Parallel split flow combination gas dryer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas dryers using refrigerant or desiccant systems have limitations in effectively removing moisture from compressed air, particularly in terms of energy efficiency and dew point pressure, necessitating a more efficient solution.
Innovation Solution
A gas dryer system that operates with both a desiccant system and a refrigerant system in parallel, where the desiccant system includes multiple tanks for alternating drying and regeneration modes, and the refrigerant system uses heat exchangers to preheat regeneration air, allowing for efficient moisture removal and reduced energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a refrigerant system is used to remove moisture from compressed air, then moisture removal effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the compressed air flow into two separate streams: one passing through the refrigerant system and another through the desiccant system. This segmentation allows each system to handle only a portion of the total flow, reducing the energy burden on the refrigerant system while maintaining overall drying effectiveness through combination of both streams at the outlet.
2Reliability
If a desiccant system is used to remove moisture from compressed air, then lower dew point is achieved, but energy consumption increases due to regeneration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the output streams from both the refrigerant system and the desiccant system at a common outlet. This combination allows the desiccant system to operate at reduced capacity (handling only a portion of total flow), thereby reducing the energy required for regeneration, while still achieving the target dew point through the synergistic effect of both drying mechanisms working in parallel.
3Device complexity
If a single drying system is used, then device complexity is reduced, but moisture removal effectiveness and energy efficiency are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the drying function into two parallel pathways: a refrigerant-based cooling pathway and a desiccant-based adsorption pathway. Each pathway is relatively simple in design, but their parallel arrangement achieves superior moisture removal effectiveness that would be difficult to obtain with a single system, while the overall complexity remains manageable due to the modular nature of the configuration.
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 parallel operation of desiccant and refrigerant systems achieves lower pressure dew points with reduced energy usage compared to single-system dryers, ensuring efficient moisture removal and improved operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the refrigerant system uses heat exchangers to preheat regeneration air
Implementation Method 2
refrigerant based systems to remove moisture from compressed air
Implementation Method 3
desiccant based systems to remove moisture from compressed air
Data Source
AI summary
A system for drying compressed gas discharged from a gas compressor is disclosed herein. The dryer system includes a desiccant drying circuit and a refrigeration drying circuit configured to transport the compressed gas in parallel through the dryer system. The desiccant drying circuit and a refrigeration drying circuit are operable for removing moisture from the compressed gas and supplying a dried gas to an end user.