Summer is rapidly approaching – and the hot, humid weather along with it. If your business, like many, depends on a compressed air system to supply clean, dry air to manufacture products and power your operation, keep in mind that summer brings an increased risk of poor quality, contaminated air. If left unchecked, it can damage your products, hurt your equipment, or lead to extended periods of downtime.
Warm temperatures and humid weather make it easier for extra moisture to condense in compressed air pipes. That excess can dramatically lower air quality and lead to big consequences. If your business manufactures food, for instance, the excess moisture reduces your product’s shelf life – or could even contaminate it with bacteria or other microorganisms. All of that means that spring is the perfect opportunity to ensure that your compressed air system, and its dryers, are prepared for the coming season.
“We’re heading into an extremely difficult climate as we move from winter to summer,” said Brittany Smith, director of marketing communications at CompressAir. “Winter has dry air, but summer air is much more saturated. We’ll start to see higher temperatures which carry more moisture that will affect the ambient temperature of the compressor room. That’s when you will most likely start to see issues with your dryer and condensate drains so you don’t want to wait until the last minute to do the maintenance you need.”
The first step in preparation is ensuring that your system is equipped with the right type of dryer. There are two main kinds, refrigerated and desiccant, with each meeting different needs. Refrigerated dryers are a more affordable option, removing excess moisture from the air by cooling it, but do not remove 100% of all moisture.
Desiccant dryers are more expensive to operate and maintain but use special materials to remove all moisture that passes through them. CompressAir’s expert staff can assess your business and determine what kind of dryer fits your needs.
“There are a lot of intricacies that matter when you’re choosing a dryer,” Smith said. “Things like if your piping goes outside at all, what kind of product you’re producing – all of them matter. Sometimes there are situations where you might need both kinds of dryers.”
Even the size of your dryer is critical to operate efficiently and ensuring your system is providing the air quality you need.
“Our sales team is highly trained on all types of dryers to help assist you with sizing the dryer that is best for your plant,” Smith explained. “Our team sizes it based on three major categories: inlet temperature, inlet pressure, and the ambient temperature of the compressor room. They handle the process correctly, efficiently, and ensure that your system will eliminate moisture.”
Every dryer also comes with a set of unique maintenance needs – and ensuring they are handled before summer settles in can go a long way in reducing overall maintenance costs and improving your system’s efficiency. CompressAir’s technicians are equipped to change filters, check for and repair leaks, check for and clear any blockages, ensure drains are properly functioning, and much more.
They are also trained in maintaining and installing condensate management equipment that remove oil and other contaminants from the drainage collected by dryers.
“Our technicians are equipped to service all makes and models of compressed air drying equipment, including technicians certified to handle refrigerated dryers,” Smith said. “These are experts that have gone to school to learn all of the ins and outs of these machines. They’re the kind of technicians that you want working on your dryers.”
To learn more about CompressAir and scheduling maintenance on your system, visit compressair.net.
