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Emerson’s New Compressed Air Dryers Designed to Extend Maintenance Intervals and Improve Control

June 29, 2020 by Stephanie Leonida

Emerson provides compressed air dryers that incorporate design features ideal for harsh environments associated with rail applications.

Emerson provides industrial automation solutions to a number of industries including chemical, mining, automotive, life science and medical, industrial energy, and more. Recently the company two compressed air dryers, the AVENTICSTM RDD (Roll-Up Desiccant Drying) and RDDmin, to be used in rail applications. 

 

The Importance of Drying Performance

At low temperatures, the presence of humidity in compressed air can cause a damaging effect on performance. Corrosion can occur and the potential formation of ice can fracture air lines, freeze valves in the brake control circuit and cause damage to pneumatic cylinders by blocking pipes. 

Loss in drying performance can also be severely hindered by channeling, air bypass, and dust generation incurred by shocks and vibrations from rail operations. The due point can increase and high water loading can induce granulate bed breakdown. This in turn results in frequent material changes and reduced service life. 

With this kind of disruption, unreliable service is inevitable. Operators will have to undertake unplanned and unbudgeted maintenance. Increasing awareness is being brought to the importance of cleaning and decontaminating compressed air used in railway applications. This ensures better quality and an improved lifetime of all applications which depend upon it.  

 

AVENTICSTM RDD and RDDmin Compressed Air Dryers

Previous dryer systems used to apply a granular absorption system. Emerson’s new dryers incorporate AVENTICS RDD technology with adsorbent crystals immobilized in a durable polymer support structure. The proprietary absorption system is more efficient at removing humidity from compressed air systems. 

The AVENTICS RDD. Image courtesy of Emerson

 

This efficiency in the design benefits users by reducing energy usage and envelope size and weight, which is half that of other dryers currently available on the market. To ensure protection from high shock and vibration vibrations, the support structure is created as a continually embossed sheet and then rolled up to form a tight bundle that fits into the barrel-type housing. 

One of the advantages of using AVENTICS dryers is that they resist the excessive load of water should the event occur and can completely recover. This capability ensures the dryers’ maximum performance and contributes to its enduring life cycle. 

 

Reducing Downtime

Further, reducing application downtime is reduced as well as any undue maintenance costs. Additionally,  systems engineers can benefit from the dryers’ 8-year service interval or 25,000 hours of operating time. 

Each of Emerson’s new dryers has a different use, with the RDD able to be used for the main air supply on trains and the RDDmini for auxiliary air supply which can include air supply to drivers’ seats. 

Overall, Emerson’s dryers are able to maximize water uptake with a competitive air consumption rate of less than 15%. Control systems engineers can expect cost reductions and reliable products which are essential in maintaining the safety of trains and the rest of the rail transport network.