Air Treatment

1
Air Treatment
2
Condensation

• Condensation is the changing of water vapor into
  a liquid.
• Water vapor mixes with air and makes the air
  wet.
• Desiccators remove water vapor from the air.

3
Humidity

• Humidity is a measure of the amount of water
  vapor in the air.
• Like a sponge, there is a limited amount of water
  air will hold.
• At saturation, additional water vapor will not be
  absorbed.

4
Saturation and Temperature

• Saturated air cannot absorb additional water.
• However, warm air holds more water vapor than
  cooler air.

For this reason, the air in a clothes dryer is
heated so that it will absorb more water from the
wet clothes.
5
Relative Humidity

• Could be called relative saturation.
• Saturation is 100 relative humidity.
• Air below 100 relative humidity will absorb
  additional water vapor.
• Raising the temperature reduces relative
  humidity.
• Lowering the temperature increases relative
  humidity.

6
Dew Point

• Another way of thinking about saturation.
• Air is saturated if it is at its dew point
  temperature..
• The temperature at which water vapor condenses
  out of saturated air.
• Air having a low dew point has low water content.
• Air having a high dew point has a high water
  content.

7
Refrigeration Dryers

• If saturated air is refrigerated below the dew
  point the water vapor turns into droplets of
  liquid water. This is called precipitation or
  condensation.
• Precipitation will fall or it can be centrifuged
  from the air.

Figure about 10HP for a flow rate of 2000 SCFM or
the output of a 400 HP compressor
8
Desiccant Dryers

• Some solid materials pull water out of the air.
• The material must periodically be regenerated.
• No need to replace the desiccant material.
• No drain required
• Up to about 2000 SCFM capacity
• Some air loss in regeneration.

One tower is being regenerated when the other is
in use.
9
Deliquescent Dryers

• 2 to 16,000 SCFM and larger
• No air loss
• No electricity

10
Filtering Air

• Should have a differential pressure gauge so you
  can tell when the filter is clogged.

Filter to 5 microns. Microscopic dirt causes
significant wear.
Drain condensation at least once a day.
11
Air line lubrication

• Injects very small droplets of oil.
• Use atomizer type where oil must travel long
  distances (gt10 feet).

Atomoizer
Standard
12
Trio
Filter Pressure Regulator Lubricator