Abstract The apparatus supplies thoroughly dehydrated super-clean air to an air-operated mechanism in a closed dehydration, pressure differential reactivation system. In the operation of the apparatus, dehydrated air, under pressure supplied to an airoperated mechanism, is exhausted from said mechanism as spent dry air at a lowered pressure, but without substantial reduction in volume, and is then without loss of any volume utilized to reactivate one or the other of a pair of dehydrators incorporated in the system. The entire exhaust from the air-operated mechanism is utilized to reactivate one dehydrator, while the other dehydrator gathers moisture from the air supplied to the airoperated mechanism. The arrangement eliminates the need for heat in effecting reactivation of the dehydrators.
The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the valve in the first conduit is operated in response to changes in the moisture content of one of the dehydrators.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the valve in the first conduit is manually operable.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the valve means in the second and third conduits are one-way check valves.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the dehydrating means is subject to change under varying moisture conditions and means responsive to such change operating the valve in the first conduit to change the selected dehydrator.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
120 words
The method of dehydrating moisture laden air in a closed dehydration, pressure differential reactivation system, comprising, compressing moisture laden air, causing the compressed air to flow through a controlled conduit to a selected dehydrator, dehydrating means in the dehydrator, removing the moisture from the pressurized air, causing the dehydrated pressurized air to flow in one direction through a second conduit to an air-operated mechanism, causing the exhausted depressurized dry air from the air-operated mechanism to flow in one direction through a third conduit to a nonselected moisture laden dehydrator, causing the depressurized dry air to flow through the moisture laden dehydrator to remove the moisture therefrom and reactivate the dehydrating means therein, the then moisture laden air flowing to atmosphere.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the pressurized air is caused to flow through the dehydrator in one direction and the depressurized air is caused to flow in a reverse direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the controlled conduit is controlled in response to changes in the moisture content of one of the dehydrators.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the moisture content of the selected dehydrator causes the control of the flow of the compressed air to shift to the reactivated dehydrator.