Cement Plant saves on downtime with Deliquescent Desiccant Dryer

Big E-Services performs oilfield cementing. The cement is “dry” mixed with additives at their bulk plant before being transported to multiple oil well sites where it is blended with water and pumped downhole for their customers. Big E uses compressed air as their primary utility. It provides the needed mode of conveying this dry mix through the facility and controlling sensitive actuators. The quality of this compressed air is vital to its efficient operation.

PROBLEMS THEY WERE EXPERIENCING:

• Hot compressed air allows moisture to remain gaseous. Cooling allows moisture to condense in air lines and conveying systems. Condensation is the result.
• Moisture-rich air exposed to the dry cement product results in premature hardening inside conveying lines and will result in clogging all the air inlets. This creates a multitude of operational problems resulting in thousands of dollars of downtime and costly repairs.

THE SOLUTION:

Big E-Services, based out of Midland, Texas, installed a Van Air Systems D-Series deliquescent desiccant dryer in Enid, Oklahoma. Oklahoma boasts some very extreme temperatures in the summer and winter months. Refrigerated dryers and Regenerative dryers involve sensitive parts that do not respond well to the natural elements. Therefore, Big E-Services needed to find a system that would reach a dewpoint that would protect this crucial application.
The Van Air Systems D-Series Deliquescent desiccant dryer provides a fluctuating dew point and protects extreme year-round temperatures. The rugged design that requires no electricity and no moving parts ensure that Big E’s sensitive valves and batch lines are fully protected from unwanted moisture. Coupled with a proper trim cooler and particulate filter, plant manager Blake Reinhold has complete confidence in his air system. The Van Air Systems deliquescent dryer has allowed no moisture issues to develop and has prevented costly downtime and ongoing costs to his facility. Blake said he is very pleased with the dryer system and will use Van Air Systems products in the future.