Adsorption

Drying
Technology
 Adsorption Dryers

Our experience is the best guarantee

for a perfect result!
SPX Dehydration & Filtration is one of
the world’s largest manufacturers of fil-
ters and dryers for compressed air and
other gases. More than 65 years of
experience form the basis of a unique
level of know-how in the area of indus-
trial application of compressed air
treatment. Our commitment to continu-
ously improve our products and tech-
nologies has resulted in an extensive
line of adsorption dryers, offering the
highest level of quality, reliability and
economical use. Deltech products are
designed for long-life duty in industrial
environments.
Compressed air is a widely used
source of energy and power. When
used in a production process, the
compressed air must be clean and dry.
Filters trap dust, oil and other contami-
nations. Dryers remove water vapour
out of the compressed air. Moisture,
dirt and dust in the airflow can cause
costly problems, such as excessive
wear of pneumatic equipment, blocked
precision apertures, inadequate
measure and control functions, or total
loss of machinery and processes.
Moisture in process applications can
have a detrimental impact on finished
products or initiate undesirable chemi-
cal reactions. At sub-zero tempera-
tures the moisture in compressed air
lines will freeze, leading to pipe crack-
ing and in some cases to complete
plant shut-down.
Deltech adsorption dryers protect com-
pressed air installations and processes
to a pressure dewpoint as low as
-70°C. Depending on the operating
conditions, available regeneration
energy and on the required pressure
dewpoint, Deltech can offer a broad
variety of adsorption dryers.
After being adsorbed in a bed of des-
iccant material, the water molecules
need to be removed out of the com-
pressed air dryer by means of regener-
ation. The method of regeneration
must be selected in accordance with
the available means of energy and the
operating conditions. Deltech offers
various regeneration principles, for
most economical use of energy.

Eurodry ED series
for Compressed Air

Heatless-regenerated
adsorption dryers
Heatless regenerated adsorption dryers use a simple regeneration principle, using a
small portion* of the dried compressed air, expanded to atmospheric pressure. This
extremely dry air flows in counter-flow direction through the saturated desiccant and
removes the moisture. The adsorption/regeneration cycle is electronically controlled
and varies from 4 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the dryer.
Heatless-regenerated adsorption dryers require a minimum of service, are very flexi-
ble in their application and can be installed easily. The relatively short cycle times
allow short on/off switching sequences. In case the dewpoint performance is not too
critical, heatless dryers can be controlled by the running contact of the compressor.
The Eurodry ED and EDC series are heatless adsorption dryers, providing a pressure
dewpoint from -20°C to -70°C. (ISO 8573, class 1-3)
EDC dryers are available in a capacity range from 6 to 240 m³/h, offering many
advantages. This very compact design requires a minimum of floor space. All service
parts are easy to access and the inlet and outlet connections can be chosen on
either side of the dryer, depending on the positioning of the compressor. Eurodry Compact EDC series
The drying cycle is controlled electronically and features a memory function, which
ensures that the regeneration cycle is completed after re-starting the dryer.
ED series heatless adsorption dryers (capacity range from 160 to 5.950 m³/h) offer a highly reliable performance, combined with
a maximum of economic use. Specially selected inlet valves are pneumatically-controlled and require a minimum of maintenance.
Using a manual setting device, the user can select the required dewpoint and adapt the dryer to varying loads. Inlet and outlet fil-
ters can be fitted to the dryer, forming a compact and complete quality air treatment package. Optionally, a third pressure vessel
can be installed, containing activated carbon. This adsorber will provide technically oil-free air for use in special applications, such
as electronic industry, medical applications and drug and food handling processes.
Optional ED series dryers can be supplied with a dewpoint-controlled cycling device. A highly sensitive dewpoint meter is installed
at the outlet of the dryer and measures the saturation degree of the drying adsorber. The regeneration will not start before the
maximum drying capacity has been reached. Under “low load” operating conditions this device will economize the regeneration
process and save an important quantity of regeneration air.
* Deltech dryers use about 15% of the dry air capacity for regeneration under standard operating conditions according to ISO 7183, for a pressure dewpoint of -40°C.

Energy Management System (EMS) Energy Management and more ...

for heatless adsorption dryers The standard cycle-control programme controls the drying and
regeneration phases on a fixed-time basis. The changeover
Adsorption dryers have to cope with different operating condi-
takes place automatically and timer controlled, independently of
tions and are therefore selected for the most adverse conditions.
the saturation level of the desiccant. Since the dryer is selected
According to ISO 7183, the standard operating conditions are:
for the worst operating conditions, the regeneration energy used
working temperature 35°C and operating pressure 7 bar gauge.
will be too much most of the time. In order to avoid this, the use
of a dewpoint-monitoring, load-dependent control system is
recommended.
For this purpose, a high-sensitive humidity sensor is placed at the
outlet of the dryer so that the saturation level of the desiccant
can be monitored. The operator can freely select a dewpoint
between -10°C and -40°C. Once this level is reached, the drying
phase is finished and the regeneration phase started. The result
is an extended drying phase and a delayed regeneration phase.
When the dryer is not working under full load, up to 90% of the
regeneration energy can be saved.
Apart from this, the dewpoint controller provides a display for
operating parameters, energy savings and the necessary service
intervals.
A higher temperature or a lower operating pressure requires a
higher adsorption and regeneration capacity. On the other side,
during phases of reduced operation (at night, during weekends or
under winter conditions), where the maximum adsorption per-
formance is not required, the regeneration performance should
continually adapt to the changing conditions.
Heat-regenerated adsorption dryers

Over 65 years of experience in the field of

drying and filtration of compressed air have
resulted in a most complete range of heat-
regenerated adsorption dryers. The utilisa-
tion of compressed air for the regeneration
of the saturated desiccant is a very expen-
sive solution. Filtered and dried com-
pressed air is a very expensive source of
energy, which should possibly not be used
for regeneration. Regeneration takes place
easier and faster if the desiccant is
warmed up. The regeneration air, warmed
up to 180°C, desorbs the humidity out of
the desiccant and transports it out of the
dryer. The energy required is then less
than half compared to the heatless regen-
eration.
The principle of heat regeneration can be
divided in three groups:

Internally-heated adsorption dryers,
where heating elements are placed in the
desiccant to warm it up.

Externally-heated adsorption dryers,
where air from the environment is aspi-
rated and electrically warmed-up and
blown through the saturated desiccant.

Heat-of-compression systems, where the
high temperature at the outlet of the
compressor is used for regeneration.

Internally-heated
adsorption dryers
Deltech Serie MWE
These dryers have electrical heating ele-
ments placed into the drying bed which
warm-up the desiccant directly. A minimal
quantity of dried compressed air (about
2.5%) is used to transport the moisture out
of the adsorber and cool the desiccant
down at the end of the regeneration phase.
During changeover, the compressed air
flows through both vessels simultaneously
for about 20 minutes, whereby possible
temperature and dewpoint fluctuations are
balanced.
The utilisation of the optional Energy Man-
agement System results here in significant
energy savings, especially in the case of
changing operating conditions. The MWE
series covers a range of performance from
245 to 4280 m³/h and provide a pressure
dewpoint of down to -40°C (Specification
according to ISO 7183)
MWE Series: Internally-heated Adsorption Dryer
Externally-heated adsorption dryers Heat of compression
Delair Serie DB Delair XD dryer
This heat-regenerated adsorption dryer is the most commonly used in medium-sized to The motivation behind the development
big-sized compressed air installations (from 350 to 13.000 m³/h). As opposed to the of the XD adsorption dryer series was
internally-heated dryers, the heaters used for regeneration are easy to control, simple to the desire to make rational use of avail-
service and they can optionally be combined with steam heating. able energies. Installations of this series
In these dryers, the flow during the drying and during the regeneration are both from top utilise the heat of compression of the
to bottom. This principle offers the following advantages: compressed air for the regeneration of
the saturated desiccant. The com-

An optimal utilisation of the regeneration energy and heat of adsorption
pressed air coming from an oil-free

No dewpoints peaks during changeover compressor with a temperature of 110

Protection against appearance of liquid water to 230°C is used for the regeneration

No loss of compressed air for the cooling process process, before being cooled down to
35°C in the compressor aftercooler.

Protection of the desiccant at starting of the compressor and from pressure and flow After being cooled down, the com-
fluctuations. pressed air is dried to a dewpoint of
Delair DB dryers do not make use of any compressed air and have a maximal pressure 0 to -40°C, depending on the available
drop of 0.1 bar. This drying principle also offers the possibility of an Energy Manage- regeneration temperature. By means of
ment System with ample technical and economical advantages. A special option is the this procedure no extra energy is need-
“closed-loop” cooling, which makes it possible to use the dryer with high ambient tem- ed and there is no loss of compressed
perature or when a pressure dewpoint of -70°C is required. Also under such conditions, air. Drying, regeneration and cooling
no compressed air is used for regeneration or cooling. take place under pressure. Because of
The DB series dryers are simple to operate and are equipped with a display showing this, the mechanical strain on the adsor-
current information and historical operating data. Extra communication modules for con- bent and the valves is minimal and the
nection with higher-level process control systems are also available. service intervals are extended.
 Deltech Hybridryer, the synergy of combination

Certain production processes such as instrument air, air for pneumatic control systems and process engineering solutions, feed air for
the transport of powdery materials in the chemical, pharmaceutical and food processing industries, etc., require dependably treated,
high-quality compressed air - technically oil-free and very dry - with pressure dew points of below 0°C down to -40°C.
If the compressed air is channelled through extensive pipe networks or in areas exposed to ambient weather conditions, disturbances
due to frozen condensate are - especially in winter time - the order of the day.
Here, a flexible dryer type is necessary, which selects the dewpoint depending on the ambient conditions.
The Hybridryer uses the most cost-effective refrigerant dryer system for the air treatment up to +3°C, which removes the main water
load from the compressed air (85%!).

compressed air inlet compressed air outlet

regeneration
air inlet

fan heater dustfilter

air/air heat
exchanger

dessicant adsobers
heat exchanger
air/refdrigerant
bypass
regeneration
air outlet

water separator condensate drain

and oil finefilter

The integration of a specially-sized adsorption dryer in

the cold air flow brings about the same compressed air
quality as an adsorption dryer designed for standard
conditions. However, the Hybridryer uses only about
50% of the normally required energy!
This extremely cost-effective technology becomes even
more interesting when the adsorption dryer can be
completely switched off with the automatic by-pass,
which is controlled by the ambient temperature. Under
summer conditions the compressed air is dried by the
refrigeration dryer only, providing a reliable and steady
pressure dewpoint of +3°C. Dropping ambient
temperature will automatically reactivate the desiccant
dryer and the Hybrid combination will dry the
compressed air down to -40°C pressure dew point.
The slightly higher capital investment will be largely
compensated by the considerably lower operation cost.
This makes the Hybridryer a state-of-the-art solution in
the field of compressed air treatment starting from
1000 m³/h.

For further information about this drying system, please

see the detailed brochure
 energy consumption W/m3
40 20

adsorption = g H2O / 100g adsorbent

silicia gel
hea m
tles em
15 s re br
an
= gen ed
he era rye
a te tive r*
30 dr
eg e
des
icc
activated ner ant
alumina 10 ativ
e de
dry
er
sicc
an t d
molecular sieve ryer
20 5
H yb refrigera
ridry tion drye
er
r

10 dew 1 2 3 4 5 6
point (-70 ∞C) (-40 ∞C) (-20 ∞C) (+3 ∞C) (+7 ∞C) (+10 ∞C)
class HybriDryer
regenerative desiccant dryer refrigeration dryer
0 20 40 60 50 100 membrane dryer*
* only for small volume flows
relative huminity %
ideal condition for the adsorbent activated alumina dew point classes and their energy requirements

200 t
desiccant dryer* C02 reduction r*
49% d rye
nt
CO2 emissions in 12 months

ca
sic
dew point -40∞C de

100 t
savings

investment
HybriDryer
dew point -40∞C HybriDryer

1 2 3 4 5

– flow 5000 m3/h in 12 months *market

standard years *market standard

CO2 reductions with the HybriDryer cost savings with the HybriDryer

Deltech filters
complement
the air treatment.
All adsorption dryers use a highly effi-
cient adsorbent Delsorb HQ, which
has a lifetime of about 5 years under
standard operating conditions. This
durability can be considerably short-
ened due to oil, liquid water and other
impurities. For this reason, it is also
necessary to install a dirt filter and an
oil fine filter at the inlet of the dryer.
Since the desiccant produces some
dust as a result of the mechanical and
thermal strain, it is also necessary to
protect the downstream part of the
system with a dust filter.
Deltech offers a complete filter pro-
gramme, precisely conceived for the
adsorber series.

Hybrid-Serie DHD
 ad_en_11_08

SPX Dehydration & Filtration GmbH

Konrad-Zuse-Straße 25
D-47445 Moers · Germany
Telefon: + 49 (0) 28 41 / 8 19-0
Fax: + 49 (0) 28 41 / 8 19 83
email: deltech@deltech-spx.eu
www.deltech-spx.eu