Multistage Zeolite Drying for Energy-Efficient Drying

Abstract

This work discusses the potential of three multistage zeolitemdrying systems (counter-, co-, and cross-current) with a varying number of stages. The evaluation showed that for 2–4 stages with heat recovery the efficiency of the systems ranges between 80 and 90%. Additionally, by introducing a compressor, the latent heat in the exhaust air from the regenerator is recovered and used to heat the inlet air for an additional drying stage. As a result, for the counter-current drying system and compressor pressure 1.5–2 bar, a maximum energy efficiency of 120% is achieved, which results in halving the energy consumption compared to conventional drying systems. Keywords Drying; Efficiency; Heat recovery; Multistage; Zeolite