Motion Control & Drives


Phase Change Material (PCM) compressed air dryer launch

July 2018 Motion Control & Drives

The incessant need to reduce energy consumption is an ever present fact for all plant engineers. It is estimated that compressed air production and compressed air treatment amount to approximately 30% of an average production plants power consumption. SPX Flow, through Artic Driers International has introduced a radically new approach to compressed air drying.

The PCM compressed air dryer, (Phase Change Material) provides low dew point air via a unique and patented 4 in 1 heat exchanger.

The PCM material housed within a plate to plate heat exchanger possesses a high latent heat property that enables the material to melt or freeze at constant temperature. The phase change material will absorb heat from warm moisture laden compressed air without a significant change in temperature. The PCM material stays colder for longer periods of time. This system allows the Freon compressor within the dryer to cycle the Freon compressor with long off-time periods, resulting in great cost savings.

Energy Savings – The PCM dryer lowers the air system power costs and improves productivity by matching power consumption to compressed air demand. C/air loads fluctuate in any production facility. The PCM dryer cycles the power load to match c/air demand with great effectiveness.

As the load fluctuates the power requirement to dry the c/air is matched in proportion to the demand. As a comparison a non cycling dryer uses a constant 96% under any operating load. A PCM dryer when operating at 60% load only consumes 60% of its full load energy.

When compared with current non-cycling, variable speed drives, and older thermal mass type compressed air dryers, the PCM offers superior power savings, without the need to use complex VSD drives, coolant pumps or glycol tanks.

Along with all other quality air treatment packages and filtration systems manufactured by SPX Flow Busan, South Korea, Artic Driers provides the expertise and aftercare support to southern Africa as it has for the last 17 years. Whilst the markets and importers may have changed radically over the last three decades, Artic Driers core competency has grown and matured.

Artic Driers International, a family owned and operated c/air treatment supplier has provided support and compressed air treatment products since 1991.

For more information please contact Allen Cockfield, Artic Driers International, +27 (0)11 420 0274, [email protected], www.articdriers.co.za



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