet 11a is formed at the upper end 10a of the first heat exchanger section 10 to introduce the primary compressed gas into the pre-cooling channel 11, and a gas inlet 32a is formed to introduce the primary compressed gas from the outside into the pre-cooling channel 11. An inlet pipe section 32 is provided that connects to the pre-cooling channel inlet 11a from the side of the upper chamber 31, passing through the inside of the upper chamber 31, so that it can be connected laterally when in use.

[0035] This design offers the particularly advantageous benefit of maintaining or improving dehumidification performance, and enabling in-line integration by effectively piping the inlet pipe section 32 where the gas inlet 32a is formed and the outlet pipe section 33 where the gas outlet 33a is formed at the same height.

[0036] In other words, in addition to the pre-cooling and reheating heat exchange performed in the first heat exchanger section 10, the inlet pipe section 32 has a structure that passes through the inside of the upper chamber 31. As a result, further heat exchange occurs between the primary compressed gas flowing through the inlet pipe section 32 and the secondary compressed gas flowing through the upper chamber 31, involving pre-cooling of the primary compressed gas and reheating of the secondary compressed gas. This maintains or improves dehumidification performance. Furthermore, by providing the gas inlet 32a of the inlet pipe section 32 and the gas outlet 33a of the outlet pipe section 33 on the side of the upper chamber 31, they can be effectively piped at the same height, improving ease of installation.

[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment (the embodiment shown in Figures 3 to 7), the first heat exchanger section 10 and the second heat exchanger section 20 are arranged side by side inside the pressure vessel, and the vessel includes an outer cylindrical housing 30 with a circular cross-section and an inner cylindrical housing 21 with a circular cross-section that is arranged inside the outer cylindrical housing 30, eccentrically with respect to the axis of the outer cylindrical housing 30. The upper end plate 34 and the lower end plate 36 are components of the outer cylindrical housing 30 and serve as end plates that close the end of the pressure vessel.

[0038] Then, the first heat exchanger section 10 is formed by arranging heat exchange components (in this embodiment, multiple reheat pipes 13 that form a reheat flow path 12 and a pre-cooling partition wall 14 that forms a pre-cooling flow path 11) mainly in the wider part of the space inside the outer cylindrical housing 30 where the built-in cylindrical housing 21 is not installed.

[0039] Furthermore, a second heat exchanger section 20 is formed by arranging heat exchange components (in this embodiment, a cooling pipe 22 with fins 22b attached, and a cooling partition wall 24 that forms a cooling flow path 23) inside the internal cylindrical housing 21. The upper end plate 21a is a component of the internal cylindrical housing 21 and serves as an end plate that closes the upper end.

[0040] More specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the pre-cooling channel 11 is a space in which multiple reheat pipes 13 are lined up, and the space outside the reheat pipes 13 is partitioned by multiple pre-cooling partition walls 14 in an appropriate number of stages in the vertical direction (up and down direction), leaving some vertical openings (passages).

[0041] In this embodiment, the multiple pre-cooling partitions 14 function as members (holding plates) that hold the multiple reheating pipes 13 so that they stand in a forest at the required intervals. Furthermore, the opposite ends in the lateral (left-right) direction (see Figures 5-7) are alternately cut out in multiple stages in the vertical direction, and pre-cooling cutout passages 14a, which are openings for circulating compressed air from top to bottom, are provided.

[0042] With the pre-cooling partition walls 14 separating the upper and lower stages, and the pre-cooling notched passages 14a provided in these pre-cooling partition walls 14, as shown by the black-colored arrows (see Figure 6), compressed gas can be circulated sequentially from the top to the bottom stages by flowing it through a long-distance flow path that is bent in a zigzag pattern from side to side, thereby enabling efficient heat exchange.

[0043] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the cooling channel 23 is a space in which cooling pipes 22, arranged in a configuration that folds up and down multiple times, are lined up, and the space outside the cooling pipes 22 is partitioned by multiple cooling partition walls 24 in the vertical direction (up and down direction) in an appropriate number of stages, leaving some openings (passages) in the vertical direction.

[0044] In this embodiment, the multiple cooling partitions 24 function as members (holding plates) that hold the cooling pipes 22, which are folded up and down multiple times, so that they stand in a forest at the required intervals. Furthermore, in multiple stages in the vertical direction, opposite arc sections in the horizontal direction (left and right direction) (see Figures 4, 5, and 7) are alternately cut out, and cooling notched passages 24a are provided to allow compressed air to flow from top to bottom.

[0045] With the cooling partitions 24 that separate the upper and lower sections, and the cooling notches 24a provided in the cooling partitions 24, as shown by the gray arrows (see Figure 4), compressed gas can be circulated sequentially from the top to the bottom section by flowing it through a long channel that is bent in a zigzag pattern from side to side, thereby enabling efficient heat exchange.

[0046] Furthermore, the outer cylindrical housing 30 and the inner cylindrical housing 21 are arranged in a vertically elongated pressure vessel shape so that the first heat exchanger section 10 and the second heat exchanger section 20 are positioned vertically when in use.

[0047] Furthermore, the narrower portion of the space inside the outer cylindrical housing 30 where the built-in cylindrical housing 21 is not installed forms a communication space 15 through which the pre-cooled primary compressed gas flows from the first heat exchanger section 10 to the second heat exchanger section 20.

[0048] In this embodiment, the pre-cooling channel inlet 11a is an opening to which the inlet pipe section 32, which is an elbow-type pipe, is connected in a continuous manner, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, and is provided in a circular shape on the upper end portion 10a of the partition plate that separates the first heat exchanger section 10 and the upper chamber 31.

[0049] The upper end portion 10a, which is a partition plate-like section where the pre-cooling channel inlet 11a is formed, cannot accommodate the reheat pipe 13 (see Figures 5-7). However, the space required for the reheat pipe 13 (the area of ​​the upper end portion 10a) can be compensated for by extending the first heat exchanger section 10 to both ends. The upper end portion 10a also serves as an end-face pipe bundle plate for fixing a large number of reheat pipes 13 in an airtight, bundled state.

[0050] According to this, the space of the communication space 15 connecting the first heat exchanger section 10 to the second heat exchanger section 20 will be reduced. However, the space of the first heat exchanger section 10 can be expanded to a extent that does not substantially affect the airflow resistance of compressed air, thereby maintaining dehumidification performance.

[0051] Here, based on Figures 4 to 7, the flow of compressed air, from the gas inlet 32a to the gas outlet 33a, will be explained in detail below. As shown in Figures 5 and 7, 16 is a partition wall for forming a communication space, and is provided in the form of a pair of plate-like structures extending parallel to the axis, separating the first heat exchanger section 10 and the communication space section 15, except for the part that connects at one of the lower ends (pre-cooling flow path outlet 11b).

[0052] First, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the primary compressed gas is introduced from the gas inlet 32a of the inlet pipe section 32, passes through the inlet pipe section 32, and is introduced into the pre-cooling channel 11 from the pre-cooling channel inlet 11a. At this time, including the effect of the fins 32b which will be described later, heat exchange takes place between the primary compressed gas and the secondary compressed gas in the upper chamber 31, causing the primary compressed gas to cool (initial pre-cooling) and the secondary compressed gas to heat (later reheating).

[0053] The primary side compressed gas introduced into the pre-cooling channel 11 is guided in multiple stages by the pre-cooling partition wall 14 and the pre-cooling notched passage 14a provided therein, and flows in a zigzag pattern from the upper stage to the lower stage, as shown by the black arrows in Figure 6, and is pre-cooled by sequentially passing back and forth through the pre-cooling channel 11, which is a space where reheat pipes 13 are lined up. At this time, the secondary side compressed gas is reheated.

[0054] Next, the primary compressed gas flows from the pre-cooling channel 11 into the communication space 15 through a pre-cooling channel outlet 11b, which is provided by cutting out the lower end of one side of the partition wall 16 that separates the first heat exchanger section 10 and the communication space section 15, as shown by the gray arrows in Figures 4, 5, and 7. The primary compressed gas then flows from bottom to top in the communication space section 15 and is introduced into the cooling channel 23 through a cooling channel inlet 23a that opens at the top of the second heat exchanger section 20. Inside the second heat exchanger section 20, the compressed gas is cooled and dehumidified by cooling pipes 22 equipped with fins 22b arranged for heat exchange.

[0055] Furthermore, within this second heat exchanger section 20, the compressed gas introduced into the cooling channel 23 is guided in multiple stages by the cooling partition wall 24 and the cooling notched passage 24a provided therein, and flows in a zigzag pattern from the upper stage to the lower stage, as shown by the gray arrows in Figure 4. As a result, the compressed gas is efficiently cooled in a limited space by sequentially passing back and forth through the cooling channel 23, which is a space where cooling pipes 22 equipped with fins 22b are lined up.

[0056] The compressed gas, cooled and dehumidified in this manner, flows through an extended cooling channel section 25, which is formed to protrude into the lower chamber 35 and extend below the lower partition plate 35a that holds the second heat exchanger section 20 at its lower part, as shown in Figure 4. It then passes through a demister 28, which is a condensation aggregation member located in a D-shaped cylindrical section 26 (see Patent Document 3) located further below, and flows into the lower chamber 35 through the lower end opening 27a and side opening 27b that constitute the cooling channel outlet 27. The condensed water is discharged to the outside through the cooling channel outlet 27 via a drain discharge valve device (not shown) connected to the drain discharge port 37a of the drain section 37.

[0057] The compressed gas that flows into the lower chamber 35 in this manner is dehumidified by condensation and becomes secondary compressed gas. This secondary compressed gas is then introduced into the reheat flow path 12, which is composed of multiple reheat pipes 13, through the reheat flow path inlet 12a, which is the lower end opening of the reheat pipes 13.

[0058] The compressed gas on the secondary side, having passed through the reheating channel 12, is then discharged into the upper chamber 31 from the reheating channel outlet 12b, which is the upper end opening of the reheating pipe 13, as shown by the white arrow in Figure 6. At this time, as explained above, the compressed gas on the secondary side is reheated, and the compressed gas on the primary side is pre-cooled. Finally, as shown by the white arrow in Figure 4, the compressed gas on the secondary side is discharged to the outside from the upper chamber 31 through the gas outlet 33a of the discharge pipe section 33.

[0059] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the gas inlet 32a of the inlet pipe section 32 and the gas outlet 33a of the outlet pipe section 33 are provided to be at substantially the same height when in use, which allows for proper in-line integration and improves ease of installation.

[0060] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the gas inlet of the inlet pipe and the gas outlet of the outlet pipe are positioned opposite each other in the lateral direction when in use. This allows the equipment to be connected and arranged in a straight line, enabling the rational construction of the equipment system in-line, which simplifies piping, reduces installation space, lowers ventilation resistance, and improves maintenance management.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fins 32b, which enhance heat exchange, are provided on the outside of the inlet pipe section 32 located inside the upper chamber 31. As a result, heat exchange with the secondary compressed gas is efficiently performed in the inlet pipe section 32 through which the hottest primary compressed gas passes, and the secondary compressed air can be rationally reheated just before being discharged to the outside. The shape, size, mounting direction, and mounting means of the fins 32b can be selectively designed as appropriate to ensure efficient heat exchange and ease of manufacturing. This improves heat exchange efficiency, thereby enabling improved performance and miniaturization of the device.

[0062] Furthermore, an example of the present invention is characterized in that the cooling fluid is chilled water or a refrigerant for a refrigeration cycle. That is, the cooling source used as a cooling means in the second heat exchanger section can be groundwater, chilled water supplied from a factory, or a refrigerator using a refrigeration cycle. [Industrial applicability]

[0063] The compressed gas dehumidifier of the present invention is not limited to its application in dehumidifying moisture from compressed gases such as compressed air, but can also be used, for example, to remove or separate and recover gaseous components with specific dew points, such as organic solvents, contained in compressed gases by condensation.

[0064] Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] 10 First heat exchanger section 10a Upper end 11. Flow channel for pre-cooling 11a Pre-cooling channel inlet 11b Pre-cooling channel outlet 12 Reheating channel 12a Reheat channel inlet 12b Reheat channel outlet 13 Reheat pipe 14. Partition for pre-cooling 14a Notched passage for pre-cooling 15 Communication space 16 Partition walls for forming connecting spaces 20 Second heat exchanger section 21 Internal cylindrical housing 21a Upper end plate 22 Cooling piping 22a Cold water inlet 22b fins 22c cold water outlet 22E Cooling pipe extension 23 Cooling channel 23a Cooling channel inlet 24 Cooling partitions 24a Cooling notch passage 25 Extended cooling channel section 26 D-shaped cylindrical part 27 Cooling channel outlet 27a Bottom opening 27b Side opening 28 Demister 30 Outer cylindrical housing 31 Upper Komuro 32 Inlet pipe section 32a Gas Inlet 32b fin 33 Outlet pipe section 33a Gas outlet 34. Upper end plate 35 Lower Komuro 35a Lower partition plate 36. Lower end plate 37 Drain section 37a Drain outlet

Claims

1. A heat exchanger is provided in two stages, a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section, to dehumidify the primary side compressed gas introduced from the outside by heat exchange, and to discharge the dehumidified secondary side compressed gas to the outside. The first heat exchanger section is provided such that it pre-cools the compressed gas on the primary side and reheats the compressed gas on the secondary side, by arranging the pre-cooling passage for the compressed gas on the primary side and the reheating passage for the compressed gas on the secondary side to intersect. In a compressed gas dehumidifier, the second heat exchanger section is provided to dehumidify the primary side compressed gas, which has been pre-cooled in the first heat exchanger section, by cooling it with a cooling fluid flowing through cooling pipes arranged in the second heat exchanger section, thereby causing condensation. A compressed gas dehumidifier characterized in that a cooling pipe extension is arranged in a communication space through which the pre-cooled primary side compressed gas flows from the first heat exchanger section to the second heat exchanger section, and the extension is continuously located downstream of the portion of the cooling pipe that constitutes the second heat exchanger section.

2. The first heat exchanger section and the second heat exchanger section are arranged side by side inside the pressure vessel, comprising an outer cylindrical housing and an inner cylindrical housing arranged inside the outer cylindrical housing so as to be eccentric with respect to the axis of the outer cylindrical housing. The first heat exchanger section is formed by arranging heat exchange components mainly in the wider portion of the space inside the outer cylindrical housing where the internal cylindrical housing is not installed. The second heat exchanger section is formed by arranging heat exchange components inside the aforementioned internal cylindrical housing. The compressed gas dehumidifier according to claim 1, characterized in that the narrower portion of the space inside the outer cylindrical housing where the built-in cylindrical housing is not installed is the communication space.

3. The compressed gas dehumidifier according to claim 2, characterized in that the outer cylindrical housing and the inner cylindrical housing are provided in a vertically elongated pressure vessel shape so that the first heat exchanger section and the second heat exchanger section are arranged to be vertically elongated when in use.

4. An upper chamber, shaped like a small chamber, is provided above the first heat exchanger section and the second heat exchanger section. A reheating channel outlet is provided at the upper end of the first heat exchanger section so as to communicate from the reheating channel to the interior of the upper chamber, The configuration includes a gas outlet for discharging the compressed air from the secondary side to the outside, and an outlet pipe section provided on the side of the upper chamber so that it can be connected laterally when in use, The compressed gas on the primary side is introduced into the pre-cooling channel through a pre-cooling channel inlet opened at the upper end of the first heat exchanger section, The compressed gas dehumidifier according to claim 3, characterized in that a gas inlet is formed for introducing the primary compressed gas from the outside into the pre-cooling channel, and an inlet pipe section is provided that connects from the side of the upper chamber through the inside of the upper chamber to the pre-cooling channel inlet so that it can be connected laterally when in use.

5. The compressed gas dehumidifier according to claim 4, characterized in that the gas inlet of the inlet pipe section and the gas outlet of the discharge pipe section are provided to be at substantially the same height when in use.

6. The compressed gas dehumidifier according to claim 5, characterized in that the gas inlet of the inlet pipe section and the gas outlet of the discharge pipe section are arranged so as to be in opposite positions laterally when in use.

7. The compressed gas dehumidifier according to claim 4, characterized in that fins for enhancing heat exchange are provided on the outside of the inlet pipe portion located inside the upper chamber.

8. The compressed gas dehumidifier according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cooling fluid is chilled water or a refrigerant for a refrigeration cycle.

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