Compressed Air Dryer Outlet Throttle for Startup Moisture Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dryer units for compressed air, particularly in medical and dental applications, face challenges in efficiently removing moisture during the starting phase due to irregular usage patterns, leading to insufficient purging air and high dew point air being supplied to the pressure tank.
Innovation Solution
A dryer unit design with a housing, exchanger unit, and adjustable outlet throttle that quickly builds up pressure by using purging air to sweep moisture from membrane fibres, ensuring efficient water vapour separation, and includes features like a cyclone and coalescent filter for separating liquid fractions and a heat exchanger for preventing coating damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the dryer unit operates with a fully open outlet connection to the pressure tank, then the compressed air storage tank can be refilled quickly, but the pressure in the dryer unit drops too quickly during startup, preventing sufficient purging air from being generated to remove moisture
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet throttle is designed to be adjustable, allowing the system to dynamically change its operating state. During startup, the throttle is positioned to restrict flow and build pressure; during steady-state operation, it is opened to maximize refilling speed. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between quick refilling and effective moisture removal during different operational phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic control of the outlet throttle, switching between restricted flow mode (during startup to build pressure) and open flow mode (during steady-state to refill tank quickly). This periodic action allows the system to optimize performance for the current operational phase, ensuring both reliable moisture removal and efficient air storage refilling.
2Speed
If the outlet throttle is restricted to build up pressure quickly, then purging air is quickly available to sweep moisture from membrane fibres, but the refilling of the compressed-air storage tank is slowed down
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable outlet throttle enables dynamic control of the system's flow characteristics. During the startup phase, the throttle is restricted to maximize pressure buildup speed, ensuring purging air is quickly available. Once steady-state is reached, the throttle is opened to maximize the refilling rate of the storage tank, thus optimizing productivity without compromising startup performance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the dryer unit is frequently switched on and off due to irregular usage in medical and dental applications, then adaptability to usage patterns is improved, but moisture accumulates on the outside of membrane fibres during the starting phase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary pressure buildup by restricting the outlet throttle during startup, which enables purging air to be quickly generated. This preliminary action ensures that even after frequent shutdowns, the system can rapidly remove accumulated moisture on the membrane fibre surfaces before delivering air to the storage tank, thus maintaining reliable drying performance despite irregular usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable outlet throttle allows the system to respond to feedback from its operational state. After frequent shutdowns, the system detects the need for pressure buildup and automatically restricts the throttle to generate purging air, ensuring moisture is removed. This feedback mechanism maintains reliable drying performance while adapting to irregular usage patterns.
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
The solution ensures quick pressure buildup and efficient moisture removal during startup, preventing pressure drops and membrane damage, while maintaining steady-state operation and allowing for adaptable control to varying conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the water is removed from the compressed air using membranes which are permeable only to water vapour. The air with a high vapour content flows through the hollow-fibre membrane, the vapour fractions passing through the fibre walls.
Implementation Method 2
A purging air space which is connected to the outer surfaces of the membrane fibres includes a purging air inlet and a purging air outlet and being charged with part of the dried air in such a way that better water vapour separation in the starting phase is obtained.
Implementation Method 3
The inlet-side head space is provided with a cyclone and a coalescent filter
Implementation Method 4
a heat exchanger for preventing coating damage
Data Source
AI summary
A vertically directed dryer unit (10) for compressed air, comprising a dryer cartridge (22) which, together with a housing (16, 18, 20), defines an inlet head area (92) and an outlet head area (72). A plurality of hollow membrane fibers (30) extend inside the cartridge between the two head areas, the wall material thereof being more permeable with respect to water vapor than air. An outlet valve (90) is provided between the outlet head area (72) and an outlet (74) of the drier unit. Said valve only opens when the pressure in the outlet head area (72) produces sufficient pressure for the provision of purging air. The purging air is fed to the outer surface of the membrane fibers (30) via a throttle element (70).