Ingersoll Rand has announced a new, greener approach to treating compressed air with a new line of heat-of-compression (HOC) dryers.

Ingersoll Rand HOC dryers provide flexibility, reliability and energy efficiency in a low profile package. The dryers turn wasted heat into useful energy, resulting in clean, dry air at a fraction of the cost of traditional desiccant dryers. By using heat produced during the compression process, Ingersoll Rand HOC dryers can deliver instrument-quality air using virtually no energy.

“The HOC dryers are a great alternative to traditional desiccant dryers, delivering clean, dry air while making use of waste heat from the air compressor,” said Christopher Ursillo, Marketing Manager for Air Treatment products at Ingersoll Rand. “Clean, dry air is essential for an effective and productive compressed air system.  This high-tech, low energy solution is far less expensive to operate than alternative desiccant dryers without losing out on productivity and efficiency.”

Ingersoll Rand HOC dryers feature Smart Control technology which maximizes savings under all operating conditions. By monitoring inlet process air conditions, Smart Control technology adjusts dryer operation to deliver consistent, dry air and helps minimize dew point and temperature spikes.

The Ingersoll Rand HOC dryers feature no-loss drains to prevent the wasting of valuable compressed air, and a low pressure drop design which allows compressors to run at lower pressure, thereby conserving energy.  Patented heat exchangers, constructed with stainless steel, provide optimal performance under the harshest operating conditions and the automatic drain bypass feature ensures removal of condensate.

The HOC not only saves money by using energy more efficiently, but its low profile design fits in installations with low overhead clearances.  The low profile design places critical service components within easy reach, resulting in a safer work environment for service personnel. Unlike other HOC dryers, the Ingersoll Rand HOC dryers can be used with multiple compressors, reducing footprint requirements and installation costs.

To put energy efficiency in perspective, consider the estimated annual operating cost of a 1,000 SCFM application at $.10 / kWh.   Taking into account the cost of compressed air for purge requirements and electricity, a heatless desiccant dryer would cost over $24,000.00 to operate annually, while a blower purge desiccant dryer would run about $18,000.00 per year.  An Ingersoll Rand water-cooled HOC dryer, under the same conditions, would cost approximately $120.00 to operate annually.