How are Nafion dryers different from traditional gas dryers?
Drying is usually accomplished with one of four devices: condensers, desiccant dryers, permeation dryers, or Nafion dryers. Condensers function by cooling a gas stream until water and other liquids coalesce, then collecting the condensate and draining it away. Condensers are simple to operate. Unfortunately, they are very non-specific; not only do they remove whatever gases condense at lower temperature, but also at least a portion of whatever gases dissolve in the condensate. Condenser systems are designed to minimize the contact of the gas stream with the condensate to limit this deficiency, but water-soluble gases are always lost to varying degrees depending upon the solubility of the gas in question. Large amounts of gases such as sulfur dioxide are lost by condensers, and condensers are entirely inappropriate for dry gas streams containing hydrogen chloride or chlorine (unless its removal is desired). Desiccant dryers function by binding water to an absorbent. The absorbent may be
