If you work with compressed air in your industries, it is important to be able to monitor the dew point temperature. This is the temperature that a gas, like compressed air, must be cooled to become saturated. At this temperature, the gas can no longer hold water vapor, and the vapor will condense.
While being able to take a dew point measurement is not always critical, it will be important if you are dealing with sensitive products that cannot handle moisture or in situations where your environment may expose your air to very cold temperatures. If the temperature is low enough, it could lead to freezing, which could block the pipes your air is traveling through.
How to Read a Dew Point Monitor
If you have a refrigerated dryer or some other kind of compressed air drying system, it should come with a monitor to keep track of the dew point. You can simply read off the measurement provided. However, it is important to calibrate your dryer’s monitor from time to time with a portable dew point monitor.
You want to make sure the instrument you choose will include the dew points you are likely to encounter in its range. If you expect that very high dew points are possible, you want to make sure that the instrument you are using can read high dew points. If very low dew points are possible, you should be sure the instrument has low dew points in its range.
How Often Should a Dew Point Monitor Be Checked?
Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for information on how often to check or calibrate your dew point monitor. In general, however, you should plan to calibrate it at least every year or two.
If you find that your dew point monitor only shows a single value, especially if it always shows the lowest possible value, or if it changes rapidly and randomly or shows values that seem impossible, you should check it for malfunction right away.
What Is the Typical Range of Dew Point Temperatures in Compressed Air?
The typical range of dew point temperatures in compressed air range from room temperature down to -112 degrees Fahrenheit (-80 degrees Celsius). A compressed air system that includes refrigerant dryers typically generates air that has a dew point as low as 39 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius), while one with a desiccant dryer system could have a dew point as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 degrees Celsius).
More on Dew Points and Compressed Air
At Fluid Aire Dynamics, we are experts in providing compressed air systems, including systems with refrigerant dryers and other methods of controlling dew points. For more information about compressed air applications, compressed air products and dew point measurement, contact us today.
