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US 12,678,731 B2Granted
Compressed air drying unit
AssigneeIngersoll-Rand Industrial U.S., Inc.
InventorsHenry Y. Mark, Scott A. Johnson, Stefano Vezil
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air drying unit for compressed air systems is provided. The air drying unit has a precooler/reheater, a main cooler and a moisture separator. Incoming air is cooled to cause moisture within the compressed air to condense, which is then separated to dry the compressed air. The precooler/reheater, main cooler and moisture separator are designed as an integral unit that does not require pipes to connect the components together. Instead, compressed air flows through the sealed unit through passages therein between the precooler/reheater, main cooler and moisture separator.
Claims20
An air drying unit for compressed air, comprising:
- a first pipe having a sidewall that defines a first opening and a second opening, the first opening opposite to the second opening, the first opening configured to receive incoming compressed air, the first pipe including an air inlet located on the sidewall between the first opening and the second opening;
- a second pipe having a sidewall that defines a first opening and a second opening, the first opening opposite to the second opening, the second pipe including an air outlet located on the sidewall between the first opening and the second opening, the air outlet configured to receive outgoing compressed air;
- a precooler/reheater connected to the air inlet and the air outlet, the precooler/reheater being a first heat exchanger between incoming compressed air from the air inlet and outgoing compressed air to the air outlet, wherein the incoming compressed air is cooled by the outgoing compressed air and the outgoing compressed air is warmed by the incoming compressed air, the sidewall of the first pipe and the sidewall of the second pipe directly coupled to the precooler/reheater;
- a main cooler connected to the precooler/reheater such that the incoming compressed air enters the main cooler after exiting the precooler/reheater, the main cooler being a second heat exchanger between the incoming compressed air and a coolant, wherein the coolant cools the incoming compressed air and causes moisture to condense from the incoming compressed air;
- and
- a moisture separator connected to the main cooler, the moisture separator separating the moisture from the incoming compressed air, the incoming compressed air thereby being dried and defining the outgoing compressed air, the outgoing compressed air entering the precooler/reheater from the main cooler and the moisture separator.
3 more elements
An air drying unit for compressed air, comprising:
- a precooler/reheater having an air inlet and an air outlet, the precooler/reheater being a first heat exchanger between incoming compressed air from the air inlet and outgoing compressed air to the air outlet, wherein the incoming compressed air is cooled by the outgoing compressed air and the outgoing compressed air is warmed by the incoming compressed air;
- a main cooler connected to the precooler/reheater such that the incoming compressed air enters the main cooler after exiting the precooler/reheater, the main cooler being a second heat exchanger between the incoming compressed air and a coolant, wherein the coolant cools the incoming compressed air and causes moisture to condense from the incoming compressed air;
- a moisture separator connected to the main cooler, the moisture separator separating the moisture from the incoming compressed air, the incoming compressed air thereby being dried and defining the outgoing compressed air, the outgoing compressed air entering the precooler/reheater from the main cooler and the moisture separator;
- a coolant inlet pipe having a sidewall that defines a first opening and a second opening, the first opening opposite to the second opening, the first opening configured to receive incoming coolant, the first coolant pipe including an inlet located on the sidewall between the first opening and the second opening, the inlet fluidly coupled to the main cooler for supplying the incoming coolant, the sidewall of the coolant inlet pipe directly coupled to the main cooler;
- and
- a coolant outlet pipe having a sidewall that defines a first opening and a second opening, the first opening opposite to the second opening, the coolant outlet pipe including an outlet located on the sidewall between the first opening and the second opening, the outlet fluidly coupled to the main cooler for receiving outgoing coolant, the sidewall of the second coolant pipe directly coupled to the main cooler.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.