Apparatus and method of regenerating adsorbers for drying air
OwnerGeorge R. Grgich, Michael S. Cranford +1inventors
InventorsGeorge R. Grgich, Michael S. Cranford, John C. Patton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved method and apparatus for removing moisture from compressed air through a pre-compression adsorptive desiccant bed, heat reactivated and regenerative air drying and filtration system. This system consists of an air filter affixed to a blower and in communication with a heater connected and communicating with a conduit communicating with a first valve and a second valve. The first and second valve are each connected to another conduit which is connected to a desiccant bed adsorption unit and another valve and conduit which is in communication with an air compression machine. Each desiccant bed is preferably of tubular configuration.
Claims53
A method of drying atmospheric air prior to compression and regenerating spent desiccant media, comprising the steps of:
- providing a first pre-compression tubular desiccant bed adsorption unit adapted for radial air flow therethrough and a second pre-compression tubular desiccant bed adsorption unit having radial flow;
- drawing atmospheric air through one of the pre-compression desiccant bed absorption units radially;
- conveying dried air from said pre-compression tubular desiccant bed adsorption unit to an inlet of a gas compression machine;
- regenerating the other pre-compression desiccant bed adsorption unit by;
- generating heated atmospheric air;
- conveying heated atmospheric air through the other pre-compression desiccant bed adsorption unit;
- drying said other pre-compression desiccant bed with the heated air radially.
A pre-compression gas-dehydration system, comprising:
- a pre-compression blower;
- a pre-compression heater connected and communicating with said pre-compression blower;
- a first pre-compression valve and a second pre-compression valve communicating with said heater;
- a first substantially atmospheric pre-compression desiccant bed adsorption unit in communication with said first pre-compression valve;
- a second substantially atmospheric pre-compression desiccant bed adsorption unit in communication with said second pre-compression valve;
- a dried atmospheric gas discharge conduit in communication with said first pre-compression valve and said second pre-compression valve, communicating dried atmospheric gas having a lowered dew point with an inlet of a gas compression machine.
A pre-compression gas-dehydration system, comprising:
- a blower;
- a heater connected and communicating with said blower;
- a first valve and a second valve communicating with said heater;
- a first desiccant bed adsorption unit in communication with said first valve;
- a second desiccant bed adsorption unit in communication with said second valve;
- a first conduit in communication with said first valve and said second valve, communicating with a gas compression machine;
- a second conduit communicating with said first conduit;
- a suction door in communication with said second conduit;
- a third conduit in communication with said suction door and said blower;
- and
- an operating check valve in communication with said blower.
A pre-compression air dehydration system, comprising:
- a pre-compression air filter;
- a pre-compression blower fixably attached and communicating with said pre-compression air filter;
- a first pre-compression conduit connected and communicating with said pre-compression blower;
- a pre-compression heater connected and communicating with said pre-compression first conduit;
- a second pre-compression conduit communicating with said pre-compression heater;
- a first pre-compression valve and a second pre-compression valve communicating with said second pre-compression conduit;
- a third pre-compression conduit in communication with said first pre-compression valve;
- a first substantially atmospheric pre-compression desiccant bed adsorption unit in communication with said third pre-compression conduit;
- a third pre-compression valve in communication with said third pre-compression conduit;
- a fourth pre-compression conduit in communication with said second pre-compression valve;
- a second substantially atmospheric pre-compression desiccant bed adsorption unit in communication with said fourth pre-compression conduit;
- a fourth pre-compression valve in communication with said fourth pre-compression conduit;
- a fifth dried atmospheric air discharge conduit in communication with said third pre-compression valve and said forth pre-compression valve and leading dried atmospheric air having a lowered dew point to an inlet of an air compression machine.
A radial desiccant bed adsorption unit, comprising:
- a tubular pre-compression desiccant bed, having a top, a bottom, a continuous side, and defining a tubular center channel;
- said tubular pre-compression desiccant bed being filled with a desiccant media;
- a tubular substantially atmospheric pre-compression container, having a top, a bottom, a continuous side, said tubular container's top and bottom contacting said top and bottom of said tubular desiccant bed and said tubular container's continuous side being spaced apart from said tubular desiccant bed's continuous side;
- means for causing radial atmospheric air flow through said tubular pre-compression desiccant bed comprising a compression machine in communication with said radial desiccant bed adsorption unit drawing air from said tubular center channel causing a negative pressure and drawing air from all sides of said tubular pre-compression bed;
- and
- a pre-compression air filter integral with said tubular substantially atmospheric pre-compression container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.