Controls and ancillaries
Compressed-air filtration and drying
Also known as air drying, desiccant dryer, refrigerant dryer, air filtration.
Compressed-air filtration and drying treats raw compressor discharge to remove particulate, oil mist and water vapour before the air reaches downstream consumers. For sonic horns, well-treated air extends diaphragm life by preventing internal corrosion and abrasion that untreated air would otherwise cause.
Treatment chain
| Stage | Function |
|---|---|
| Pre-filter | Bulk-particulate removal |
| Coalescing filter | Oil-mist and water-droplet removal |
| Dryer | Water-vapour removal — refrigerant (atmospheric dew point ~3 °C) or desiccant (atmospheric dew point −40 °C or lower) |
| Final filter | Sub-micron particulate polish |
Why dryness matters
Untreated compressed air saturated with water vapour will condense inside the horn body when the pulse expands the gas and cools it (adiabatic cooling). Condensation accelerates diaphragm corrosion and shortens service life.
Specification practice
For routine industrial sonic-horn installations, refrigerated dried air is normally adequate. Severe-service installations (high-temperature horn, Inconel-grade construction) benefit from desiccant-dried air for the longest diaphragm life.
Related terms
Related terms
- Compressed air (industrial)Compressed air at 4–7 bar from plant or instrument-air systems drives industrial sonic horns. Consumption typically 8–14 Nm³/min during a firing burst.
- Instrument air and plant airInstrument air is filtered and dried for precision and control devices. Plant air is general utility air; tolerant quality. Industrial sonic horns can use either, with caveats.
- Diaphragm hornA diaphragm horn is a sonic horn whose sound is generated by a vibrating titanium or stainless-steel diaphragm driven by pulsed compressed air. The dominant form-factor for low-frequency industrial cleaning.