Champion CDT Series Heatless Desiccant Air Dryer – Twin Tower with Filtration (40–1350 SCFM)

The Champion CDT Series is a twin-tower heatless regenerative desiccant air dryer available in thirteen capacities from 40 to 1350 SCFM, engineered to deliver a -40°F pressure dew point to plant air systems that cannot tolerate moisture. Where a refrigerated air dryer bottoms out around a 35°F to 40°F dew point, the CDT drives water vapor out of the air stream entirely, protecting outdoor piping from freeze-ups and giving paint booths, instrument loops, and pneumatic controls the dry air they require.

Every CDT ships as a complete filtered package: a Grade E (0.01 micron) coalescing pre-filter and a Grade D (1 micron) reverse-flow after-filter are included, so the dryer arrives ready to pipe in without a separate filtration order.

Select your capacity and control package from the dropdowns above.

Heatless Regenerative Drying, Explained

A heatless desiccant dryer uses two towers packed with activated alumina. Wet compressed air flows up through the online tower, where the desiccant bed adsorbs water vapor and releases air at a -40°F pressure dew point. Meanwhile a small fraction of that dried air is expanded to atmosphere and swept back down through the offline tower, stripping the moisture out of the spent desiccant and regenerating it. The towers alternate on a fixed cycle, so one is always drying while the other recovers.

There is no heater, no blower, and no moving part in the air path beyond the switching valves, which is why heatless dryers are the most reliable and lowest-maintenance way to reach a -40°F dew point. The trade-off is purge air, and that is exactly what the energy savings controller is designed to reclaim.

Choosing Your Control Package

The 3-Valve Bypass option (models ending AF3) adds a factory-piped bypass around the dryer and filters so you can service or rebuild the dryer without shutting the plant air header down. On any system that cannot take a planned outage, specify the bypass at the time of order.

Model Selection Chart

Dimensions and weights are for the dryer itself. Desiccant charge shown is the total for both towers, industrial activated alumina AA-4, 1/8 inch. The included filter package adds to the shipping weight and footprint. Ask us for a certified general-arrangement drawing before you pour a pad or lay out the mechanical room.

Key Features at a Glance

• -40°F Pressure Dew Point: ISO 8573-1 humidity Class 2 performance, standard on every model.
• 40 to 1350 SCFM: Thirteen capacities covering a single 10 HP rotary screw through a full plant air header.
• Grade E and Grade D Filtration Included: 0.01 micron coalescing pre-filter with automatic drain plus 1 micron reverse-flow after-filter, both gauge-equipped.
• 150 PSIG Maximum Working Pressure: 250 PSIG available with the energy savings controller and high-pressure valve package.
• NEMA 4 Enclosure Standard: NEMA 4X on the energy savings controller.
• Two Control Philosophies: Proven timer-based cycling or demand-based purge control with a 7-inch touchscreen.
• RS485 and Ethernet Communication: Standard on the energy savings controller for plant monitoring integration.
• No Heater, No Blower: The simplest and most reliable path to dry air, with the fewest wear parts.
• Field-Replaceable Desiccant: Towers are designed for straightforward recharge at the normal service interval.
• Champion Pneumatic Quality: A Gardner Denver brand backed by over a century of compressed-air engineering.

Shared Technical Specifications

Ideal Applications

Specify a heatless desiccant dryer wherever a 35°F refrigerated dew point is not good enough: compressed air piping that runs outdoors or through unheated space and would otherwise freeze, spray finishing and powder coating lines, pneumatic instrumentation and control air, laser cutting assist gas, dental and laboratory air, blow molding, pharmaceutical and food packaging, textile manufacturing, electronics assembly, and any breathing-air or critical process loop operating to an ISO 8573-1 specification. The CDT is also the standard answer for plants that have already tried a refrigerated dryer and are still seeing water at the tool.

Factory Options

The CDT Series supports several factory-configured options beyond the control and bypass packages shown above, priced per model and quoted at the time of order:

• J, Dew Point Control: Ceramic hygrometer dew point monitoring with alarm, for demand-based cycling on measured dew point rather than time.
• V, High Pressure: 250 PSIG maximum working pressure valve package, available with the energy savings controller only.
• P, Sandblast and Epoxy Paint: Upgraded surface preparation and coating for corrosive or wash-down environments, available for the dryer alone or dryer plus filters.
• S, Stainless Control Tubing: 316L stainless steel pilot and control air tubing.
• L, Low Ambient Protection: Heat tape package for installations exposed to freezing ambient temperature. Note that the heat tape protects the dryer, not the control box.

Call or email us with your model and the options you need and we will quote the configured part number and lead time.

Sizing, Purge, and Installation

Size the dryer to the actual SCFM passing through it at your operating pressure, not to compressor nameplate horsepower, and remember that a heatless dryer consumes purge air from the system it is drying. Plan for roughly 15% of rated flow on a timer-controlled unit at full cycle, which is precisely the number the energy savings controller exists to reduce when the plant is running light. If your compressor is sized with no headroom, either step up the dryer capacity or specify the X controller.

Install a properly sized wet receiver tank upstream of the dryer, keep the inlet air temperature within specification, and give the dryer clear service access on all sides for tower recharge. Our engineers will review your layout at no charge.

Desiccant Replacement and Service

Activated alumina in a properly filtered heatless dryer typically gives three to five years of service before the bed needs recharging. The single fastest way to ruin a desiccant bed is oil carryover from an upstream compressor, which is why the CDT ships with a Grade E coalescing pre-filter as standard equipment. Change the pre-filter and after-filter elements annually, keep the automatic drain working, and the bed will last. Valve rebuild kits, controllers, and bulk desiccant are all available through Air Compressor Store.

Why Buy from Air Compressor Store

Air Compressor Store is an authorized Champion Pneumatic distributor. Every CDT Series dryer ships with the full factory warranty, factory-direct freight from Ocala, and lifetime application support from our certified compressed-air engineers. We will size the dryer, quote the configured part number with the options you need, and stay with the job through startup.

Frequently Asked Questions

What dew point does the CDT Series deliver?

-40°F pressure dew point as standard, which corresponds to ISO 8573-1 humidity Class 2. Lower dew points are available on custom configurations; contact us with your specification.

Heatless, heated purge, or blower purge: which one do I need?

Heatless is the simplest, most reliable, and lowest capital cost, and it is the right choice for the great majority of industrial systems up to roughly 1000 SCFM. Heated purge and heated blower designs cut purge air consumption further and make economic sense at larger flows or where compressed air is unusually expensive to make. If you are near the crossover, send us your flow, pressure, and run hours and we will run the numbers.

Do I still need filters if I buy a CDT?

The pre-filter and after-filter are already included in every configuration listed here. What you should not skip is a properly drained wet receiver and, on an oil-flooded rotary screw, diligent separator maintenance. Oil is what kills desiccant.

Is the basic timer controller a downgrade?

No. It is a different design philosophy. A timer-based dryer running at full load all shift wastes nothing, and it has fewer things to go wrong. The energy savings controller earns its premium in plants whose air demand swings, which is most of them.

How much purge air does a heatless dryer use?

Plan on approximately 15% of rated flow at full cycle on a timer-controlled unit. The energy savings controller reduces that in proportion to how lightly loaded the dryer actually is.

Can I get 250 PSIG?

Yes, with the V high-pressure valve package, which is available with the energy savings controller only. Standard maximum working pressure is 150 PSIG.

How long does delivery take?

Lead time depends on capacity and options. Call us with your model and we will confirm the current factory schedule before you order.