Air Compressor Cooling

[Bluenoser337]

I have a 60 HP air compressor with air intake and exhaust to outside. Both ducts have electrical dampers that open when the compressor runs. Problem is...the outdoor air is too cold in the winter and the filters, etc are freezing. Considering putting in a bypass duct, damper, and temperature controller. When the air in the compressor enclosure is below a setpoint, the outside dampers would close...and the bypass duct damper would open. Things would go back to normal when the temperature increases to the top of the deadband setting. There are coils on the inlet and exhaust ducts in the enclosure, for oil cooiling etc...so I want to maintain airflow (by not simply closing off the outside dampers without a bypass). Anybody see any problems with this scheme? Thanks!

 

[hydtools]

What are you bypassing? Where does the bypass get its air?

Can you move the oil cooling coils ahead of the filters, etc., in the intake to preheat the incoming air?

Ted

 

[crjones]

Just watch your pressure drop through your bypass duct. If it's higher than the normal ducting you could end up overheating as you have less flow across the core.

 

[zdas04]

Can you duct your cooler exhaust to the compressor suction? Generally you pick up enough heat in the cooler to make freezing unlikely. If the fittings allow it, then there really isn't any downside to doing this in the winter. In the summer you might run into discharge temp problems.

David

 

[MintJulep]

Sounds like you'll need a fan, or do you have one already?

If you do, consider running it from a VFD, with speed controlled by temperature.

 

[Bluenoser337]

Yes...there is a 3 HP fan on the exhaust duct, that will move the air through the bypass duct...which will be between the in and out ducts just inside the dampers. The compressor enclosure will have the new temperature sensor and the dampers will return to normal when it warms up in there. Thanks!!