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Air compression involves making the molecules come closer, and thus force them to fit into a smaller space. This process involves an increase in temperature and is known as the heat of compression. In any air compressor or compression air dryer, this same process is involved and thus results in a lot of heat emission. It is dangerous to leave the heat emitted unattended because it can easily overheat the compressor and can result in an explosion.

Activated alumina balls as the drying medium in a heatless compression air dryer is the best choice to avoid this overheating of the compressor. Let’s look at the heatless compressed air dryer.

Heatless compressed Air dryer

By using activated alumina for the air dryers, we can devise the heatless compressed air desiccant dryer. A dual-chambered arrangement filled with desiccants is aligned to adsorb the water molecules from compressed air. The final output would be hot dry air. The heat of adsorption is retained by the desiccant balls and is prevented from being accumulated at the chamber outlet. This heat is further used for regeneration in the subsequent cycle to nullify the heat accumulation. Effective heat retention, a dense medium of high volumetric heat capacity can be introduced at the end of the adsorption chamber.

But this process consumes a portion of the dry air output from a compressed air dryer. The amount of this consumption can be reduced by the below methods:

• To the end of the desiccant chamber, a very small quantity of heat is introduced
• A low wattage dryer installed at end of the desorption chamber
• Vent the exhaust to vacuum

There are majorly two types of desiccant air dryers which are pressure swing compressed air dryers and externally heated compressed air dryers. The pressure swing regenerative dryers and the high-pressure swing dryers are efficient in reducing the accumulated heat from the entire system. These regenerative dryers make use of the adsorption heat energy retention concept to maintain the heat of compression within limits.

Air drying desiccant balls

The best air dryer desiccant beads in use are activated alumina. It is very important to keep compressed air free of moisture because moist compressed air can cause various damages to the compressor. The valves, motors, and insulations can be affected, the final product can be altered, rusting and corrosion, damage to pipes, total blockage of the system are some examples of the adverse effects of moisture content in the compressed air. So, it is very important to maintain the PDP of a compressor system as low as -40 degrees centigrade.

Regeneration dryers that involve activated alumina balls as adsorbents have doubtlessly proven to be highly efficient and effective. Activated alumina uses the concept of adsorption to trap water molecules that come in contact with the desiccant surface. With no chemical or thermal reactions involved, the use of desiccant air dryer beads is of low operating and maintenance cost. Activated alumina balls are non-toxic, colorless, tasteless, and insoluble, and have high thermal and mechanical strength.

The ease of regeneration of activated alumina balls is a highly recommendable feature. Activated alumina balls in the desorption chamber of the dryer are triggered to action as they saturate with the moisture content from the compressed air. It does not require any additional systems involved and in the context of heatless air compressor dryers, this regeneration phase helps to reduce the heat retained during the adsorption.

Sorbead India is one of the leading manufacturer of activated alumina balls over the years. The quality of desiccant balls, a wide range of quantities available, and easy access to products has helped us remain your trusted partner in all kinds of desiccant requirements. Our heatless compressor air dryer desiccant balls have proven to be highly efficient.