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Service, Parts & Maintenance

Does Air Receiver Placement Matter?

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We all know that properly sizing your air receiver is a crucial part of keeping compressed air costs low. Choosing an air receiver that is too small can be risky if you experience unexpected demand spikes, but choosing an air receiver that’s too big can waste money. But once you have one, how do you know where to put it?

If you have a smaller, tank-mounted compressor, your receiver is built in. If your air system is larger and has separate components, it can be hard to figure out where your air receiver will be most effective. There are two main places to located air receivers, and each has unique benefits and drawbacks.

1) Wet receivers

Some operators install an air receiver before the compressed air dryer. This is called a “wet receiver,” because the compressed air is still saturated with moisture. Sending compressed air through a wet receiver may offer some radiant cooling, removing condensate and entrained oil. Because it’s allowing moisture to drop out of the air, a wet receiver eases the work of the compressed air dryer.

True to their name, wet receivers are filled with saturated air. This can pose a problem if there is a sudden demand increase. If the demand exceeds the compressor and dryer capacity rating, the dryer can become overloaded. This results in a high-pressure dew point, or a higher amount of water content in the air, which can damage the system or end use.

2) Dry receivers 

Compressed air goes to a dry receiver after it has already been through a dryer. While it doesn’t aid the dryer by removing condensation beforehand, it does offer its own advantages. Any sudden demand can be met with dry air and doesn’t put unnecessary stress on the dryer.

The best of both worlds

So, should operators use a wet or dry air receiver? Why not both? Placing an air receiver before and after the dryer allows operators to reap the benefits of storing wet and dry air; the wet receiver before the dryer provides control storage and condensate dropout, and a second dry air receiver can meet sudden demand.

Air receivers are key components of compressed air systems, providing storage, condensate drop out and pressure modulation. Take a look at your system and locate your air receivers. If you’d like to speak with someone about adding an air receiver to your configuration, consult one our experts.

Do you use a wet receiver, dry receiver, or both? Tell us about your configuration in the comments below!

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