Different between air cooled vs water cooled refrigerated air dryer

The refrigerant dryers use the principle of refrigeration to reduce the temperature of the compressed air, so that the water vapor in the compressed air is supersaturated at low temperature and cold condensed into liquid water beads, and then the condensed water (including some oil and dust) is separated from the compressed air by means of air-water separation and discharged out of the machine through the drainer, so as to obtain the dry compressed air.

Air-cooled refrigerated air dryers and water-cooled refrigerated air dryers are two types of compressed air dryers used to remove moisture from compressed air.

The main difference between them is the method used to remove heat from the refrigerant, which is an essential part of the refrigeration cycle that cools the compressed air.

In an air-cooled refrigerated air dryer, the heat generated by the refrigeration process is dissipated into the surrounding air through a finned heat exchanger, which is exposed to the outside environment. This process makes use of the natural convective heat transfer between the fins and the surrounding air to remove heat from the refrigerant.

In a water-cooled refrigerated industrial air compressor dryer, the heat generated by the refrigeration process is absorbed by water, which is circulated through a heat exchanger that is in contact with the refrigerant. The water absorbs the heat and carries it away to a cooling tower or another source of cool water. This process is more efficient than air-cooling, as water is a better heat conductor than air.

The choice between the two types of refrigerated air dryer depends on several factors, including the availability of cooling water, the ambient temperature, the required dew point, and the size of the compressed air system. Air-cooled refrigerated air dryers are more common and less expensive to install and operate, while water-cooled refrigerated air dryers are more efficient and may be preferred in hot environments or larger systems where a significant amount of heat is generated.