Inline Air Dryer

[Thee Awbade™]

So I'm looking into an In-Line air dryer for our compressed air to our new machine.

 

What brands/types have you guys had success with? 

 

I was looking at something like this, but unsure about what is more common with the medium/large size routers. 

 

http://www.eastwood.com/two-stage-desiccant-dryer-system.html

[Sticky]

That is a water trap. Dryers cost real money.

[Thee Awbade™]

Ah, thanks for the correction. It's a water trap I'm looking for then. 

[Newbeeee™]

Depends upon what flow rate you need.

That's a mighty small cartridge that wouldn't last very long with shop pressure running through it.

[Thee Awbade™]

Depends upon what flow rate you need.

That's a mighty small cartridge that wouldn't last very long with shop pressure running through it.

 

Yeah after reading a bunch of articles on dew point measurements, CFM flow, micron size of allowed particles. I've realized I need the specs of my machine to do anything, and those are down at the new building, going to head down tomorrow and get the specs then go searching.

 

Anyone have brand reccomendations though so I can make sure i'm not buying some harbor freight junk?

[Newbeeee™]

We run one of these on the CMM.

It's the 2000 model

http://www.airceldryers.com/products/air-dryers/desiccant-dryers/ultrapac-2000-regenerative-heatless-desiccant-dryers/

[Guest]

nm

Edited March 23, 2015 by Guest

[Bob W.]

Are you sure you don't need a refrigerated air dryer?  This is a machine tool, correct?  I currently have four air dryers for my three machines.  I have one big one (200 cfm) at the compressor and one small one (20 cfm) at each machine.  These typically run about $1000 for a small one which should work just fine for a machine tool.  Typical brands are Ingersol Rand and Chicago Pneumatic.  These have refrigeration units built into them to chill the air to condense all of the moisture out before the air gets to the machine.  The units themselves have no filter elements or consumables but you will need a filter on the inlet of the dryer unless you know it is clean air coming in.

[THEE THAINZ™]

Re search it well Awbade it seems most people underestimate the effect of bad air quality almost as much as the effect of poor coolant condition.

[Rstewart]

We run a big Ingersol Rand refrigerated air dryer, Couldn't live without it especially in the summer time.

[Bob W.]

In a machine shop and air dryer is NOT optional.  In many instances it will void the machine warranty if there isn't one and installation techs usually verify that one is present.

[Thee Awbade™]

So after some research into what we already have installed and what we need.

 

Our main compressor has a dryer attached to it, so the air quality we recieve at the line that will go into the router is somewhat decent (dew point of about -15F according to the meter I used yesterday.) 

 

And our machine tool itself has 3 filters, and a dryer attached to the machine itself. 

 

What they need me to supply is a "pre-filter" to filter out anything the compressed air may pick up during it's travel from the dried compressor air, through the hoses to the machine. filter before it hits the machine's pre-installed filter/dryers. 

 

 

So a bit less critical than I was imagining it would be. 

 

I spoke with the installation tech about his needs and it seems airflow is going to be the most critical part, and ensuring it gets rid of everything down to 40 microns of particles. The dryer/filters on the machine itself will take the air down to -70F Dew point and 5 micron filters.