Patent ID: 6027546
Filing Date: 2000-02-22
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
A process for drying compressed air employing a hollow fiber membrane unit and an atmospheric adsorption dryer, wherein the membrane unit has one and another ends for respectively admitting and discharging the compressed air and has a hollow fiber membrane, the membrane being selectively permeable to flow of water vapor from a compressed air side of the membrane to a permeate side of the membrane, and wherein the atmospheric adsorption dryer provides, from atmosphere, dry purge air for the membrane unit and has a regeneration inlet, the process comprising:a) introducing compressed air into the one end of the membrane unit;b) introducing a first flow of dry air from the atmospheric adsorption dryer into the permeate side of the membrane unit to purge the membrane unit;c) introducing a second flow of dry air from the atmospheric adsorption dryer into the regeneration inlet of the atmospheric adsorption dryer;d) collecting dried compressed air from the other end of the membrane unit, ande) discharging the purge air from the membrane unit.