Adsorption drying apparatus and adsorption drying method

1. An adsorption drying apparatus, particularly for drying a compressed gas, comprising

an adsorption chamber ( 11 ) having a plurality of adsorption conduits ( 101 ) containing an adsorption material ( 123 ),

a first feeding line ( 106 ) and a first discharging line ( 109 ) disposed at a first end ( 111 ) of the adsorption chamber ( 11 ), and a second feeding line ( 108 ) and a second discharging line ( 107 ) disposed at a second end ( 112 ) of the adsorption chamber ( 11 ), wherein the adsorption chamber ( 11 ) is rotatable with respect to the feeding and discharging lines ( 106 , 107 , 108 , 109 ),

the adsorption conduits being fluidically connectable in temporal alternation with the first feeding line ( 106 ) and the second discharging line ( 109 ) or the first discharging line ( 107 ) and the second feeding line ( 108 ), so that a drying sector ( 102 ) and a regeneration sector ( 103 ) are defined, wherein the gas is dried in the drying sector ( 102 ), and the adsorption material ( 123 ) is regenerated in the regeneration sector ( 103 ),

the first feeding line ( 106 ) being configured such that the gas to be dried is feedable to the regeneration sector ( 103 ) as a full flow,

the second discharging line ( 107 ) being in communication with the second feeding line ( 108 ) and thus forming a connecting line in which a condenser is provided,

a pressure increasing device ( 18 ) provided within the connecting line to increase pressure of the gas flowing from the second discharging line ( 107 ) to the second feeding line ( 108 ),

a cooling stream optionally branched off at the first ( 111 ) or second end ( 112 ) of the adsorption chamber ( 11 ), so as to cool the adsorption chamber ( 11 ) within a cooling sector ( 119 ), and

the regeneration sector ( 103 ) and the drying sector ( 102 ) being connected in cascade for a serial through-flow, such that a gas stream fed to the drying sector ( 102 ) essentially completely corresponds to a gas stream discharged from the regeneration sector ( 103 ), optionally including the a gas stream discharged from the cooling sector.

2. The adsorption drying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the adsorption chamber ( 11 ) is supported to be rotatable within an adsorption container ( 5 ), and the feeding and discharging lines ( 106 , 107 , 108 , 109 ) optionally form at least a part of the adsorption container.

3. The adsorption drying apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the pressure-increasing device ( 18 ) is provided at least in part within the adsorption container ( 5 ), optionally at least in part within a support ( 23 ) for the rotatable adsorption chamber ( 11 ).

4. The adsorption drying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure-increasing device ( 18 ) is a mechanical condenser, optionally selected from a compressor, a fan, a pump, a side-channel compressor ( 24 ), a turbo compressor, and a radial compressor.

5. The adsorption drying apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an input compressor ( 1 ) for conducting the gas to be dried in a compressed state to the first feeding line ( 106 ),

wherein the input compressor ( 1 ) optionally comprises a compressor condenser, optionally having an aftercooler ( 3 ) and a condensate separator ( 4 ), and

wherein the compressor condenser forms at least in part the condenser provided in the connecting line.

6. The adsorption drying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a first cross-sectional area Q 1 of the first feeding line defining the regeneration sector is smaller than a third cross-sectional area Q 3 of the second feeding line ( 107 ) adjacent to the adsorption chamber ( 11 ), a ratio of Q 1 /Q 3 being in a range of 0.9 to 1.0, and/or a cross-sectional area Q 2 of the second feeding line defining the drying sector ( 102 ) is smaller than a fourth cross-sectional area Q 4 of the first discharging line ( 109 ) adjacent to the adsorption chamber ( 11 ), in order to cool the adsorption chamber ( 11 ) within the cooling sector ( 119 ).

7. The adsorption drying apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the pressure-increasing device ( 18 ) is a radial compressor having a ring diffuser ( 121 ).

8. The adsorption drying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a drive shaft ( 28 ) for driving the pressure-increasing device ( 18 ) is guided at least in a line section of the connecting line.

9. The adsorption drying apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a drive unit ( 22 ) for driving the pressure-increasing device ( 18 ) is arranged outside of the pressure space, optionally outside of a compressor casing ( 120 ) and/or outside of the adsorption container ( 5 ).

10. The adsorption drying apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein a shaft of a compressor wheel is unilaterally supported outside of the pressure space, optionally outside of the compressor casing ( 120 ) and/or outside of the adsorption container ( 5 ).

11. The adsorption drying apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a seal optionally selected from a throttle slit seal, a labyrinth seal, a dry-running lip seal, a seal which is at least expandable, and/or a seal which seals at least during a standstill of the shaft, and/or a gas-lubricated or liquid-lubricated slip ring seal, wherein the seal is accessible from outside of the pressure space, optionally from outside of the compressor casing ( 120 ) and/or the adsorption container ( 5 ).

12. The adsorption drying apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller for controlling a speed of the pressure-increasing device ( 18 ), optionally via frequency conversion.

13. The adsorption drying apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the controller is controlled via a signal from an input compressor, optionally via a speed of the input compressor and/or via a pressure within the input compressor and/or the adsorption drying apparatus.

14. An adsorption drying system comprising an adsorption drying apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an input compressor ( 1 ) for compressing the gas to be dried,

wherein the compressed gas to be dried is conducted from the input compressor ( 1 ) to the first feeding line ( 106 ) as a full flow,

wherein the input compressor ( 1 ) optionally comprises a compressor condenser having an aftercooler ( 3 ) and a condensate separator ( 4 ), and

wherein the compressor condenser forms at least in part the condenser provided in the connecting line.

15. An adsorption drying method for drying a compressed gas, the method comprising the following steps a) to e):

a) providing an adsorption chamber ( 11 ) having a plurality of adsorption conduits ( 101 );

b) conducting the gas to be dried in according to a full flow principle from a first end ( 111 ) of the adsorption chamber ( 11 ) to a second end ( 112 ) of the adsorption chamber ( 11 ) through a regeneration sector ( 103 );

c) increasing a pressure of the gas after conducting it through the regeneration sector;

d) conducting the gas from the second end ( 112 ) to the first end ( 111 ) of the adsorption chamber ( 11 ) through a drying sector ( 102 ); and

e) rotating the adsorption chamber ( 11 ).

16. The adsorption drying method according to claim 15 , wherein an amount of gas fed to the drying sector ( 102 ) in step d) corresponds to 105% to 115% of an amount of gas discharged from the regeneration sector ( 103 ) in step b).

17. The adsorption drying method according to claim 15 , wherein between steps b) and d), liquid condensed from the gas by cooling is separated from the gas by condensate separation.

18. The adsorption drying method according to claim 15 , wherein after step d) a portion of the gas, optionally 5-20%, is conducted from the first end to the second end of the adsorption chamber ( 11 ) through a cooling sector ( 119 ).

19. The adsorption drying method according to claim 15 , wherein a drive unit ( 22 ) for increasing the pressure in step c) is operated at a variable speed, and wherein the speed is determined by evaluating at least one of the following parameters:

gas delivery amount of an input compressor for compressing the gas to be dried;

speed of the input compressor;

inlet pressure into a pressure-increasing device for step c);

inlet temperature into the pressure-increasing device;

suction pressure or ambient pressure of the input compressor;

suction temperature of the input compressor; and

differential pressure between a first end of the drying sector ( 102 ) and a second end of the regeneration sector ( 103 ).

20. The adsorption drying method according to claim 15 , wherein the rotation in step e) is started only when a predefined temperature threshold of the gas and/or a component of an adsorption drying apparatus used is exceeded.