Contamination Removal Filters&dryers

Purification Technologies for
Contaminant Removal
Purification Technologies
for Contaminant Removal
 There are 4 sources of compressed air contamination
 There are 10 contaminants that need reduction or removal for efficient
operation of a compressed air system
 It takes a combination of 6 different technologies to reduce or remove the
10 contaminants
Contaminants
Purification Water Bulk Water Atmospheric Micro- Oil Liquid Oil & Oil Rust &
Vapour Condensed Aerosols Dirt & Solid organisms Vapour Aerosols Pipescale
Technologies Water Particles
Water Separator 
Coalescing Filter     
Adsorption Filter 
Adsorption Dryer 
Refrigeration Dryer 
Dust Removal Filter   
Sterile Filter 
Contaminant Removal :
Bulk Condensed Water & Liquid Oil
 Water separators provide bulk condensed water and liquid
oil removal
 They are usually installed prior to coalescing filters
 They can also be found in compressor inter-cooler and after-
cooler stages as well as refrigeration dryers
 Water separators do not remove water in an aerosol or
vapour phase
 Two separation techniques are commonly used for
bulk liquid separation
 The techniques are:
• Centrifugal / Directional Change
• Demister
 The centrifugal technique has been found to
provide increased liquid removal efficiency over
demister separators in varying and full load
conditions
 Parker domnick hunter OIL-X EVOLUTION WS
Water Separators use the centrifugal technique in
conjunction with directional changes and have
been optimised to provide maximum separation
efficiency whilst reducing energy costs
OIL-X EVOLUTION WS Water Separators
Operation
 Air enters the water separator inlet and

turns into the separator module
 The inlet of the separator module
contains a set of fixed vanes which the air
must pass through
Note : Water Separators work in the opposite direction to coalescing filters

Operation
 The vanes force the air to spin inside the

vessel
 The spinning air is then forced to change

direction as it passes the impinger
 A vortex is created which due to the

design of the separator module, narrows
and intensifies as it reaches the lower
part of the separator module
Operation
 Bulk liquid is removed from the air stream

due to :
• Directional changes of the air stream
• Velocity changes
• Centrifugal action of the vortex

Operation
 As the vortex reaches the bottom of the

module, air is forced through the centre of
the vortex
Operation
 Aerospace turning vanes located in the

outlet of the separator module turn an
inefficient corner into a number of more
efficient corners
 Turning vanes reduce turbulence,
minimising pressure loss and cost of
ownership
 The number of vanes required is
dependant upon the conduit diameter.
Water Aerosols /Oil Aerosols / Atmospheric Dirt / Rust / Pipescale / Microorganisms
 Coalescing filters are probably the most important

items of purification equipment in any compressed
air system
 They are designed to remove:
• Aerosols (very fine droplets or mists) of oil &
water
• Solid particulates such as atmospheric dirt,
rust, pipescale and microorganisms
Coalescing Filter Operation
The Filter Element
 Coalescing filters rely on what is
known as mechanical filtration for
their effectiveness
 At the heart of any coalescing filter
is the filter element
 Coalescing filter elements have 3
main phases of operation
• Aerosol & Particulate Capture
• Coalescing
• Anti Re-entrainment
Filter Media & Filter Element Construction
 Coalescing filter elements utilise a deep bed
of fibrous filter media
 The spaces between the fibres is known as
the voids volume
 A large voids volume provides
• Higher dirt holding capacity
• Lower resistance to air flow (pressure
loss)
• Lower running costs for the system
 Although they are often visually similar, the
filtration media used and the method to
construct the media into a filter element will
differ between manufacturers
Phase One - Aerosol & Particulate Capture
 As compressed air flows
through a filter element,
liquid aerosols and
particulate are collected
on the individual media
fibres by means of three
capture mechanisms
• Direct Interception
• Inertial Impaction
• Diffusion
 Each mechanism captures
aerosols and particles of
different sizes
Mechanisms of Filtration - Direct Interception
 Direct Interception occurs
when the entrained
aerosols or particulate in
the compressed air is
unable to find a direct
path through the deep
bed of filter media
 It contacts with the
surface of the filter media
strand where it is
collected and retained
Direct Interception > 1 micron
Inertial Impaction 0.3 – 1 micron
Diffusion < 0.3 micron
Mechanisms of Filtration - Inertial Impaction
 Due to the randomness of
the glass fibre bed, the
compressed air must
follow a tortuous path
 As the air stream rapidly
changes direction to avoid
the media fibres, aerosols
and particulates of
sufficient mass are unable
to do so due to their
inertia
Direct Interception > 1 micron
 These too collide with the Inertial Impaction 0.3 – 1 micron
filter media strand and are Diffusion < 0.3 micron
collected and retained
Mechanisms of Filtration - Diffusion
 Very small aerosols and
particulate have very low
mass and behave as if they
were molecules of gas
 They travel within the
compressed air stream in a
random pattern known as
‘Brownian Motion’
 As with a gas, collisions of
these aerosols and
particulates with Direct Interception > 1 micron
themselves and the Inertial Impaction 0.3 – 1 micron
nanofibre glass fibres are Diffusion < 0.3 micron
common and thus they are
also collected and held
Filter Efficiency & Most Penetrating Particle Size
 Each filtration mechanism has a
collection efficiency
 When combined together, a particle
size which is most likely to penetrate
the filter, known as the Most
Penetrating Particle Size (MPPS), can
be determined
 Particle sizes that are smaller than or
greater than the critical MPPS are
more likely to be removed by the filter
 Thus the filter is more efficient at
removing these sizes
 For this reason depth filters are not
Absolute rated i.e. they do not capture
and retain 100% of contamination
entering the filter
Phase One - Aerosol & Particulate Capture
 In summary, when the
correct grade of filter
material is selected and
constructed into a deep
bed, all 3 mechanisms of
filtration are combined and
can provide up to
99.9999% removal of
aerosols & particulate
• This efficiency varies from manufacturer to manufacturer

• The test method ASTM D (2986-95) is used to test efficiency
(DOP Test)
• 4 decimal places is the limit of accurate measurement
Phase Two – Coalescing
 Once collected, the aerosols on the fibres
become targets for the remaining airborne
aerosols, causing them to grow over time
 When they have grown large enough, the
air flowing across the collected aerosols
forces the liquid to move
 The mobilised liquid collects additional
volumes of liquid as it moves along the
fibres
 As the liquid volume increases, it is no
longer restricted to moving along the fibres
and becomes a moving film of liquid
 This film of liquid travels through the media
until it reaches the outer surface of the filter
element
Phase Three - Anti Re-entrainment
 A system of anti re-entrainment is fitted to the
filter element and is provided by way of a
porous foam or fibrous drainage layer
 The drainage layer prevents the bulk liquids
from re-entraining back into the air stream
 Due to gravity, liquids move down through the
drainage layer towards the base of the element
 Once the liquid reaches the base of the filter it
forms a ‘wet band’
 This wet band is placed in a region of relatively
low turbulence and air flow to reduce the risk of
re-entrainment
 Drained oil can then discharged from the
compressed air by means of an automatically
activated drain valve for safe disposal
 Coalescing filters are installed in pairs

 Most users believe one to be an oil
removal filter and the other to be a
particulate filter
 In fact, the pair of filters both perform the
same functions
 The first filter, a General Purpose filter is
used to protect the High Efficiency filter
from bulk contamination
 This ensures high quality compressed air
with low operational costs and minimal
maintenance time
 Omitting one of the coalescing filters

as is often the practice with oil free
compressor installations will result in
• Poor air quality
• High operational costs
• Loss of guarantee
 As adsorption & refrigeration dryers
are designed to remove only water
vapour and not water in a liquid or
aerosol form, they require the use of
coalescing filters to work efficiently
and achieve dewpoint
Water Vapour
 Water vapour is water in a gaseous form and will pass through
water separators and coalescing filters just as easy as the
compressed air
 Water vapour is therefore removed from compressed air using a
dryer
 The water vapour removal efficiency of a dryer (its performance)
is expressed as a Pressure Dewpoint or PDP
Water Vapour
 Dewpoint refers to the temperature
at which condensation will occur
 It is expressed as a temperature
 Pressure Dewpoint or PDP refers
to the dewpoint of air above
atmospheric pressure
 Atmospheric Dewpoint or ADP
refers to the dewpoint of air at
atmospheric pressure
 Compressed air with a PDP of
-40°C, would need the temperature
of the compressed air to drop
below -40°C for any water vapour
to condense into a liquid
Water Vapour
 Although expressed as a
temperature, the dewpoint of the air
is not the actual air temperature
• For Example: Compressed air
with a temperature of +35oC can
have a Pressure dewpoint of
-40oC
 Important Note:
• A PDP of -40°C is
recommended in most
applications because a PDP
better than -26°C will not only
stop corrosion, it will also inhibit
the growth of microorganisms
Drying Technologies Water Vapour Removal
Refrigeration dryers Adsorption Dryers

Dewpoint’s of +3°C, +7°C or +10°C Dewpoint’s of -20°C, -40°C or -70°C
Pressure Swing Thermal Swing Blower Vacuum

Adsorption (PSA) Adsorption (TSA) Regeneration Regeneration
Twin Tower (Classic) Modular Construction

Construction Parker domnick hunter PNEUDRI
Refrigeration Dryers
 Refrigeration dryers are designed to cool

the compressed air, reducing the air’s
ability to hold water vapour
 This process condenses a proportion of the
water vapour into liquid water
 The liquid water is then removed by a
mechanical water separator
 A refrigeration dryers dewpoint is
determined by :
• The temperature reached by the
compressed air
• The efficiency of the water separator
(at all flow conditions)
Refrigeration Dryer Operation
Example Of A Refrigeration Air Dryer Circuit
To Refrigerant
Air
Air to Air To
Hot Air Heat Warm Air Refrigerant C
Exchanger Heat o
Exchanger l
d
A
Air to Air i
Water r
Warm Air Heat Cold Air
Separator
Exchanger
Refrigeration Dryer Air Circuit
Refrigeration Dryer Air Circuit Animation

Refrigeration Dryer Refrigeration Circuit
Refrigeration Dryer Refrigeration Circuit Animation

Advantages
 Good for general purpose

compressed air
 Minimal preventative
maintenance required
 Low Cost
 Readily Available
Disadvantages
 The customer often assumes air after a refrigeration dryer is totally dry
• The air after an adsorption dryer with -40 oC PDP is approx 60 times dryer than air after
a refrigeration dryer with a +3oC PDP
• The outlet air still contains water vapour !
 The evaporator temperature is often quoted as the dryer dewpoint
• What you see is not what you get!
 Only positive dewpoints are available to prevent freezing
• Not suitable for installations where piping is installed in ambient temperatures below
the dryer dewpoint
 Refrigeration dryer dewpoints do not totally inhibit corrosion or the growth of
microorganisms
• Not suitable for food / beverage / pharmaceutical / electronic applications
 Total cost of ownership can be high
• Low purchase cost, but this alone is not the total cost of ownership
• High dp & high electrical running costs = high operational costs
• High maintenance costs as they have many components to go wrong and often leak
expensive refrigerant gas
• Highly trained service technicians & expensive equipment required
Adsorption Dryers
Principles of Adsorption
 Adsorption dryers work on a completely different
principle to refrigeration dryers
 Adsorption dryers remove water vapour by
passing wet air over an adsorbent desiccant
material
 Water will always migrate to the driest medium
and transfers from the wet air to the dry desiccant
Adsorption Dryers
 The desiccant
material has a large
internal surface area
to the hold water
vapour
 However, the
desiccant material
has a fixed
adsorption capacity
 Once the adsorption
capacity is reached,
it must be replaced
or regenerated
Adsorption Dryers Dry Air Dry Purge Air
 To continuously supply dry air, an
adsorption dryer must regenerate
the desiccant material
 Desiccant cannot be regenerated
whilst it is drying the compressed air,
therefore adsorption dryers use two Drying Regenerating
vessels full of desiccant material Column Column
 During operation, one vessel is on-

line drying the compressed air whilst
the other is off-line under going
regeneration
 The air flow is changed over
periodically to allow the now
saturated bed to be regenerated
Wet Air Wet Exhaust Air
Adsorption Dryers
Principles of Regeneration
 Typically one of four 4 different methods are used for regeneration :
• Pressure Swing Adsorption
• Thermal Swing Adsorption
• Blower Regeneration
• Vacuum Regeneration
 Typically the regeneration method used by an adsorption dryer has a
direct correlation to its purchase price
 The running costs associated with an adsorption dryer are usually
linked to the regeneration method
 Therefore, the purchasing decision for an adsorption dryers is often
based solely upon the perception of that dryers running costs and
not the reliability of the dryer, the dewpoint it delivers or its total cost
of ownership
Adsorption Dryers
 Adsorption dryers are also available in one of two different constructions
Modular Construction Twin Tower Construction

 Both construction methods use the same principles for adsorption and the
following methods for regeneration
• Pressure Swing Adsorption • Pressure Swing Adsorption
• Thermal Swing Adsorption • Thermal Swing Adsorption
• Vacuum Regeneration • Blower Regeneration
• Vacuum Regeneration
 The construction method chosen has a direct impact on the

performance (Pressure Dewpoint) of the dryer
Twin Tower (Classic) Dryers
Construction Method
 The design for Twin Tower (Classic)
dryers dates back to the 1930’s
 Typically, adsorption dryers are
constructed from carbon steel
 They consist of two large, heavy
pressure vessels which contain the
adsorbent desiccant material
 Separate, interconnecting piping is
used for valving, etc.
 This method of construction has a
direct impact on the performance of
the dryer and the quality of air it
provides
Modular Dryers
PNEUDRI High Efficiency Modular Compressed Air Dryers
 PNEUDRI is the brand name
for Parker domnick hunter’s
family of modular compressed
air adsorption dryers
 Originally developed by
domnick hunter in 1985
 The PNEUDRI family is made
up of six product ranges
 The PNEUDRI design
replaces large, heavy, steel
pressure vessels with smaller,
more compact and lightweight
extruded aluminium columns
and manifolds
Modular Dryers
 Distribution manifolds and drying
columns are all constructed from
high tensile extruded aluminium
 The shape of the extrusion varies
on each model range
 All extrusions are under 150 mm
(6”) in diameter, which is under
the pressure vessel inspection
requirements of ASME
 This eliminates the need for
costly pressure vessel
inspections
Modular Dryers
 MiDAS & MIDI models use
only single extrusions, with a
pressure die-cast inlet and
outlet assembly
 Compressed air capacity
within the MiDAS & MIDI
ranges is increased by
varying the length of the
drying columns
 The greater the flow required,
the longer the drying column
Modular Dryers
 The PNEUDRI MAXI Ranges
(MX / MPX/ DH / MPZPV) consists of: Upper
• An upper distribution manifold Distribution
Manifold
• A lower distribution manifold
• Drying Columns
Drying
 MAXI models use multiple drying Columns
columns of equal length to provide
required compressed air capacity
 The greater the flow required, the
more drying columns are used (up
to the max length of the manifold)
Lower Distribution
Manifold
Modular Dryers
 When the maximum
drying capacity of an
individual dryer bank has
been reached, multiples
are then used
Modular Dryers
 A significant advantage of the modular
design is the access it provides to the top
of the drying chamber
 This is only available on a modular
design dryer
 This unrestricted access allows the
adsorbent desiccant material to be filled
using a specialist filling technique
 This filling technique combined with the
modular design greatly improves dryer
performance when compared to the
loose filled beds of twin tower dryers
Modular Dryers
 The specialist technique used to fill the
desiccant materials is called “snowstorm
filling”
 It requires the use of a specialist filling
device, the “snowstorm filler”
 Each snowstorm filler is optimised for:
• The diameter of the column being
filled
• The diameter of the desiccant bead
 As snowstorm filling requires access to
the full cross sectional area of the column,
this method cannot be used on twin tower
(classic) dryers
Loose Desiccant Filling
 Twin tower dryers have a filler boss located
on the top dome of the vessel
 Due to the position of the outlet piping, this
is not at the top
 The welded construction and large size
does not allow access to the full cross
sectional area of the vessel, preventing the
vessels from being snowstorm filled
 Desiccant is poured in through the filler
boss until it reaches the height of the filler
 As the desiccant cannot be filled to the top
of the vessel, a void will exist
 When compressed air is applied, the void
allows the desiccant to move about inside
the vessel
 Due to the void and the loose filling
process, the compressed air will take the
path of least resistance through the
desiccant material
 This results in air channelling through the
adsorbent bed
 Channelling causes:
• Bypass of the desiccant material
• Oversized desiccant beds to provide the
required contact time between air and
adsorbent
• Oversized vessels to hold the extra
desiccant material
• Desiccant attrition resulting in dusting
• Premature blockage of downstream filtration
& pneumatics due to dusting
• An inconsistent outlet dewpoint
 Once the drying bed requires
regeneration, channelling again occurs
with the purge / regeneration air
 As purge air / regeneration travels in the
opposite direction, the channels created
may bypass areas of wet desiccant,
resulting in inconsistent regeneration
Modular Dryers
Snowstorm Desiccant Filling
 A mesh gasket plate is located between
the lower manifold and the bottom of the
drying column
 Desiccant is snowstorm filled to the top
of column
 An additional mesh gasket plate is
placed between the top of the column
and the upper manifold
 No void exists at the top of the column
and the desiccant is fully retained the
and is unable to move
Modular Dryers
 Snowstorm filling the desiccant material:
• Achieves maximum packing density for the
material being filled
• It fully utilises all of the available space
envelope
• It allows more desiccant to be filled into a
dryer column that would be possible if no filler
was used
• On an MX dryer column, an additional 6%
more desiccant can be packed into each
column when using snowstorm filling
• On an MX108 dryer, not snowstorm filling
the dryer columns would equates to a
reduction in air flow capacity of 136 m3/hr
(80 cfm)
Modular Dryers
• Prevents the channelling of air through
the desiccant as seen on twin tower
designs
• Allows 100% of the available desiccant
material to be used for drying
• Reduces the amount of desiccant
required to achieve dewpoint
• Reduces maintenance costs as less
desiccant is required
100% Utilisation for
• Significantly reduces desiccant attrition Consistent Drying
which leads to dusting, blocked filters

and loss of dewpoint
Modular Dryers
• Provides consistent regeneration of
the desiccant material as the purge air
is in contact with 100% of the material
• It also ensuring consistent cooling on
heat regenerated dryers
100% Contact for

Consistent Regeneration
Modular Dryers
• Also provides a low and equal
resistance to the air flow
• This allows multiple drying chambers to
be used without preferential flow
• It also allows multiple dryer banks to be
used without preferential flow
• This is a feature unique to PNEUDRI
 Modular Construction and Snowstorm
Filling ultimately provide consistent and
cost effective dewpoint performance from a
smaller space envelope
Adsorption Dryers
Principles of Regeneration - Pressure Swing Adsorption
 The simplest way to regenerate the desiccant material is to pass
dry air (known as purge air) over the wet adsorbent material
 This is the Pressure Swing Adsorption method
 It is also referred to as PSA or Heatless Regeneration
Purge Air
Volume vs. Percentage
 Purge air can be expressed as either a volume of air or a percentage of the dryers
nominal literature flow rate
 It is more commonly expressed as a percentage %
 This often causes confusion regarding air usage, especially if the system is
operating at conditions different to those shown in literature – for example:
• A heatless dryer has a purge value = 16% of the 7 bar g, 35oC literature flow
• The dryers literature flow = 2040m3/hr, therefore purge = 326m3/hr
• At 6 bar g / 35oC, the dryer will only flow 1789m3/hr. Purge still = 326m3/hr
• Purge % now = 18% of dryers capacity
• At 6 bar g / 45oC, therefore the dryer will only flow 1569m3/hr, purge still =
326m3/hr
• The users flow rate is only 1500m3/hr at 6 bar g / 45oC
 Best practice dictates the use of volume flow to avoid confusion
Twin Tower Heatless PSA Dryer Operation
Modular Heatless PSA Dryer Operation
Modular Heatless PSA Dryer
Advantages
 Much higher water vapour removal efficiency than a
refrigeration dryer (>60 times)
 Suitable for use in all applications
• Particularly suited to food / beverage /
pharmaceutical / Electronics industries where growth
of microorganisms need to be inhibited
 Lower capital investment than adsorption (desiccant)
dryers with other regeneration methods
 Lower transportation costs
 Easier to install (Fits through a standard doorway)
 Minimal electrical connections required
 Fully pneumatic options available
• Safe for use in zoned area’s
 Quick and easy to maintain
 Minimal maintenance costs
 Easy to install
 Reliable
Modular Heatless PSA Dryer
Disadvantages
 Uses process air (purge air) for
regeneration
• Not all systems have enough
spare air capacity for this type
of dryer
 The purge air requirement of the
heatless PSA dryer is higher than
that required by other regeneration
methods
Twin Tower Heatless PSA Dryer
Advantages
 Much higher water vapour removal efficiency than a refrigeration dryer (>60
times)
• Particularly suited to food / beverage / pharmaceutical / Electronics
industries where growth of micro organisms need to be inhibited
 Lower capital investment than adsorption (desiccant) dryers with other
regeneration methods
 Minimal electrical connections required
 Fully pneumatic options available
• Safe for use in zoned areas
 Relatively easy to maintain
 Lowest maintenance costs of all twin tower types, but higher than modular due
to amount of desiccant required
 Easy to install
Twin Tower Heatless PSA Dryer
Disadvantages
 Adsorbent desiccant fill method used on twin tower designs leads to:
• Inconsistent drying / regeneration / dewpoint
• Desiccant attrition which over time reduces the adsorption capacity of the
dryer and leads to blocked outlet filters & frequent servicing
• Higher volume of desiccant required during servicing
• Larger & heavier than modular dryers
 Uses process air (purge air) for regeneration
• Not all systems have enough spare air capacity for this type of dryer
 The purge air requirement of the heatless PSA dryer is higher than that
required by other regeneration methods
 High transportation costs due to size / weight
Adsorption Dryers
Thermal Swing Adsorption (TSA)
 The Thermal Swing Adsorption method reduces the amount of dry
purge air required by using heat energy to assist the purge air
 This method is also known as TSA or Heat Regenerated
 TSA regeneration adds to the complexity of the dryer, but overall
reduces the energy required to regenerate the desiccant
Modular TSA Method Twin Tower TSA Method

Twin Tower TSA Dryer Operation
Twin Tower TSA Dryer Operation
 Traditional internally heated TSA

Dryer
 Heating elements heat the desiccant
material
 Around 200oC is needed to aid
regeneration
 Desiccant is an excellent insulator
 Heaters have to reach up to 400oC
to get the desiccant at the outside of
the vessel up to 200oC
 This temperature is typically above
the flash point of most compressor
lubricants and can lead to oil mist
fires
PNEUDRI Modular TSA Heat Regenerated
 PNEUDRI DH models use a unique PTC

(Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater
assemblies
 The PTC heaters are self regulating and
will only pull enough current to reach
200oC
 The temperature of the heater never
exceeds 200oC, eliminating the possibility
of oil mist fires
 Two PTC heaters are located in each
dryer column and they heats the purge
air, not the desiccant material
 As the purge air is in contact with all of
the desiccant material, full and efficient
regeneration is achieved
Modular TSA Dryer Operation
Modular Heat Regenerated TSA Dryer
Advantages
 Much higher water vapour removal efficiency than a
refrigeration dryer (>60 times)
• Particularly suited to food / beverage /
pharmaceutical / Electronics industries where growth
of microorganisms need to be inhibited
 Mid range capital investment compared to other
regeneration methods
 Lower transportation costs
 Easier to install (Fits through a standard doorway)
 Easier to maintain than twin tower equivalents
 Easier to maintain than blower or vacuum dryers
 Lower heat input (200oC)
• Eliminates the possibility of oil mist fires
• Reduces running costs
 Lower total cost of ownership compared to heatless PSA
dryers
Modular Heat Regenerated TSA Dryer
Disadvantages
 Still requires some of the process air (purge air)
for regeneration
 Higher capital investment compared to heatless
PSA dryers
 Requires a 3 Phase + Neutral (50Hz) power
supply
Twin Tower - Thermal Swing Adsorption
Advantages
times)
• Particularly suited to food / beverage / pharmaceutical / Electronics
industries where growth of microorganisms need to be inhibited
 Mid range capital investment compared to other regeneration methods
 Lower total cost of ownership compared to heatless PSA dryers
Twin Tower - Thermal Swing Adsorption
Disadvantages
 Still requires some of the process air (purge air) for regeneration
 Higher capital investment compared to heatless PSA dryers
 Additional cooling air may also be required on some designs leading to higher
running costs / total cost of ownership
 Safety issues – risk of oil mist explosions due to high temperature heater rods
(internally & externally heated)
 Electrical consumption of heaters are higher than PTC heaters in modular dryer
 Heater thermostats / control systems often fail
 Dryers that don’t use cooling air suffer from poor dewpoint on changeover due to
heat retained in desiccant bed
Adsorption Dryers
Blower Regeneration
 Blower regeneration dryers do not use dry purge air from the
system to regenerate desiccant
 They use blowers to push large volumes of low pressure ambient
air through a heating system before passing over the desiccant
material
 To remove heat from the desiccant bed prior to change over, some
designs use cooling air from the compressed air system
Twin Tower Blower Dryer Operation
Twin Tower – Blower Regeneration
Advantages
times)
 “Zero Purge” - Theoretically blower dryers require no purge air to regenerate
the desiccant material, therefore providing the user with 100% of the process
air
 Theoretically blower dryers offer a lower total cost of ownership compared to
heatless PSA and Heat Regenerative TSA dryers
 Suited to high capacity systems
Disadvantages
 No process air (purge air) is required for regeneration, however most designs
require the offline desiccant bed to be cooled to a usable temperature before
changeover which can use up to 20% of the process air volume
 Dryers that don’t use cooling air suffer from poor dewpoint on changeover due
to heat retained in desiccant bed
 Using large volumes of wet ambient air for regeneration introduces water
vapour, oil vapour, particulate and microorganisms into the adsorption bed
which can damage the desiccant material and pass downstream on
changeover
Disadvantages
 Higher capital investment and higher maintenance costs than PSA or TSA
dryers
 More expertise needed to install & maintain
 Higher noise level compared to PSA & TSA dryers
 Sold on energy efficiency of the running costs, however total cost of ownership
is not always considered
• Always consider the increased purchase cost of this design plus the cost
of running the blower, the heaters, the cooling air & the extra maintenance
cost
Adsorption Dryers
Vacuum Regeneration
 Vacuum regeneration dryers operate in reverse to blower dryers,
pulling large volumes of ambient air through the heating system
then over the desiccant material
 Water is removed from the desiccant more efficiently when under
vacuum making vacuum regeneration more energy efficient than a
blower system
Twin Tower Vacuum Dryer Operation
Twin Tower – Vacuum Regeneration
Advantages
 “Zero Purge” - Theoretically vacuum dryers require no purge air to regenerate
the desiccant material, therefore providing the user with 100% of the process
air
 Theoretically vacuum dryers offer the lowest total cost of ownership compared
of all dryer regeneration methods
 Theoretically offer a shorter capital payback than blower dryer as no cooling
air is required
 Can use on-site steam supply to reduce running costs further
 Suited to high capacity systems
Disadvantages
 No process air (purge air) is required for regeneration, however some designs
require the offline desiccant bed to be cooled to a usable temperature before
changeover which can use up to 20% of the process air volume
 Dryers that don’t use cooling air suffer from poor dewpoint on changeover due
to heat retained in desiccant bed
 Using large volumes of wet ambient air for regeneration introduces water
vapour, oil vapour, particulate and microorganisms into the adsorption bed
which can damage the desiccant material and pass downstream on
changeover
Disadvantages
 Higher capital investment and higher maintenance costs than PSA,TSA &
Blower Regen dryers
 More expertise needed to install & maintain
 Higher noise level compared to PSA & TSA dryers
 Sold on energy efficiency of the running costs, however total cost of ownership
is not always considered
• Always consider the increased purchase cost of this design plus the cost
of running the vacuum pump, the heaters, the cooling air & the extra
maintenance cost
Which adsorption dryer should I choose ?
Compressor Room
0 – 34 m3/hr 35 – 299 m3/hr 300 – 2040 m3/hr 2041 – 8160 m3/hr 6800 – 16900 m3/hr
0 – 20 cfm 21 – 176 cfm 177 – 1200 cfm 1201 – 4800 cfm 4000 - 10000 cfm
PNEUDRI MiDAS
Heatless
PNEUDRI MIDI
Heatless
PNEUDRI MAXI MX Multiple banks can be

used but may not be the
Heatless most cost effective
solution
KE-MT
>105 m3/hr <940 m3/hr
Heatless
PNEUDRI MAXI DH Multiple banks can be

used but may not be the
Heat Regenerative most cost effective
solution
WVM
Vacuum Regen
Which adsorption dryer should I choose ?
Point of Use Application

0 – 34 m3/hr 35 – 299 m3/hr 300 – 2040 m3/hr 2041 – 8160 m3/hr 6800 – 16900 m3/hr
0 – 20 cfm 21 – 176 cfm 177 – 1200 cfm 1201 – 4800 cfm 4000 - 10000 cfm
PNEUDRI MiDAS
Heatless
PNEUDRI MIDI
Heatless
PNEUDRI MAXI MX
Heatless
KE-MT
>105 m3/hr <940 m3/hr
Heatless
PNEUDRI MAXI DH
Heat Regenerative
WVM
Vacuum Regen
Oil Vapour
 Oil vapour is oil in a gaseous form and as with water vapour, will also
pass through the coalescing filters
 Oil vapour is removed from compressed air using an adsorption filter
 Liquid oil / oil aerosols must be removed prior to an adsorption filter
Oil Vapour Removal Technologies
Oil Vapour Removal
Adsorption
Filters
In-line Activated Carbon Modular OVR

Filter Tower System
Single Double
Stage Stage
Oil Vapour Removal Technologies
Common Adsorbents Used
 Activated carbon cloth (100% carbon)
 Paper or cloth impregnated with activated
carbon (typically only 25-30% carbon)
 Granules of activated carbon
Oil Vapour Removal – Plant Scale
What factors affect the Life of Oil Vapour Removal Filters
 Unlike oil aerosol removal elements which are changed on an annual
basis, the life of the oil vapour removal filter is dictated by a number of
system parameters, mainly:
 Inlet concentration of oil vapour
• The higher the inlet concentration of oil vapour, the quicker the
capacity of the activated carbon is used up
 Bulk oil
• Oil vapour removal filters are designed for vapour, not aerosol
• Poorly maintained or non existent pre-filtration will rapidly use up
the adsorption capacity of the element
 Temperature
• As the inlet temperature increases, so does the amount of oil
vapour present in the air
Oil Vapour Removal – Plant Scale
What factors affect the Life of Oil Vapour Removal Filters
 Relative Humidity or Dewpoint
• Wet air reduces the adsorption capacity of the carbon; always try to
install an oil vapour removal filter after a dryer
 Oil changes
• As the compressor oil is changed, the new lubricant burns off “light
ends” which increases the oil vapour present in the air stream for
hours or even weeks afterwards
• This increase in oil content is adsorbed by the oil vapour removal
filter, using up its adsorption capacity and reducing it’s effective
lifetime
 Position of the filter in the system
• The position of the filter in the system can affect its life
• Oil vapour removal filters offer installation flexibility
Oil Vapour Removal
Which Filter Should I Use?
 Plant Scale Protection
• OVR
• Activated Carbon Tower
 Long Maintenance Periods
• OVR
 Installation
• Before Dryer
• After Dryer
Oil Vapour Removal
Which Filter Should I Use?
 Point of Use Protection
• OVR
• Activated Carbon Tower
• Single Stage In-line Filter
• Double Stage In-line Filter
 Long Maintenance Periods
• OVR
 Installation
• After Dryer
Dirt / Rust / Pipescale / Microorganisms
 Dust removal filters are used for the removal of particulate &
microorganisms when no liquid is present
 They use mechanical filtration techniques identical to the
particulate removal capture methods of a coalescing filter
 Therefore they provide identical particulate removal
performance to a coalescing filter
 Mechanical filtration techniques are used to provide up to
99.9999% particle removal efficiency
Microorganisms
 Absolute (100%) removal of solid particulate and
microorganisms is performed by a sieve retention or
membrane filter
Dirt / Microorganisms
 They are often referred to as sterile air

filters as they also provide sterilised
compressed air free of microbiological
contamination
 Housings are manufactured from
electro polished and crevice free
stainless steel
 Both housing and elements can be
steam sterilised following the
internationally recognised principles of
Steam In Place (S.I.P.)
 Sterile air filters should only be installed
at the point of use and never in
compressor room
Purification Technologies for
Contaminant Removal

Contamination Removal Filters&dryers

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Contamination Removal Filters&dryers

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Purification Technologies for

 Air enters the water separator inlet and

Note : Water Separators work in the opposite direction to coalescing filters

 The vanes force the air to spin inside the

 The spinning air is then forced to change

 A vortex is created which due to the

 Bulk liquid is removed from the air stream

• Directional changes of the air stream

• Centrifugal action of the vortex

 As the vortex reaches the bottom of the

 Aerospace turning vanes located in the

 Coalescing filters are probably the most important

• This efficiency varies from manufacturer to manufacturer

 Coalescing filters are installed in pairs

 Omitting one of the coalescing filters

Refrigeration dryers Adsorption Dryers

Pressure Swing Thermal Swing Blower Vacuum

Twin Tower (Classic) Modular Construction

 Refrigeration dryers are designed to cool

Refrigeration Dryer Air Circuit Animation

Refrigeration Dryer Refrigeration Circuit Animation

 Good for general purpose

 During operation, one vessel is on-

Modular Construction Twin Tower Construction

 The construction method chosen has a direct impact on the

which leads to dusting, blocked filters

100% Contact for

Modular TSA Method Twin Tower TSA Method

 Traditional internally heated TSA

 PNEUDRI DH models use a unique PTC

PNEUDRI MAXI MX Multiple banks can be

PNEUDRI MAXI DH Multiple banks can be

Point of Use Application

Oil Vapour Removal

In-line Activated Carbon Modular OVR

 They are often referred to as sterile air

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