Compressed air system

Claim 2

A compressed air system comprising in combination: water chiller means for chilling water passing therethrough and a water chiller line when water passing therethrough is above a predetermined temperature; pump means connected to said water chiller line for pumping water passing through said water chiller line; inlet air conditioning means coupled to the atmosphere to receive air and to said water chiller line for receiving water passing therethrough, said inlet air conditioning means having at least two heat exchangers mounted therein and connected to said water chiller line for removing moisture from inlet air passing therethrough, and each heat exchanger being coupled to a separate opening and having an individually actuated bypass valve for bypassing air around each heat exchanger; compressor means operatively coupled to said inlet air conditioning means for receiving air from said inlet air conditioning means and compressing said air; and reheat air dryer means connected to said compressor means for receiving compressed air therefrom, and said reheat air dryer being coupled to said inlet air conditioning means water chiller line for receiving water therefrom, said water chiller line also being connected between said reheat air dryer means and said water chiller means, whereby said water chiller line forms a recirculating line for drying air before and after compression.

Claim 3

A compressed air system in accordance with claim 1, in which said pump means includes an air separator connected to a base and coupled to said water chiller line and an electric motor driven pump attached to said base and coupled to said air separator for pumping said water passing through said water chiller line and a three-way valve attached to said pump, said three-way valve including a check valve spring loaded with a vertical lift check and a balance valve with a calibrated adjustment.

Claim 4

A compressed air system in accordance with claim 2, in which each said inlet air conditioning means bypass valve is connected to a thermostatically actuated damper motor for actuating said bypass valve upon a predetermined temperature being reached at the inlet to said inlet air conditioning means.

Claim 5

A compressed air system in accordance with claim 1, in which said reheat air dryer means includes an air-to-air heat exchanger connected to a water-to-air heat exchanger which is connected to a moisture separator which in turn is connected back to said air-to-air heat exchanger, and said water chiller lines from said inlet air conditioning means is connected to said water-to-air heat exchanger portion of said reheat air dryer means.

Claim 6

A compressed air system comprising in combination: water chiller means for chilling water passing therethrough and a water chiller line when water passing therethrough is above a predetermined temperature; pump means connected to said water chiller line for pumping water passing through said water chiller line; inlet air conditioning means coupled to the atmosphere to receive air and to said water chiller line for receiving water passing therethrough, said inlet air conditioning means having at least two heat exchangers mounted therein and connected to said water chiller line for removing moisture from inlet air passing therethrough, and each heat exchanger being coupled to a separate opening and having an individually actuated bypass valve for bypassing air around each heat exchanger; compressor means operatively coupled to said inlet air conditioning means for receiving air from said inlet air conditioning means and compressing said air; reheat air dryer means connected to said compressor means for receiving compressed air therefrom, and said reheat air dryer being coupled to said inlet air conditioning means water chiller line for receiving water therefrom, said water chiller line also being connected between said reheat air dryer means and said water chiller means, whereby said water chiller line forms a recirculating line for drying air before and after compression; and said reheat air dryer means outlet having one outlet directly from said compressor means outlet and a second outlet from said reheat air dryer means air-to-air heat exchanger and a third outlet from one end of said water-to-air heat exchanger, whereby a plant can be supplied with compressed air at three different temperatures.

Claim 7

A compressed air system comprising in combination: water chiller means for chilling water passing therethrough and a water chiller line when water passing therethrough is above a predetermined temperature; pump means connected to said water chiller line for pumping water passing through said water chiller line; inlet air conditioning means coupled to the atmosphere to receive air and to said water chiller line for receiving water passing therethrough, said inlet air conditioning means having at least two heat exchangers mounted therein and connected to said water chiller line for removing moisture from inlet air passing therethrough, and each heat exchanger being coupled to a separate opening and having an individually actuated bypass valve for bypassing air around each heat exchanger; compressor means operatively coupled to said inlet air conditioning means for receiving air from said inlet air conditioning means and compressing said air; reheat air dryer means connected to said compressor means for receiving compressed air therefrom, and said reheat air dryer being coupled to said inlet air conditioning means water chiller line for receiving water therefrom, said water chiller line also being connected between said reheat air dryer means and said water chiller means, whereby said water chiller line forms a recirculating line for drying air before and after compression; and said reheat air dryer means outlet having one outlet directly from said compressor means outlet and a second outlet from said reheat air dryer means air-to-air heat exchanger and a third outlet from one end of said water-to-air heat exchanger, whereby a plant can be supplied with compressed air at three different temperatures.

Claim 8

A compressed air system in accordance with claim 5, in which at least two of said outlets from said reheat air dryer means are connected to giving an intermediate temperature air through a fourth output air line.

Claim 9

A compressed air system in accordance with claim 6, in which at least two outlets from said reheat dryer means have a connection to a thermostaticaly actuated mixing valve to produce a predetermined intermediate compressed air temperature in said fourth output air line.

Claim 10

In a compressed air system having an inlet air cooler and dryer for cooling and drying air connected to a compressor for compressing the air, a reheat air dryer connected to the output of the compressor comprising in combination: an air-to-air heat exchanger for passing said compressed air through for cooling and drying said compressed air; a water-to-air heat exchanger connected to said air-to-air heat exchanger for further cooling and drying said compressed air, said water-to-air heat exchanger being connected to water chilling means for chilling the water passing therethrough; a moisture separator connected to said water-to-air heat exchanger for the removal of moisture from said compressed air passing therethrough, an outlet for said moisture separator being connected to said air-to-air heat exchanger for cooling the compressed air being fed therethrough; at least two outlets from predetermined points from said reheat air dryer each producing outlet air at a different temperature; and connecting means connecting at least said two outlets with a third outlet through a mixing valve whereby at least a third temperature outlet is provided.

Claim 11

In a compressed air system having an inlet air cooler and dryer for cooling and drying air connected to a compressor for compressing the air, a reheat air dryer connected to the output of the compressor comprising in combination: an air-to-air heat exchanger for passing said compressed air through for cooling and drying said compressed air; a water-to-air heat exchanger connected to said air-to-air heat exchanger for further cooling and drying said compressed air, said water-to-air heat exchanger being connected to water chilling means for chilling the water passing therethrough; a moisture separator connected to said water-to-air heat exchanger for the removal of moisture from said compressed air passing therethrough, an outlet for said moisture separator being connected to said air-to-air heat exchanger for cooling the compressed air being fed therethrough; at least two outlets from predetermined points from said reheat air dryer each producing outlet air at a different temperature; and connecting means connecting at least said two outlets with a third outlet through a mixing valve whereby at least a third temperature outlet is provided.

Claim 12

A compressed air system in accordance with claim 8, in which said connecting means connecting at least said two outlets with a third outlet through a mixing valve includes a thermostatically controlled mixing valve for adjusting the mixing from each of the outlets to produce compressed air at a predetermined third temperature level.

Claim 13

The compressed air system in accordance with claim 8, in which said reheat air dryer has three outlets therefrom, the center outlet being connected to each of the other outlets through thermostatically controlled mixing valves to produce two additional compressed air output lines having intermediate temperature between two of the outlet lines from said reheat air dryer.

Claim 14

A compressed air system comprising in combination: water chiller means for chilling water passing therethrough in a water chiller line when water passing therethrough is above a predetermied temperature; pump means connected to said water chiller line for pumping water passing through said water chiller line; inlet air conditioning means coupled to the atmosphere to receive air therein and to said water chiller line for receiving water passing therethrough, said inlet air conditioning means having a least one heat exchanger mounted therein and connected to said water chiller line for removing moisture from air passing through said heat exchanger means; said inlet air conditioning means having an inlet means having a bypass valve attached thereto, for directing air around said heat exchanger means, mounted in said inlet air conditioning means when said valve is opened, said inlet means having a fan mounted therein whereby actuation of said fan and the opening of said bypass valve will recirculate air through said heat exchanger; compressor means operatively coupled to said inlet air conditioning means for receiving air from said inlet air conditioning means and compressing said air; and reheat air dryer means connected to said compressor means for receiving compressed air therefrom, said reheat air dryer being adapted to cool and remove moisture from said compressed air.

Claim 15

A compressed air system comprising in combination: water chiller means for chilling water passing therethrough in a water chiller line when water passing therethrough is above a predetermied temperature; pump means connected to said water chiller line for pumping water passing through said water chiller line; inlet air conditioning means coupled to the atmosphere to receive air therein and to said water chiller line for receiving water passing therethrough, said inlet air conditioning means having a least one heat exchanger mounted therein and connected to said water chiller line for removing moisture from air passing through said heat exchanger means; said inlet air conditioning means having an inlet means having a bypass valve attached thereto, for directing air around said heat exchanger means, mounted in said inlet air conditioning means when said valve is opened, said inlet means having a fan mounted therein whereby actuation of said fan and the opening of said bypass valve will recirculate air through said heat exchanger; compressor means operatively coupled to said inlet air conditioning means for receiving air from said inlet air conditioning means and compressing said air; and reheat air dryer means connected to said compressor means for receiving compressed air therefrom, said reheat air dryer being adapted to cool and remove moisture from said compressed air.

Claim 16

A compressed air system in accordance with claim 11, in which said inlet air conditioning means has a pair of heat exchangers therein, each having an air inlet with a single outlet for increasing the capacity of said inlet air conditioning means.

Claim 17

The apparatus in accordance with claim 12, in which each of said heat exchanger inlets has a bypass valve attached thereto for bypassing the heat exchanger.

Claim 18

The compressed air system in accordance with claim 13, in which each bypass valve for each heat exchanger is thermostatically actuated through a damper motor to open said bypass valve.

Claim 19

The compressed air system in accordance with claim 14, in which each said inlet means has a repass valve to repass air through said heat exchanger.

Claim 20

A compressed air system in accordance with claim 15, in which said repass valve is thermostatically actuated by a damper motor upon reaching a predetermined temperature of the inlet air.