Westinghouse Air Brake Company

T Kevin Castle

Michael V Kazakis

Scott M Trapp

In a centrifugal separator for separating a liquid from a compressed gas, a baffle is provided to separate the centrifugal chamber into an upper sub-chamber and a lower sub-chamber but does not contact the walls of the chamber thereby being insufficient to prevent downward flow of separated liquid along the interior wall of the two sub-chambers, and insufficient to prevent flow of compressed gas from one sub-chamber to the other sub-chamber, the baffle nevertheless being sufficient to prevent turbulent gas flow in the lower sub-chamber when collected liquid is drained therefrom.

E-1 air dryer liquid separator with baffle

A twin tower air drying system for cleaning and drying a stream of unpurified pressurized air including a centrifugal separator having a baffle horizontally disposed therein to generally separate the centrifugal chamber into an upper sub-chamber and a lower sub-chamber; a pair of cavities each containing desiccant media and a purge tube with a flapper valve thereover to close and restrict flow of air through the purge tube when air is flowing upwardly through the cavity, and to open and promote air flow through the purge tube when air is flowing downwardly through the cavity; a pair of two-way control valves to either deliver a stream of air from the centrifugal separator to a cavity or to open a cavity to atmosphere; a timer control for alternately and periodically altering the condition of the two-way control valves such that when one is delivering air to a cavity, the other is open to atmosphere; a shuttle valve for admitting an output percentage of air emerging from either of the cavities to a storage chamber, and to by-pass a purge percentage of the air into the other cavity from which air is not emerging.

E-1 twin tower air dryer for an air compressor unit

A check valve mechanism is disclosed for a twin tower gas drying system. The drying system filters unpurified gas to supply purified gas to a pneumatic system. The purified gas is supplied alternately from each tower to the mechanism for distribution in an output percentage to the pneumatic system and in a purge percentage to the drying system for purging moisture previously collected. The mechanism includes a valve body and a shuttle choke. The body defines first and second channels connected to the first and second towers, respectively; a shuttle tube having first and second ends connected to the first and second channels, respectively; and an output passage having an initial end communicating with the pneumatic system and a terminal end communicable with the tube. The choke defines an orifice and slides between the ends. When purified gas flows from the first tower, the choke slides to the second end. Purified gas flows from the first tower through the first channel through the output passage in the output percentage to the pneumatic system and through the orifice in the purge percentage through the second channel for purging via the second tower. When purified gas flows from the second tower, the choke slides to the first end. Purified gas flows from the second tower through the second channel through the output passage in the output percentage to the pneumatic system and through the orifice in the purge percentage through the first channel for purging via the first tower.

Linear choke shuttle/orifice check valve mechanism for a twin tower air

An air drying cartridge for use in an air drying system is disclosed. The air drying cartridge comprises a telescoping casing resiliently self adjustable in height which has an inner cylindrical apertured wall and an outer cylindrical apertured wall. The inner apertured wall has a facing surface, an upper end and a lower end. The outer apertured wall has a facing surface, an upper end and a lower end. The facing surface of the inner apertured wall is disposed to face the facing surface of the outer apertured wall thereby defining an opening therebetween. The air drying cartridge also includes a porous filter liner, a pair of sealing caps and a moisture absorbing material for extracting moisture from air flowing through the air drying cartridge. The porous filter liner is situated adjacent to each of the facing surfaces within the opening. One of the pair of sealing caps affixes to the upper ends of the apertured walls and another affixes to the lower ends of the apertured walls. The moisture absorbing material fills the opening between the filter liners and sealed therein between the sealing caps. The telescoping casing resiliently withstands compressive forces that would collapse, rupture or otherwise distort prior art dryer cartridges. The desiccant cartridge 30 exsiccates air more reliably and efficiently than prior art desiccant devices.

Telecoping desiccant cartridge for an air dryer disposed in an air system

A twin tower gas drying system is disclosed for filtering unpurified gas to supply purified gas to a pneumatic system. The drying system includes a separator, two coalescers, two desiccant towers and a mechanism for controlling flow of unpurified and purified gases therethrough. The separator separates moisture and other particulates from the unpurified gas. Each coalescer removes moisture remaining within the unpurified gas. A first tower removes moisture remaining within unpurified gas received from a first coalescer to provide a first stream of purified gas. A second tower removes moisture remaining within unpurified gas received from a second coalescer to provide a second stream of purified gas. The flow controlling mechanism enables the drying system to alternately (i) extract moisture from unpurified gas passing through the first coalescer and tower to supply the pneumatic system with an output percentage of the first stream while purging moisture both previously collected in the second tower and coalescer by passing a purge percentage of the first stream through the second tower and coalescer and expelling the remoisturized gas to atmosphere via the mechanism and (ii) extract moisture from unpurified gas passing through the second coalescer and tower to supply the pneumatic system with the output percentage of the second stream while purging moisture both previously collected in the first tower and coalescer by passing the purge percentage of the second stream through the first tower and coalescer and expelling the remoisturized gas to atmosphere via the mechanism.

Twin tower air dryer for an air compressor unit

A switching and purging mechanism is disclosed for controlling flow of gas within a twin tower gas drying system. The drying system filters unpurified gas to supply purified gas to a pneumatic system with a purge percentage for purging moisture previously retained. The mechanism includes a valve body, first and second pistons, and a control means. The body defines first and second bores, first and second supply passages, first and second output ports, and first and second purge ports. Through the control means, the first piston occupies a supply position while the second piston occupies a purge position and vice versa. When the first piston occupies the supply position, unpurified gas flows from the first passage through the first bore through the first output port and communication between the first output port and the first purge port ceases. When the first piston occupies the purge position, remoisturized gas flows from the first output port through the first bore through the first purge port and communication between the first passage and the first output port ceases. When the second piston occupies the supply position, unpurified gas flows from the second passage through the second bore through the second output port and communication between the second output port and the second purge port ceases. When the second piston occupies the purge position, remoisturized gas flows from the second output port through the second bore to the second purge port and communication between the second passage and the second output port ceases.

Switching and purging mechanism for a twin tower air dryer

A desiccant cartridge for use in a compressed air system comprising, a perforated stainless steel casing, a polyester felt support liner disposed against the inner surfaces of the perforated stainless steel casing, a pelletized moisture-absorbing material situated within the polyester felt support liner, and a pair of rubber cup-shaped end caps molded to the ends of perforated stainless steel case so that moisture vapor is extracted from compressed air passing radially the desiccant cartridge.

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Wellford, SC, United States of America

T Kevin Castle