There are several types of compressed air dryers on the market, and many different applications for drying compressed air. Many industrial and commercial applications for compressed air will be for hand tools or the operation of pneumatic cylinders and valves in an indoor applications. These are referred to as “power” applications. For the most part, these applications require the air to be free of condensate (free liquid), which will impede the tool’s performance and cause corrosion, shortening the life of the tool. Refrigerant air dryers are usually selected for these applications. They remove water vapor from the compressed air by means of cooling the incoming air to a level within the design dew point range, separating the condensate, and then draining it off.
Dew Point Requirement in Power Applications
In most refrigerant dryers (usually 15 CFM capacity and larger), the compressed air is re-heated after the separation stage, providing a
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