Compressed air system
Compressed air system
(OP)
Hi,
My company is building new factory, at the moment we are to decide on equipment supplier (Kaeser or Atlas Copco, which are the biggest in Poland).
We are installing either one 24m3/min plus one 14m3/min and another 24m3/min later or two 14m3/min now and one 24m3/min later.
My question is whether to choose a compressor with integrated dryer or to have stand-alone unit.
For me integrated one is better because of simpler installation (in stainless steel), as compressor-dryer connections are internal with built-in oil separator and by-pass.
But I've heard (with no arguments) that it is considered as a worse solution.
Best regards,
Kris
My company is building new factory, at the moment we are to decide on equipment supplier (Kaeser or Atlas Copco, which are the biggest in Poland).
We are installing either one 24m3/min plus one 14m3/min and another 24m3/min later or two 14m3/min now and one 24m3/min later.
My question is whether to choose a compressor with integrated dryer or to have stand-alone unit.
For me integrated one is better because of simpler installation (in stainless steel), as compressor-dryer connections are internal with built-in oil separator and by-pass.
But I've heard (with no arguments) that it is considered as a worse solution.
Best regards,
Kris





RE: Compressed air system
Being a brand new facility - start off on the right foot and use heat of regen dryers. This is also a large system so they make even more sense.
RE: Compressed air system
RE: Compressed air system
Instrumentation air requires dried to -40C (per standard I follow). Normally you only require part of your total air be dried to this standard, so a separate dissicant drier shall be used for that purpose.
If all your air is required to be dried to 2C, a integrated refrigerated dryer can be used.
RE: Compressed air system
So it'll be refrigerated fro 100%^ flow + desiccant just for lab.
I am mostly looking for Kaser/Atlas opinions as well as stand alon/integrated dryer
RE: Compressed air system
They take up less floor space than a separate compressor and dryer would. Installation is simpler, since the dryer controls are already tied to the compressor controls, there is no field piping to be done between compressor and dryer, and no separate dryer power feed. You also have single source responsibility for all the equipment.
What were the reasons given by those who advised you against the integrated packages? I'm curious to know.
---KenRad
RE: Compressed air system
No actual reason against integrated packages, except, that "they are considered as a technically worse solution".
There was also an argument that Atlas compressors use 8% more energy than Kaeser, but when I checked installed power or 24m3/min compressor it was 135kW in case of atlas and 139.8kW from Kaeser (one motor more).
RE: Compressed air system
RE: Compressed air system
AFAIK if the the dryer is after receiver, and there's a peak load the dryer may be overloaded, and will not remove enough moisture.
We're gonna have two 5m3 receivers in parallel.
RE: Compressed air system
RE: Compressed air system
---KenRad
RE: Compressed air system
The large receiver is for overall demand for normal standard air. Smaller receiver is for instrument air. The receiver after dessicant dryer is required to smooth the peakload for the instrument air so that you do not have to size a huge dryer for the peak demand.