Compressor Drying Heat Recovery System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional compressor installations with drying devices require significant cooling capacity to achieve efficient drying, which is energy-intensive and often necessitates additional heating elements to maintain low relative humidity for effective regeneration of the drying agent.
Innovation Solution
The compressor installation incorporates a heat-exchanger that uses a portion of the already dried gas, branched off downstream of the drying zone, to be heated by compression heat, which is then used as regeneration gas, reducing the need for external heating and optimizing energy use by leveraging compression heat for efficient regeneration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional cooling capacity is used to cool compressed gas before drying, then efficient drying is achieved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful compression heat that would otherwise be wasted into a beneficial resource for regenerating the drying agent. The regeneration gas is heated using the compression heat from the compressor, transforming an energy waste problem into a useful function that eliminates the need for separate heating elements and reduces overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers and reuses the compression heat that would normally be discarded. By channeling this heat into the regeneration gas stream, the system recovers energy that would otherwise be lost, thereby reducing the total cooling capacity needed and improving overall energy efficiency of the drying process.
2Reliability
If heating elements are added to maintain low relative humidity for regeneration, then effective regeneration is achieved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention eliminates the need for separate heating elements by using the compression heat from the compressor to heat the regeneration gas. This converts what would be wasted thermal energy into a useful heating source, maintaining low relative humidity for effective regeneration without adding complex heating equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The compression heat serves multiple functions: it cools the compressed gas before drying and simultaneously heats the regeneration gas. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated heating elements, simplifying the device while maintaining regeneration effectiveness.
3Manufacturing precision
If full cooling capacity is applied to compressed gas, then drying efficiency improves, but energy waste increases due to discharged compression heat
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers the compression heat that would otherwise be discharged and wasted. By routing this heat to the regeneration gas, the system recovers energy and reduces overall energy consumption, thereby improving energy efficiency without compromising drying efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transforms the discharged compression heat from a harmful energy waste into a beneficial resource for regeneration. This conversion reduces the total energy input needed for the drying system while maintaining effective operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces cooling capacity requirements and eliminates the need for heating elements, achieving energy-efficient drying and regeneration while maintaining low relative humidity, thereby enhancing the overall energy efficiency of the compressor installation.
Implementation Method 1
said pressure line comprises a heat-exchanger for cooling the compressed gas before it enters said drying zone
Implementation Method 2
a part of the already dried gas that to this end is branched off downstream of the drying zone, with this part of the gas also heated in an energy-saving way by making use of the compression heat
Data Source
AI summary
A compressor installation with drying device for compressed gas, with the drying device containing a housing with a drying zone and a regeneration zone; where in the housing a drying agent is provided; and where the pressure line includes a heat-exchanger for cooling the compressed gas before it enters the drying zone. A tap-off pipe is connected to the discharge line that is connected to a cooling inlet of the heat-exchanger, while the heat-exchanger further includes a cooling outlet that is connected to the inlet of the regeneration zone, while the outlet of the regeneration zone is connected to the pressure line.