HOW DOES AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AFFECT DRYER DESIGN?
Ambient temperatures and the relative humidity do not directly affect the dryer design calculation. However, the temperature and relative humidity will affect compressor output, which can affect the SCFM flow rate at the dryer inlet between winter and summer conditions. Typically, this difference will not significantly affect the size of a desiccant dryer on a flow-rate basis. However, the ambient conditions can affect the heat exchanger performance due to changes in cooling water temperatures and, especially, where an air-to-air heat exchanger is used. These changes can have a significant impact on the dryer size because of the changes in the inlet temperatures to the dryer. This is an area that should be taken into consideration when selecting the type of heat exchanger to be used and the type of reactivation system used.
