Temperature-based monitor and control of a compressed-gas dryer

A compressed-gas dryer system comprising:

• a compressed gas inlet configured to receive a compressed gas to be dried from a compressed gas source;
• a regeneration gas inlet configured to receive a regeneration gas from a regeneration gas source;
• a pressure vessel defining a drying zone and a regeneration zone,
• the drying zone having an inlet through which the compressed gas to be dried is received into the drying zone and an outlet through which dried compressed gas exits the drying zone, and
• the regeneration zone having an inlet through which the regeneration gas is received into the regeneration zone and an outlet through which the regeneration gas exits the regeneration zone;
• a driver configured to drive rotation of a rotor provided in the pressure vessel in a predetermined rotational direction about an axis of rotation;
• a first temperature sensor configured to obtain first temperature data indicative of a first temperature at a first position within the pressure vessel;
• a controller configured to receive the first temperature data, and based thereon, determine a rotational status of the rotor;
• and
• a second temperature sensor configured to obtain second temperature data indicative of a second temperature at a second position within the pressure vessel,
• wherein the first temperature sensor is arranged to obtain the first temperature data at the first position in the drying zone within the pressure vessel, and the second temperature sensor is arranged to obtain the second temperature data at the second position in the drying zone within the pressure vessel.

A temperature-based method for determining a rotational status of a rotor of a compressed-gas dryer system, the compressed-gas system including a compressed-gas source that provides a compressed gas to be dried, a regeneration gas source that provides a regeneration gas, and a pressure vessel defining a drying zone and a regeneration zone, the drying zone having an inlet through which the compressed gas to be dried is received into the drying zone and an outlet through which dried compressed gas exits the drying zone, and the regeneration zone having an inlet through which the regeneration gas is received into the regeneration zone and an outlet through which the regeneration gas exits the regeneration zone, and a driver configured to drive rotation of a rotor provided in the pressure vessel in a predetermined rotational direction about an axis of rotation, the method comprising:

• receiving first temperature data of a first signal obtained by a first temperature sensor, the first temperature data being indicative of a first temperature at a first position within the pressure vessel;
• and
• determining, by a controller, the rotational status of the rotor based on the first temperature data obtained from the first temperature sensor,
• wherein receiving the first temperature data includes receiving the first temperature data from the first temperature sensor that is indicative of the first temperature at the first position between 5° to 40° from a beginning at an origin 0° as a starting position within the regeneration zone.

A temperature-based method for determining a rotational status of a rotor of a compressed-gas dryer system, the compressed-gas system including a compressed-gas source that provides a compressed gas to be dried, a regeneration gas source that provides a regeneration gas, and a pressure vessel defining a drying zone and a regeneration zone, the drying zone having an inlet through which the compressed gas to be dried is received into the drying zone and an outlet through which dried compressed gas exits the drying zone, and the regeneration zone having an inlet through which the regeneration gas is received into the regeneration zone and an outlet through which the regeneration gas exits the regeneration zone, and a driver configured to drive rotation of a rotor provided in the pressure vessel in a predetermined rotational direction about an axis of rotation, the method comprising:

• receiving first temperature data of a first signal obtained by a first temperature sensor, the first temperature data being indicative of a first temperature at a first position within the pressure vessel;
• determining, by a controller, the rotational status of the rotor based on the first temperature data obtained from the first temperature sensor;
• and
• receiving second temperature data of a second signal obtained by a second temperature sensor, the second temperature data being indicative of a second temperature at a second position within the pressure vessel,
• wherein receiving the first temperature data includes receiving the first temperature data from the first temperature sensor that is indicative of the first temperature at the first position in the drying zone within the pressure vessel, and providing the second temperature sensor at the second position in the drying zone within the pressure vessel.