Patent GB-1426292-A (GB)
Title: Method of using a regenerative drier for treating compressed gas and a drier forcarrying out the method
IPC: F04B39/16
Filed: 1973-03-01
Abstract: 1426292 Drying compressed gas CARL MUNTERS AB 1 March 1973 [10 March 1972] 9950/73 Heading B1L Compressed gas e.g. air is dried in a regenerative drier comprising a condenser 14 and a rotor 12 of hygroscopic material rotatably mounted between end members 24, 26, the air being supplied through an inlet 38 for flow in one direction through a regenerative zone of the rotor, the condenser 14, and finally in the reverse direction through a drying zone of the rotor leading to an outlet 48. The rotor is composed of lithium chloride covered or impregnated asbestos sheets which are alternatively flat and corrugated to define longitudinal air passages therebetween. A deposit of calcium silicate or silicum dioxide is used to increase the wet strength. The regenerating zone of the rotor is defined between chambers 34, 36 in the end members 26, 24, respectively, and the drying zone between ports 62, 46 in the members 24, 26, respectively. Because the air entering the chamber 34 from the inlet 38 is warm, it absorbs moisture from the rotor during its passage through the regenerating zone. Air leaving the regenerating zone flows into the chamber 36 and then through a pipe 64 into the condenser 14 where moisture therein is precipitated by contact with a water cooled coil 66. The condensate is collected in a housing half 18 from which it can be drained through an outlet 72. From the condenser 14 the air passes through the drying zone and out through the port 46, a housing half 16 and the outlet 48. A cooling zone is situated angularly between the regenerating and drying zones so that, that part of the rotor which has undergone reeeneration, is cooled before moving into the drying zone. The cooling zone is disposed between chambers 44, 56 in the end members 26, 24, respectively, air for flow therethroueh being bled into the chamber 44 through an opening 80 connected to the dried air outlet port 46. An ejector 78 between the reeenerative zone and the condenser or a blower (not shown) induces flow through the cooling zone from the chamber 44 to the chamber 56 by producing suction in the chamber 56. Air leaking from the inlet end of the regenerating zone is collected in grooves 41. 43 in the end member 26 and flows through the radially outermost and innermost channels of the rotor 12 (as indicated by arrows 77, 79) to the corresponding grooves 55, 60 in the end member 24, whereafter it enters the cooling chamber 56 and is sucked with the air leaving the cooling zone into the pipe 64 leading to the condenser 14. These inner and outermost channels are dried as they pass through the drying zone by the passage of dried air therethrough (as indicated by arrows 82, 84) from the chamber 46 via perforations 52, 53 in strips 50, 51 covering the outlet end of the drying zone, and thence to the grooves 55, 60 and cooling chamber 56. In an alternative construction, Figs. 5-7 (not shown), the ejector 78 is disposed in the inlet 38 and the cooling air is bled from the outlet of the condenser 14, the direction of the cooling flow and certain of the leakage flow being reversed.