Systems and methods for sequencing operation of compressed air dryers

A compressed air dryer system, the system comprising:

• a cooling medium header;
• and
• a plurality of dryer modules fluidically coupled with the cooling medium header, each of the plurality of dryer modules configured to direct a portion of a cooling medium received from the cooling medium header through a heat exchanger and to a storage tank, the heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a portion of compressed air to the portion of the cooling medium, each of the plurality of dryer modules including:
• a temperature sensor in thermal communication with the portion of cooling medium, and
• a chiller configured to reduce a temperature of the portion of cooling medium when the sensed temperature exceeds a temperature set-point;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled with the plurality of dryer modules, the controller operable to monitor a plurality of run-times, each of the plurality of run-times associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of dryer modules, the controller operable to regulate each of the plurality of run-times by modifying the temperature set-point of the corresponding one of the plurality of dryer modules.

A compressed air dryer system, the system comprising:

• a plurality of dryer modules, each of the plurality of dryer modules configured to condense at least a portion of moisture held in a portion of compressed air, each of the plurality of dryer modules including:
• a temperature sensor in thermal communication with the portion of cooling medium, and
• a chiller configured to reduce a temperature of the portion of cooling medium based on the sensed temperature and a temperature set-point;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled with the plurality of dryer modules, the controller operable to monitor a plurality of run-times, each of the plurality of run-times associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of dryer modules, the controller operable to direct operation of each of the plurality of dryer modules based on the corresponding one of the plurality of run-times by modifying the temperature set-point of the corresponding one of the plurality of dryer modules.

A method for regulating run-time of compressed air dryer modules, the method comprising:

• operating a first dryer module, based on a first temperature set-point, to regulate a temperature of a first portion of cooling medium being circulated through the first dryer module;
• operating a second dryer module, based on a second temperature set-point, to regulate a temperature of a second portion of cooling medium being circulated through the second dryer module;
• monitoring, via a controller, a first run-time associated with operation of the first dryer module and a second run-time associated with operation of the second dryer module;
• and
• modifying, via the controller, at least one of the first temperature set-point and the second temperature set-point to regulate at least one of the first run-time and the second run-time, respectively.