Compressed air dehumidification system

Abstract

To provide a compressed-air dehumidification device system that can effectively utilize cold of drain discharged from a compressed-air dehumidification device to enhance energy efficiency relating to air compression.SOLUTION: The compressed-air dehumidification device system comprises: an air compressor 10 that suctions air and discharges compressed air; a refrigeration cycle device 20 equipped with a compressor 21, a condenser 22, an inflation valve 23, and an evaporator 24; and a compressed-air dehumidification device 30 in which the evaporator 24 of the refrigeration cycle device 20 is installed inside a dehumidification device housing 31 that dehumidifies and discharges compressed air introduced from the air compressor 10 and which is provided with a drain discharge pipe 40 extended to the outside as a passage through which drain water that is aggregate of dew condensation generated inside the dehumidification device housing 31. A cooler 50 for an air intake part constituted by arranging an extending part 41 of the drain discharge pipe is provided in a passage 11a for air flowing into an air-intake port 11 of the air compressor 10 so as to cool air to be suctioned into the air compressor 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a compressed air dehumidifying device system including an air compressor that inhales air and discharges compressed air, a refrigeration cycle device including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, and a dehumidifying device housing provided to dehumidify the primary compressed air introduced from the air compressor by heat exchange and discharge the dehumidified secondary compressed air. The evaporator of the refrigeration cycle device is installed inside the dehumidifying device housing so as to dehumidify by cooling the compressed air to cause moisture in the compressed air to condense. A drain discharge pipe is provided that extends to the outside as a passage for discharging drain water, which is an aggregate of condensed water generated inside the dehumidifying device housing.

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional compressed air dehumidifying device, in a compressed air dehumidifying device that cools and dehumidifies the high-temperature and high-pressure air discharged from an air compressor by means of a cooler in a refrigeration cycle to obtain cooled and dehumidified compressed air, and then reheats and supplies it outside the device, there are provided an aftercooler in which the high-temperature compressed air and the cooled and dehumidified compressed air exchange heat, a primary heat exchanger in which the high-temperature compressed air pre-cooled in the aftercooler and the cooled and dehumidified compressed air exchange heat, and a secondary heat exchanger in which the high-temperature discharged gas refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle and the cooled and dehumidified compressed air exchange heat. The cooled and dehumidified compressed air is configured to be reheated in the primary heat exchanger, the secondary heat exchanger, and the aftercooler respectively and then supplied (see Patent Document 1), which has been proposed by the applicant of the present application.

[0003] Furthermore, the applicant has proposed a conventional compressed air dehumidification system that includes a refrigeration cycle having a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator, and a secondary cooling unit equipped with an evaporator that cools the compressed air by mutual heat exchange between the compressed air to be dehumidified and the refrigerant in the evaporator, thereby enabling dehumidification of moisture in the compressed air. The system is also equipped with a second heat exchange unit (cooler and condenser) positioned at a predetermined location (in this example, the position of the condenser) between the refrigerant outlet of the compressor and the expansion valve in the refrigerant flow path in which the refrigerant circulates within the refrigeration cycle, and which cools the refrigerant by mutual heat exchange between the drain water generated in the compressed air supply system, which is configured to include a compressed air dehumidification system, and an expansion valve that adiabatically expands the drain water in this second heat exchange unit (see Patent Document 2). According to this system, it is possible to improve the cooling efficiency of the compressed air in the heat exchanger while reducing the burden on the refrigeration cycle.

[0004] Furthermore, the applicant has proposed a conventional vertical compressed air dehumidifier which includes a heat exchanger arranged in two stages, a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section, with the two heat exchanger sections arranged side by side in a vertically elongated manner and housed in an outer wall cylindrical body, a first small chamber located below the two heat exchanger sections with an opening for the air outlet of the second heat exchanger section and an opening for the inlet of a reheating passage, and a drain section provided at its lower end, a second small chamber located above the two heat exchanger sections for retaining compressed air just before discharge, an extended ventilation passage section extending downward so that the air outlet of the second heat exchanger section is located below the inlet of the reheating passage, and a demister disposed at the lower end of the extended ventilation passage section through which compressed air passes (see Patent Document 3).

[0005] Furthermore, the applicant has proposed a drain discharge device that is connected to the drain outlet of a compressed air dehumidifier, comprising a drain discharge circuit device which includes a drain discharge channel that communicates with a drain outlet (drain discharge port) provided at the bottom of a drain receiving tank to guide and discharge the drain liquid downward, a drain discharge on / off valve that opens and closes the drain discharge channel, and a compressed gas venting pipe which connects the gas space of the drain receiving tank and the compressed gas reservoir of the drain discharge channel to vent the compressed gas from the compressed gas reservoir, with one end opening in the gas space and the other end opening in the compressed gas reservoir, and a drain tank connected in the middle of the drain discharge channel up to the drain discharge on / off valve as a part that expands the channel so that the drain liquid can be stored on the side of the drain discharge on / off valve that is closer to the other end opening of the compressed gas venting pipe (see Patent Document 4). Furthermore, a drain treatment machine, for example, equipped with a gas-liquid separation tank and an adsorption treatment tank (oil-water separator), is connected to this drain discharge circuit device. In this drain treatment machine, for example, drain liquid (drain water) generated by a compressed air dehumidifier and pumped together with compressed air is introduced as water to be treated via the drain discharge circuit device, and the oil contained in the water to be treated is adsorbed by the oil-water separator and purified.

[0006] Furthermore, as an example of a conventional compressed air dehumidifier equipped with a plate-type heat exchanger, the applicant has proposed a plate-type heat exchanger that is provided with an air inlet, an air outlet, a drain outlet, a refrigerant inlet, and a refrigerant outlet, and dehumidifies by condensing moisture contained in the compressed air by exchanging heat between the compressed air in the first space and the refrigerant in the second space; a control unit that controls the operation of the refrigeration cycle; a lubricating oil discharge pipe for discharging lubricating oil accumulated in the second space into the refrigerant pipe; and a solenoid valve that adjusts the flow rate of the fluid moving through the lubricating oil discharge pipe, wherein the control unit performs a "first process" (see Patent Document 5) in which it controls the solenoid valve to increase the flow rate of the fluid moving through the lubricating oil discharge pipe when it detects a predetermined high load condition. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Publication No. 61-95424 (Page 1) [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-101167 (page 1) [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-127801 (page 1) [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-55347 (page 1) [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-124565 (page 1) [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The problem that the compressed air dehumidification system aims to solve is that, while the invention described in Patent Document 2 proposes using the cold energy of the drain discharged from the compressed air dehumidifier to cool the condenser of the refrigeration cycle device, there has been no conventional proposal to utilize the cold energy of that drain to reduce the energy consumption related to air compression by the air compressor and thereby improve the overall energy efficiency of the system.

[0009] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a compressed air dehumidifier system that can effectively utilize the cold energy of the drain discharged from the compressed air dehumidifier and improve the energy efficiency of air compression by the air compressor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To achieve the above objective, the present invention comprises the following configuration. In one embodiment of the compressed air dehumidification system according to the present invention, a compressed air dehumidification system is provided, comprising: an air compressor that inhales air and discharges compressed air; a refrigeration cycle device equipped with a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator; a dehumidification device housing in which the evaporator of the refrigeration cycle device is installed to cool the compressed air introduced from the air compressor and dehumidify the compressed air by condensing the moisture in the compressed air; and a drain discharge pipe extended to the outside as a passage for discharging drain water, which is a collection of condensation generated inside the dehumidification device housing, wherein an intake cooler is provided, configured such that an extension of the drain discharge pipe is arranged in the airflow path of the air flowing into the intake port of the air compressor to cool the air inhaled into the air compressor.

[0011] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the compressed air dehumidification system of the present invention, the intake air cooler is characterized in that heat exchange fins are provided on the extension of the drain discharge pipe.

[0012] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the compressed air dehumidifier system according to the present invention, the intake air cooler is arranged on the lower side of the dehumidifier housing of the compressed air dehumidifier.

[0013] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the compressed air dehumidification system of the present invention, the extension of the drain discharge pipe is provided with a bypass flow path branched off to bypass part or all of the intake air cooler, and a switching valve is provided at the branch of the bypass flow path to switch the flow of drain water.

[0014] Also, according to one form of the compressed air dehumidifying device system according to the present invention, the compressed air dehumidifying device dehumidifies the primary compressed air introduced from the air compressor by heat exchange, and the dehumidifying device housing is provided to discharge the dehumidified secondary compressed air. A heat exchanger is provided inside the dehumidifying device housing in two stages, namely a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section. The first heat exchanger section is arranged such that the pre-cooling flow path for the primary compressed air and the re-heating flow path for the secondary compressed air intersect so as to pre-cool the primary compressed air and re-heat the secondary compressed air. The second heat exchanger section is provided to cool the compressed air pre-cooled by the first heat exchanger section with the evaporator to cause condensation and dehumidify it.

Advantages of the Invention

[0015] According to the compressed air dehumidifying device system according to the present invention, there is a particularly advantageous effect that the cold heat of the drain discharged from the compressed air dehumidifying device can be effectively utilized to improve the energy efficiency related to air compression by the air compressor 10.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a side schematic view schematically showing a form example of the compressed air dehumidifying device system according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a front schematic view of the form example of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a schematic view showing an extension part (drain flow path) of a refrigerant pipe (refrigerant circulation flow path) and a drain discharge pipe of the form example of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a piping diagram showing a simplified drain flow path (first example) of the form example of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a piping diagram showing a second example of the drain flow path. [Figure 6] It is a piping diagram showing a third example of the drain flow path. [[ID=3i]] [Figure 7] It is a piping diagram showing a fourth example of the drain flow path.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Next, a form example of the compressed air dehumidifying device system according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings (Figs. 1 to 7). First, the invention related to the cooler 50 for the intake part that cools the air flowing into the intake port 11 of the air compressor will be described.

[0018] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the compressed air dehumidifying device system of this form example includes an air compressor 10 that inhales air and discharges compressed air, a refrigeration cycle device 20 including a compressor 21, a condenser 22, an expansion valve 23, and an evaporator 24, and a compressed air dehumidifying device 30. And in this form example, those components are integrally arranged as a system. Note that the structure of the air compressor  10 is not particularly limited, and for example, a compression type such as a rotary pump or a claw pump can be appropriately used.

[0019] The compressed air dehumidifying device 30 of this form example is provided with a dehumidifying device housing 31 that dehumidifies the primary-side compressed air introduced from the air compressor 10 by heat exchange and discharges the dehumidified secondary-side compressed air. Inside the dehumidifying device housing 31, an evaporator 24 (see Fig. 3) of the refrigeration cycle device 20 is installed so as to dehumidify by cooling the compressed air and condensing the moisture in the compressed air. A drain discharge pipe 40 is provided that extends to the outside as a passage for discharging drain water, which is an aggregate of condensed dew generated inside the dehumidifying device housing 31. [[ID=*15]]

[0020] And in the compressed air dehumidifying device system of this form example, an intake cooler 50 is provided by arranging an extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe (see Fig. 3) in the air flow path 11a (see Fig. 1) of the air flowing into the intake port 11 of the air compressor so as to cool the air inhaled by the air compressor 10. That is, as shown in Fig. 3, the middle part of the extended drain discharge pipe 40 constitutes a component of the intake cooler 50. Note that as shown in Fig. 2, 16 is a switchboard, and as shown in Fig. 3, 42 is a drain discharge on-off valve.

[0021] This compressed air dehumidification system effectively utilizes the cooling energy of the drain discharged from the compressed air dehumidifier 30 to cool the air (intake) drawn into the air compressor 10, thereby improving compression efficiency and increasing the energy efficiency of air compression. For example, by lowering the temperature of the air (intake temperature) drawn into the air compressor 10 by 5°C, the power consumption of the electric motor 12a that drives the air compressor 10 can be reduced by about 1%.

[0022] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the intake cooler 50 is provided with heat exchange fins 41a on the extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe. This improves the cooling performance of the intake cooler 50, allowing the air drawn into the air compressor 10 to be cooled efficiently.

[0023] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the intake air cooler 50 is positioned on the lower side of the dehumidifier housing 31 of the compressed air dehumidifier 30. (Note that "lower side (bottom, lower end, lower part)" refers to the lower side (bottom, lower end, lower part) in the direction along the vertical. Similarly, "upper side (top, upper end, upper part)" described later refers to the upper side (top, upper end, upper part) in the direction along the vertical.) With this configuration, the drain outlet 39 provided at the lower end of the dehumidifier housing 31 where the drain water accumulates, the drain outlet 40 extending from the drain outlet 39, and its extension 41 can be arranged in a continuous configuration from top to bottom, allowing the drain water to flow smoothly with gravity. This prevents the drain water from stagnating, and the intake air cooler 50 through which the drain water passes can efficiently cool the air drawn into the air compressor 10.

[0024] Furthermore, as an example of the configuration of the extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe according to the present invention, a bypass passage 51 can be branched to bypass part or all of the intake air cooler 50, and a switching valve 52 for switching the flow of drain water can be provided at the branch of the bypass passage 51. Note that the switching valve 52 in the configuration example shown in Figure 3 or 4 is a three-way valve. In addition, in the bypass passage 51 of the configuration example shown in Figure 3 or 4, the branched bypass passage 51 is piped so as to rejoin the downstream side of the extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe within the intake air cooler 50, bypassing part of the intake air cooler 50. With this configuration, when the air drawn in by the air compressor 10 is at a low temperature and does not require cooling, such as in winter, the drain water can be properly discharged using the bypass passage 51.

[0025] Furthermore, as an example of the configuration of the compressed air dehumidifier 30 according to the present invention, a heat exchanger is provided in two stages, a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section, inside the dehumidifier housing 31. The first heat exchanger section is provided such that a pre-cooling flow path for the primary compressed air and a reheating flow path for the secondary compressed air intersect, so as to pre-cool the primary compressed air and reheat the secondary compressed air. The second heat exchanger section is provided so as to cool the compressed air pre-cooled in the first heat exchanger section with an evaporator 24 to cause condensation and dehumidify it.

[0026] According to this, the compressed air dehumidifier system according to the present invention can suitably be applied to a compressed air dehumidifier 30 in which the heat exchanger is provided in two stages, a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section. Examples of compressed air dehumidifiers 30 in which the heat exchanger is provided in two stages include cylindrical dehumidifiers as described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 and plate-type dehumidifiers as described in Patent Document 5.

[0027] Next, an invention relating to a condenser cooler 60 for cooling the condenser 22 of the refrigeration cycle device 20 will be described. The basic configuration of this invention includes the aforementioned air compressor 10, refrigeration cycle device 20, and compressed air dehumidifier 30.

[0028] In the compressed air dehumidifier system of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the condenser 22 of the refrigeration cycle device 20 is provided with a condenser heat exchange section 22a, which is configured such that the refrigerant pumped from the compressor 21 flows from top to bottom as a whole, and a condenser cooling fan 22b, which is arranged to generate a cooling airflow to cool the condenser heat exchange section 22a. A condenser cooler 60 is provided, which is configured such that an extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe is arranged in contact with the upper side of the condenser heat exchange section 22a to cool the upper side of the condenser heat exchange section 22a. In this embodiment, the condenser heat exchange section 22a is provided in an upright configuration and is thin in the direction of the cooling airflow compared to the size of the opening through which the cooling airflow passes, so that heat exchange can be efficiently performed by the horizontally flowing cooling air (cooling airflow) generated by the condenser cooling fan 22b, which is an axial flow fan with a horizontally arranged rotating shaft.

[0029] This compressed air dehumidification system allows for more effective utilization of the cold energy of the drain discharged from the compressed air dehumidifier 30, thereby increasing the energy efficiency of compressed air dehumidification. Specifically, in this system, a condenser cooler 60 is provided in the upstream portion of the refrigerant flow path provided by the refrigerant piping 25 that constitutes the heat exchange section 22a for the condenser. As a result, the upstream portion is where a refrigerant with a higher temperature and pressure passes, creating a larger temperature difference with the drain water passing through the extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe. Consequently, heat exchange between the refrigerant and the drain water is effectively performed, effectively cooling the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 25 and improving condensation efficiency. This reduces the energy consumption related to the refrigeration cycle device 20 and increases the energy efficiency of compressed air dehumidification. Furthermore, if the condenser 22 is not sufficiently cooled, the air dryer (compressed air dehumidifier 30) may shut down to protect the compressor due to the rise in condensation temperature (pressure). However, this invention minimizes this risk and enables continuous operation.

[0030] Furthermore, according to this, when the outside air temperature is low and the discharge volume of compressed air as product air (system output) is low, and there is a possibility of freezing of the drain discharge pipe 40 and its extension 41, the freezing can be prevented by heat dissipation from the condenser 22 (upper side of the heat exchange section 22a for the condenser). This also enables proper continuous operation of the compressed air dehumidifier 30.

[0031] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a heat exchange fin 41a is provided on the extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe in the condenser cooler 60. This makes it easier to transfer the cold energy of the drain water to the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant piping 25 of the condenser 22 (upper side of the condenser heat exchange section 22a). As a result, heat exchange between the refrigerant and the drain water is performed more efficiently, the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 25 can be cooled more effectively, and the condensation efficiency can be further improved. This reduces the energy consumption related to the refrigeration cycle device 20 and increases the energy efficiency related to compressed air dehumidification.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, heat dissipation fins 22c are provided on the refrigerant piping 25 of the condenser heat exchange section 22a, and the extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe is incorporated so that the heat dissipation fins 22c are used as heat exchange fins, thereby integrally providing the condenser cooler 60 with the condenser 22. This allows for a compact configuration of the condenser cooler 60 and the condenser 22, improves the efficiency of heat exchange, and reduces the energy consumption related to the refrigeration cycle device 20. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to this arrangement. For example, the condenser cooler 60 and the condenser heat exchange section 22a may be arranged side by side in the direction of the cooling air flow, and the condenser cooler 60 may be positioned upstream of the condenser heat exchange section 22a in the cooling air flow. In this configuration as well, the condenser cooler 60 can cool the condenser heat exchange section 22a.

[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe is provided with a bypass passage 61 that branches off to bypass part or all of the condenser cooler 60, and a switching valve 62 for switching the flow of drain water may be provided at the branch of the bypass passage 61. In this embodiment, the switching valve 62 is a three-way valve, and in this embodiment, the bypass passage 61 is piped to completely bypass the condenser cooler 60. This allows for proper drain water discharge using the bypass passage 61 when it is not necessary to cool the condenser heat exchange section 22a, such as in winter or at low power output. Moreover, as shown in Figure 5, the extension 41 further beyond the extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe of the condenser cooler 60 is provided with a bypass passage 51 that branches off to bypass part or all of the intake cooler 50, and a switching valve 52 for switching the flow of drain water is provided at the branch of the bypass passage 51.

[0034] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, an intake cooler 50 is provided. The extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe in the intake cooler 50 is configured to be downstream of the drain water flow, continuous with the extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe of the condenser cooler 60. In addition, heat exchange fins 41a are provided on the extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe in the intake cooler 50. By providing the intake cooler 50 in this way, the cold energy of the drain water can be suitably utilized to appropriately cool the air (intake) drawn into the air compressor 10, thereby achieving the effects described above.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a condenser cooler 60 is positioned below the dehumidifier housing 31 of the compressed air dehumidifier 30, and an intake cooler 50 is positioned below the condenser cooler 60. This configuration allows the drain outlet 39 provided at the lower end of the dehumidifier housing 31 where drain water accumulates, the drain outlet 39, the drain outlet 40 extending from the drain outlet 39, the upper part of the extension 41 of the drain outlet 40 that passes through the condenser cooler 60, and the lower part of the extension 41 that passes through the intake cooler 50 to be arranged in a continuous manner from top to bottom, allowing the drain water to flow smoothly by gravity. This prevents the drain water from stagnating, enabling the condenser to be efficiently cooled by the condenser cooler 60 through which the drain water passes, and the air drawn into the air compressor 10 to be efficiently cooled by the intake cooler 50.

[0036] Furthermore, the configuration of the bypass passages 51, 61 and the switching valves 52, 62 is not limited to the configurations shown in Figures 3 to 5. As mentioned above, for example, the configuration shown in Figures 6 and 7, in which extensions 41 of the drain discharge pipe are arranged in parallel, is also possible. That is, in the configuration example in Figure 6, the extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe is branched into a piping section for cooling the intake air cooler 50 and a piping section for cooling the condenser cooler 60, and the switching valves 52, 62 can be on / off valves or flow control valves. With this configuration, for example, by opening the switching valve 52 and closing the switching valve 62, only the intake air cooler 50 can be cooled, bypassing the condenser cooler 60. Also, by closing the switching valve 52 and opening the switching valve 62, the intake air cooler 50 can be bypassed, and only the condenser cooler 60 can be cooled. Furthermore, in the example configuration shown in Figure 7, the extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe is branched into a piping section equipped with a bypass passage 51 for cooling the intake air cooler 50 and a piping section equipped with a bypass passage 61 for cooling the condenser cooler 60, and the switching valves 52 and 62 can be three-way valves. With this configuration, the intake air cooler 50 and the condenser cooler 60 can be bypassed as appropriate by operating the switching valves 52 and 62. Thus, there are various variations in the flow path related to the extension 41 of the drain discharge pipe, and by selectively setting them as appropriate, the cooling energy of the drain water can be appropriately utilized according to the operating conditions.

[0037] Furthermore, the compressed air dehumidifier system of the invention relating to the condenser cooler 60 can also appropriately utilize the compressed air dehumidifier 30 in which the aforementioned heat exchanger is provided in two stages, a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section.

[0038] Next, an invention relating to a simple and rational configuration for heating compressed air discharged from a compressed air dehumidifier will be described. The basic configuration of this invention includes an air compressor 10 and a compressed air dehumidifier 30.

[0039] The air compressor 10 in this embodiment is an air compressor 10 that inhales air and discharges compressed air, and in order to cool the discharged compressed air, an aftercooler 14 connected to the compressed air discharge port 13 of the air compressor body 12 and an aftercooler cooling fan 15 arranged to cool the aftercooler 14 are provided.

[0040] In this embodiment, the compressed air dehumidifier 30 is configured to dehumidify compressed air by circulating a cooling medium inside a dehumidifier housing 31, which is equipped with a compressed air inlet 32 ​​through which compressed air is introduced from the air compressor 10 and a compressed air outlet 34 through which the dehumidified compressed air is discharged, thereby causing condensation of moisture in the compressed air. In this embodiment, compressed air is introduced into the dehumidifier housing 31 through an inlet pipe 33 connected to the compressed air inlet 32 ​​from the aftercooler 14. It should be noted that, as in this embodiment, the evaporator 24 of the refrigeration cycle device 20 is located inside the dehumidifier housing 31, and the dehumidifier is not limited to dehumidifying compressed air; for example, compressed air can also be dehumidified using cooling water (cooling medium) introduced from a cooling water source.

[0041] Furthermore, in the compressed air dehumidifier system of this embodiment, the compressed air outlet extension channel 35 (outlet piping), which is an extension of the compressed air outlet 34, is positioned downstream of the exhaust heat airflow (exhaust air) generated by the aftercooler cooling fan 15, so that the compressed air discharged from the compressed air dehumidifier 30 is heated by the exhaust heat of the air compressor.

[0042] This compressed air dehumidification system offers a particularly advantageous effect: it allows for the effective heating of compressed air discharged from the compressed air dehumidifier 30 with a simpler configuration, thereby improving energy efficiency. Specifically, by directing the exhaust air from the aftercooler cooling fan 15 to the compressed air outlet extension channel, which is an extension of the compressed air outlet, the compressed air discharged to pneumatic equipment as product air can be heated. Because the compressed air as product air can be heated in this way, the airflow of the compressed air can be increased, lowering its relative humidity, and the temperature of the exhaust air discharged outside the system by the aftercooler cooling fan 15 can be reduced. Furthermore, the compressed air outlet extension channel 35 can be more simply constructed using flow channel piping. When the compressed air outlet extension channel 35 is constructed using flow channel piping, the heat exchange efficiency can be further increased and energy efficiency further improved by providing heat exchange fins on the outside of the flow channel piping.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an aftercooler cooling fan 15 is positioned above the aftercooler 14, and a compressed air outlet extension channel 35 is positioned above the aftercooler cooling fan 15. With this configuration, the heat from the compressed air heated by compressing air in the air compressor body 12 is exchanged for heat by the aftercooler 14 and transferred to the outside air. The rising airflow of the outside air caused by this heating coincides with the direction of the exhaust airflow (airflow) generated by the aftercooler cooling fan 15, allowing it to flow smoothly as exhaust air. This also ensures smooth heat exchange and improves energy efficiency.

[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the air compressor body 12 that generates compressed air is positioned below the aftercooler 14. With this configuration, the amount of heat from the compressed air heated by the air compressor body 12 is transferred from the air compressor body 12 to the outside air. The direction of the rising airflow of the outside air caused by this heating coincides with the direction of the exhaust airflow (airflow) generated by the cooling fan 15 for the aftercooler, and the combined exhaust air flows smoothly. This also allows for smooth heat exchange and improves energy efficiency.

[0045] In this embodiment, as described above, the refrigeration cycle device 20 is provided, which includes a compressor 21, a condenser 22, an expansion valve 23, and an evaporator 24. The evaporator 24 of the refrigeration cycle device 20, which is installed inside the dehumidifier housing 31, is configured to cool the compressed air via a cooling medium, and the compressed air outlet extension passage 35 is located downstream of the exhaust heat airflow generated by the condenser cooling fan 22b of the condenser 22. With this configuration, the exhaust air from the condenser cooling fan 22b can be directed to the compressed air outlet extension passage 35, which is an extension of the compressed air outlet 34, as shown by the dotted arrow in Figure 1. As a result, the compressed air, which is the product air, can be suitably heated using the exhaust heat from the condenser 22, thereby increasing the airflow of the compressed air and lowering the relative humidity, as well as lowering the temperature of the exhaust air discharged outside the system by the condenser cooling fan 22b. This improves the energy efficiency of the system.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the compressed air outlet extension channel 35 is located above the condenser cooling fan 22b. This allows the flow direction of the rising airflow from the outside, generated by heating with the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant introduced into the condenser 22, and the flow direction of the air blown by the condenser cooling fan 22b to merge easily as exhaust air, resulting in a smooth flow. This also allows for smoother heat exchange and improved energy efficiency. Moreover, the condenser cooling fan 22b is not operated continuously, and the temperature of the exhaust airflow from the condenser cooling fan 22b (dotted arrow in Figure 1) is lower than the temperature of the exhaust airflow from the aftercooler cooling fan 15. As a result, the compressed air outlet extension channel 35 can be directed to high-temperature exhaust air as it moves downstream, enabling efficient heat exchange.

[0047] Furthermore, in the compressed air dehumidification system relating to the invention of heating the compressed air discharged from the compressed air dehumidifier 30, the compressed air dehumidifier 30 having the aforementioned heat exchanger arranged in two stages, a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section, can be appropriately used.

[0048] 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]

[0049] 10 Air compressor 11 Air intake 11a Airflow path 12 Air compressor unit 12a electric motor 13 Compressed air outlet 14 Aftercooler 15. Cooling fan for aftercooler 16 Switchboard 20 Refrigeration cycle equipment 21 Compressor 22 Condenser 22a Heat exchange section for condenser 22b Cooling fan for condenser 22c heat sink fins 23 Expansion valve 24 Evaporator 25 Refrigerant Piping 30 Compressed air dehumidifier 31 Dehumidifier housing 32 Compressed air inlet 33 Inlet Piping 34 Compressed air outlet 35 Compressed air outlet extension channel 39 Drain outlet 40 Drain discharge pipe 41 Extension of drain discharge pipe 41a Heat exchange fins 42 Drain discharge valve 50 Cooler for intake section 51 Bypass channel 52 Switching valve 60 Condenser for condensers 61 Bypass channel 62 Switching valve

Claims

1. An air compressor that takes in air and discharges compressed air, A refrigeration cycle system comprising a compressor, condenser, expansion valve and evaporator, A compressed air dehumidification system comprising a dehumidifier housing in which the evaporator of the refrigeration cycle device is installed to dehumidify compressed air introduced from the air compressor by cooling the compressed air and condensing the moisture in the compressed air, and a compressed air dehumidifier provided with a drain discharge pipe extended to the outside as a passage for discharging drain water, which is a collection of condensation generated inside the dehumidifier housing, A compressed air dehumidification system is provided with an intake cooler, which is configured such that an extension of the drain discharge pipe is placed in the airflow path of the air compressor so as to cool the air drawn into the air compressor.

2. The compressed air dehumidification system according to claim 1, characterized in that a heat exchange fin is provided in the extension of the drain discharge pipe of the intake air cooler.

3. The compressed air dehumidifier system according to claim 2, characterized in that the intake air cooler is located below the housing of the dehumidifier of the compressed air dehumidifier.

4. The compressed air dehumidifier system according to claim 3, characterized in that the extension of the drain discharge pipe is provided with a bypass flow path branched off to bypass part or all of the intake air cooler, and a switching valve for switching the flow of drain water is provided at the branch of the bypass flow path.

5. The compressed air dehumidifier system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the dehumidifier housing is provided to dehumidify the primary side compressed air introduced from the air compressor by heat exchange and to discharge the dehumidified secondary side compressed air, and a heat exchanger is provided inside the dehumidifier housing in two stages, a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section, the first heat exchanger section is provided so as to precool the primary side compressed air and reheat the secondary side compressed air, with the precooling flow path for the primary side compressed air and the reheating flow path for the secondary side compressed air intersecting, and the second heat exchanger section is provided so as to dehumidify the compressed air precooled in the first heat exchanger section by cooling it in the evaporator to cause condensation.

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