ABAC COOL 50 Refrigerated Air Dryer - 115V Single-Phase, 232 PSI Max, R-134a

The ABAC COOL 50 is a refrigerated air dryer rated at 50 CFM that strips moisture out of compressed air before it reaches your tools, lines, and finishing work. It runs on standard 115V 60 Hz shop power, so it plugs in next to a single-phase compressor without new wiring. Maximum working pressure is 232 PSI, which covers every reciprocating and rotary screw compressor in the ABAC range. COOL 50 is the fourth size in the ABAC COOL dryer family, carried as code C3 in the COOL 15-100 UL manual, and it shares the 1/2 in NPT connections and the 9.2 x 21.6 x 22 in cabinet of the COOL 15 through COOL 65 while drawing 224 W at 60 Hz.

Key specifications

• Model: COOL 50 (code C3)
• Type: refrigerated compressed air dryer
• Air treatment capacity: 50 CFM (1,200 l/min, 72 m3/h) at reference conditions
• Power supply: 115V, 60 Hz, single phase
• Power consumption: 224 W at 60 Hz (200 W refrigeration compressor plus 24 W fan)
• Maximum working pressure: 232 PSI (16 bar)
• Inlet and outlet connections: 1/2 in NPT
• Refrigerant: R-134a, 0.44 lb (0.200 kg) charge
• Maximum incoming air temperature: 122 F (50 C)
• Operating room temperature: 41 F to 104 F (5 C to 40 C)
• Weight: 44 lb (20 kg)
• Dimensions (L x W x H): 9.2 x 21.6 x 22 in (233 x 550 x 560 mm)
• Brand: ABAC, part of the Atlas Copco group

Typical applications

Paint and body shops, cabinet and woodworking shops, small production cells, laser and plasma tables, pneumatic control systems, packaging lines, tire inflation and injection molding: anywhere water in the air line is blowing out finishes, rusting tools and fittings, or freezing an outdoor drop in winter. A refrigerated dryer chills the compressed air so the water condenses, drains it away, and sends dry air down the line, which is the most straightforward way to stop moisture damage downstream of a compressor.

How the COOL range works

The COOL 50 is a direct expansion chiller with a dry evaporator and an air to air exchanger, a demister condensate separator and a condensate drain, so the water that comes out of the air is separated and dumped rather than carried down the pipe. A hot gas bypass valve holds evaporator pressure steady as the load changes and keeps the dew point from dropping below 32 F, which is what stops the evaporator freezing when the shop goes quiet. A front panel dew point thermometer shows where the dryer is running. ABAC quotes the 50 CFM rating at reference conditions of 95 F incoming air, 77 F room temperature and 100 PSI working pressure, so hot air or a hot room will cut capacity.

Sizing and installation

Size the dryer on airflow first. The 50 CFM rating comfortably covers a 7.5 HP two-stage reciprocating machine at 22.2 CFM, or a 10 HP ABAC rotary screw at 125 PSI, which delivers 36.4 to 39.8 CFM depending on the model. ABAC also publishes correction factors for conditions away from the reference point: a 100 F inlet multiplies capacity by 0.82, so the same dryer handles about 41 CFM on a hot day, and a 95 F room multiplies it by 0.84. Higher line pressure works the other way, with a factor of 1.12 at 175 PSI. Work out your own number before you pipe it in rather than matching the dryer to compressor horsepower alone.

At 44 lb the COOL 50 can sit on a bench or a wall shelf rather than claiming floor space, and the 1/2 in NPT inlet and outlet make it a straight tie-in on most small shop piping. The 232 PSI rating means the dryer will not be the weak link behind a 175 PSI two-stage reciprocating machine. Give it a dry, well ventilated spot between 41 F and 104 F and keep incoming air below 122 F; if the dryer sits right at the compressor discharge, an aftercooler ahead of it protects that limit.

Step up to the COOL 50 when a COOL 35 at 35 CFM is running at its limit, and move on to the COOL 65 at 65 CFM if the compressor behind it is larger again. Pair it with a coalescing filter upstream for oil carryover and a particulate filter downstream when your work calls for cleaner air. See the rest of the refrigerated air dryer range, or the rotary screw air compressors this dryer is most often paired with.