Rotary Compressed Gas Dryer With Split Regeneration Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Compressor installations with traditional dryer systems face high energy consumption and large, expensive heating elements due to the need to heat the entire compressed gas flow for regeneration, which is inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
The system divides the regeneration zone into two subzones, with only the hotter portion of the compressed gas being heated, allowing for efficient drying and regeneration using a smaller heating element, reducing energy consumption and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire compressed gas flow is heated for regeneration, then the drying efficiency is improved, but the energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The regeneration zone is divided into two subzones: a first subzone receiving hot compressed gas directly from the compressor, and a second subzone receiving additional heated gas through a heating element. This segmentation allows selective heating of only the gas portion that requires it, rather than heating the entire gas flow, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining effective regeneration.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the regeneration process are provided with different temperature qualities - the first subzone operates with the naturally hot compressed gas, while the second subzone receives additional heating only where needed. This local differentiation of thermal quality optimizes the regeneration process by applying heat only to the specific portion of gas that requires it, reducing wasted energy.
2Reliability
If a heating element is added to increase regeneration temperature, then the pressure dew point is lowered, but the device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is segmented and applied only to the second subzone of the regeneration zone, rather than heating the entire gas flow. This localized heating approach allows the use of a smaller, less expensive heating element while still achieving the required pressure dew point reduction through targeted thermal processing.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of heating the entire compressed gas flow to the required temperature, only a portion of the gas (the second flow portion) is additionally heated through the heating element. This partial action is sufficient to achieve the desired regeneration effect and pressure dew point, avoiding the need for an oversized heating element and reducing overall system cost.
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 enhances gas drying efficiency, lowers energy consumption, and reduces material costs by only heating the necessary gas flow, resulting in a more compact and cost-effective installation.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element (16) provided in said second regeneration conduit (15) for heating said second flow portion of compressed gas to a second temperature, which is higher than the first temperature
Implementation Method 2
said drying agent, present in the drying zone, extracts moisture from this gas
Implementation Method 3
this gas evaporates the moisture present in the drying agent by means of the compression heat in this gas
Data Source
AI summary
Compressor installation including a compressor and a dryer which are mutually connected via a pressure pipe. The dryer includes a housing with a drying zone and a regeneration zone, and a rotating drum with a drying agent. The regeneration zone includes a first subzone and a second subzone. Two regeneration conducts connect to the pressure pipe, respectively a first regeneration conduit which connects to an inlet of the first subzone and through which compressed gas having a first temperature is guided, and a second regeneration conduit which connects to an inlet of the second subzone. The second regeneration conduit has a heating element for heating compressed gas flowing through the second regeneration conduit to a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature.