Deliquescent Drying Medium

The Deliquescent type compressed air drying system is a portable compressed air drying package used
mainly for media blasting and painting contractors who are doing metal surface preparation work. This
type of dryer has been used extensively in construction applications, outdoors, with engine driven
portable air compressors where no external power source is available to run other types of air drying
equipment.

The principals of operation for the moisture absorption are very simple, as outlined below, however,
there are other components required for the system to function properly.

These would be:

1. An inlet coalescing pre-filter to prevent oil carryover from the compressor entering the dryer and
contaminating the drying material

2. A particulate style after-filter to prevent air dryer media carryover from damaging downstream
equipment

3. A mechanical drain to remove water and liquefied dryer media from the dryer tank.

As with any type of air dryer, the cooler the inlet air into the dryer, the better it will perform. Therefore,
some type of compressed air after-cooler is recommended as well. There are a number of different types
of media that can be used in this design of dryer, each offering different levels of drying capacity
(dewpoint suppression). It is important to note that the air temperature, at the point of use, must never
fall below the suppressed dewpoint available or water will form in the outgoing air.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Deliquescent Drying Medium

Advantages:

 Lowest initial cost of all dryer types.

 No electrical hook-up.
 No moving parts.
 Simple operation.

Disadvantages:

 Dewpoint suppression is between 20° to 30° F (On average).

 Deliquescent material must be added to or replaced as it absorbs and melts.
 Ecological problem of disposing of the dissolved deliquescent material.
 •Cost of replacement deliquescent and of disposal of dissolved deliquescent material.
 Carryover of corrosive deliquescent materials into the downstream piping network and air using
components.
 Parts of the deliquescent materials can solidify in the bed, causing channels for the air to by-
pass most of the drying material. This reduces the dryer's performance.