Failure Analysis of Molecular Sieve Dryer in Gas Drying Column

There was a problem indicated in molecular sieve dryers, in which their physical parameters of the flow became different than that as usual. A careful site examination of the molecular sieve dryer was performed to collect evidence to solve the problem. The site examinations were focused on silica gel, operating data, the structure of the sieve dryer apparatus, and other data resulting from interviews with some related operators. Based on the collected evident data and theoretical study focused on the problem, it could be summarised that the main causes are: 1. Inappropriate silica gel selection; 2. Imperfect sieve dryer structure. Several recommendations have been delivered to solve the problem, e.i: 1. They were equipping the dryer with molecular sieve only, not silica gel. 2. Improving the dryer structure by installing H beam on hold grating and eliminating a circular gap between the hold down grating and dryer wall.