Cartridge, compressed air reprocessing plant and method for operating a compressed air reprocessing plant

• Main Authors: HEGE, STEFAN, NOECKER, JOACHIM
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 07.01.2009
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OFVEHICLES; SEPARATION; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

A cartridge (1) for purifying and/or drying compressed air in a compressed air processing plant (47), including a treatment system with a pre-filter, cyclone, coalescence filter and drying agent, has a sensor (38) for evaluating the operating condition of the treatment system. Independent claims are included for: (1) a compressed air processing plant (47) with a cartridge as above, an air processing circuit (48), a regeneration circuit (53), a control device for operation-dependent activation of the air processing and/or regeneration circuit and a receiver for data or signals from a transmitter in the cartridge; (2) a method for operating the compressed air processing plant, in which a measured value from the sensor (38) is monitored by the control device, and if this value (or a variant of the value) exceeds or falls below a threshold value, the control device (a) initiates regeneration operation, (b) adjusts regeneration operation, (c) generates a signal for exchange of the cartridge, (d) initiates compressed air processing operation and/or (e) adjusts compressed air processing operation; and (3) a variant of the compressed air processing plant, with: a cartridge having a treatment system as above, which adjusts the physical properties of the compressed air in an air processing circuit; a regeneration circuit, in which the compressed air is pretreated for further processing; and a control device to control or regulate alternation or the ratio between the processing and alternation circuits; the novel features being that (i) the air fed through the cartridge contacts a moisture evaluation sensor at the outlet side of the cartridge and (ii) the controller determines, in dependence on the air moisture content, one or more of the operability of the cartridge and the necessity for initiation or termination of regeneration or processing operation.