Self-regenerating air dryer and purifier

Abstract

An air drying system includes a first air dryer that receives ambient air and provides as output exceptionally dry air having a moisture concentration of approximately 16 ppm or below, a second air dryer that receives ambient air and provides as output exceptionally dry air having a moisture concentration of approximately 16 ppm or below, and a valve coupled to and selectively switching between output from the air dryers to provide exceptionally dry air, where one of the first and second air dryers is automatically regenerated while the valve switches to provide exceptionally dry air from an other one of the first and second air dryers. The air dryers may remove moisture from ambient air by cooling the ambient air to approximately −57° C. Each of the air dryers may include a heat sink section, a cooling section (possibly with cooling elements), and an air flow section.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air drying system, comprising:
 a first air dryer that receives ambient air and provides as output exceptionally dry air having a moisture concentration of approximately 16 ppm or below;   a second air dryer that receives ambient air and provides as output exceptionally dry air having a moisture concentration of approximately 16 ppm or below; and   a valve coupled to and selectively switching between output from the air dryers to provide exceptionally dry air, wherein one of the first and second air dryers is automatically regenerated while the valve switches to provide exceptionally dry air from an other one of the first and second air dryers.   
     
     
         2 . An air drying system, according to  claim 1 , wherein the air dryers remove moisture from ambient air by cooling the ambient air to approximately −57° C. 
     
     
         3 . An air drying system, according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the air dryers includes a heat sink section, a cooling section, and an air flow section. 
     
     
         4 . An air drying system, according to  claim 3 , wherein the cooling section includes a plurality of cooling elements. 
     
     
         5 . An air drying system, according to  claim 4 , wherein the cooling elements are thermoelectric cooling elements. 
     
     
         6 . An air drying system, according to  claim 5 , wherein the thermoelectric cooling elements are Peltier coolers. 
     
     
         7 . An air drying system, according to  claim 3 , wherein the air flow section includes an air chamber that receives ambient air at one end thereof and outputs exceptionally dry air at an other end thereof. 
     
     
         8 . An air drying system, according to  claim 7 , wherein the air chamber includes a plurality of beads. 
     
     
         9 . An air drying system, according to  claim 8 , wherein the beads are one of: metal and glass. 
     
     
         10 . An air drying system, according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third air dryer, coupled to the valve, that receives ambient air and provides as output exceptionally dry air having a moisture concentration of approximately 16 ppm or below.   
     
     
         11 . A method of operating an air drying system, comprising:
 activating a first air dryer that receives ambient air and provides as output exceptionally dry air having a moisture concentration of approximately 16 ppm or below;   causing a valve to provide output from the first air dryer;   monitoring the first air dryer to detect when the first air dryer needs to be regenerated; and   in response to the first air dryer needing regeneration, activating a second air dryer that receives ambient air and provides as output exceptionally dry air having a moisture concentration of approximately 16 ppm or below and causing the valve to provide output from the second air dryer while the first air dryer is being regenerated.   
     
     
         12 . A method, according to  claim 11 , wherein the air dryers remove moisture from ambient air by cooling the ambient air to approximately −57° C. 
     
     
         13 . A method, according to  claim 12 , wherein each of the air dryers includes a heat sink section, a cooling section, and an air flow section. 
     
     
         14 . A method, according to  claim 13 , wherein the cooling section includes a plurality of cooling elements. 
     
     
         15 . A method, according to  claim 14 , wherein the cooling elements are thermoelectric cooling elements. 
     
     
         16 . A method, according to  claim 15 , wherein the thermoelectric cooling elements are Peltier coolers. 
     
     
         17 . A method, according to  claim 13 , wherein the air flow section includes an air chamber that receives ambient air at one end thereof and outputs exceptionally dry air at an other end thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A method, according to  claim 17 , wherein the air chamber includes a plurality of beads. 
     
     
         19 . A method, according to  claim 18 , wherein the beads are one of: metal and glass. 
     
     
         20 . A method, according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 activating a third air dryer, coupled to the valve, that receives ambient air and provides as output exceptionally dry air having a moisture concentration of approximately 16 ppm or below.