Champion XCNCA Series Non-Cycling Refrigerated Air Dryer - X-Series with Integrated Filtration (75-1200 SCFM)

The Champion XCNCA Series is the X-Series non-cycling refrigerated air dryer, offered in thirteen capacities from 75 to 1200 SCFM. Every XCNCA model on this page ships as a complete air-treatment package: the dryer plus a factory-matched XCGP coalescing pre-filter and XCHE particulate after-filter, supplied loose for field installation. That FP package is also what unlocks Champion's 4-year extended warranty when paired with annual maintenance kits.

Select your capacity, incoming voltage, and drain configuration from the dropdowns above.

XCNCA vs. CGDA: Which Non-Cycling Dryer Do You Need?

Air Compressor Store stocks both Champion non-cycling platforms, and they are not interchangeable. The CGDA Series is the long-running workhorse line, covers 7 to 1200 SCFM, and is the value choice for a straightforward shop or plant installation. The XCNCA Series is the newer X-Series platform, starts at 75 SCFM, and adds variable-speed condenser fans, a graphic microprocessor controller, a programmable electronic drain valve, and a 100% corrosion-resistant heat exchanger with an integral stainless steel demister. If you want the lowest installed cost, look at CGDA. If you want lower lifetime energy cost, better part-load behavior, and a controller your maintenance team can actually read, the XCNCA is the right machine.

How a Non-Cycling Refrigerated Dryer Works

A non-cycling dryer runs its refrigeration circuit continuously and holds the air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger at a constant temperature, condensing water vapor out of the compressed air stream and dumping it through an automatic drain. Because the refrigerant loop never stops and restarts, outlet dew point stays flat regardless of how erratic your demand is, and there is no thermal mass to charge before the dryer is ready. That makes non-cycling the correct choice for steady, high duty-cycle plant air and for any process that cannot tolerate dew point swing. Expect a 38°F to 50°F pressure dew point under normal operating conditions, which is ISO 8573-1 humidity Class 4 to 5 and is more than adequate for any indoor distribution system.

Model Selection Chart

All capacities are rated per ISO 7183 at 100 PSIG inlet pressure, 100°F inlet air, and 100°F ambient. Derate for hotter or lower-pressure conditions before you size.

Shipping weights above are for the standard FP build. Units ordered with the electronic no-loss drain (FPE) in 300 SCFM and larger ship heavier and in a taller cabinet: 583 lb at 300 and 400 SCFM, and 1049 to 1124 lb from 500 through 800 SCFM. Call us for exact crated dimensions before you book freight on the big frames.

Choosing Your Drain: FP vs. FPE

Both configurations include the same dryer and the same loose filter package. The difference is how condensate leaves the system.

• FP (standard) uses the dryer's fully adjustable programmable electronic timed drain valve. It is reliable, serviceable, and fine for most plants.
• FPE substitutes an electronic zero-loss demand drain, which opens only when there is actually liquid to discharge. On a 24/7 system a timed drain can blow off several percent of total compressor output as wasted air. The no-loss drain eliminates that loss and typically pays for itself inside two years on a continuously running machine.

The FPE configuration is published for 75 through 800 SCFM. At 1000 and 1200 SCFM the no-loss drain is handled as a special, so call us for pricing on those two frames.

Key Features at a Glance

• Variable-Speed Condenser Fans keep head pressure stable and cut fan energy at part load and in cool ambients.
• Graphic Microprocessor Controller displays operating status, drain status, and fault conditions and lets you adjust operating parameters without a laptop.
• 100% Corrosion-Resistant Heat Exchanger delivers high heat transfer with very low pressure drop and will not corrode out like a bare-steel exchanger.
• Integral Stainless Steel Demister separates condensed liquid inside the dryer rather than relying entirely on downstream filtration.
• Programmable Electronic Drain Valve standard on every unit, with a zero-loss demand drain available on the FPE builds.
• Matched Filtration Included: an XCGP coalescing pre-filter and an XCHE particulate after-filter, correctly sized to the dryer, ship with every model on this page.
• 200 PSIG Maximum Operating Pressure covers high-pressure shop and process systems that would exceed a standard 150 PSIG dryer.
• 120°F Maximum Inlet Air Temperature tolerates a hot compressor room without an interstage cooler.
• 4-Year Extended Warranty Available when the FP package is purchased and annual maintenance kits are applied.

Shared Technical Specifications

Ideal Applications

The XCNCA is the right dryer for continuous-duty manufacturing plant air, automotive and heavy truck service facilities, CNC machining and pneumatic automation, packaging and bottling lines, woodworking shops running spray finishing, general assembly plants, and any 24/7 operation where dew point stability matters more than idle-time savings. Pair it with a rotary screw compressor and a wet receiver for a clean, stable, low-pressure-drop treatment train. If your compressor runs intermittently and sits idle for long stretches, look instead at a cycling refrigerated dryer, which throttles energy use with demand.

Factory Options Quoted on Request

Beyond the FP and FPE builds shown here, Champion offers several XCNCA options that are configured at order entry rather than stocked. Call or email us and we will quote them against your submittal:

• X: CRN registration for Canadian pressure-vessel jurisdictions. Champion requires a customer service review for CRN on the 1000 and 1200 SCFM frames.
• H: NEMA 4 enclosure for washdown or hostile electrical environments, quoted by the factory.
• M: Monitoring group for remote status and alarm integration, quoted by the factory.

Where This Dryer Sits in Your Air System

Install the XCNCA downstream of your compressor and, ideally, downstream of a wet receiver so that bulk liquid and compression heat drop out before the air reaches the dryer. The included XCGP coalescing pre-filter goes immediately upstream of the dryer inlet to catch oil aerosol and bulk liquid, and the XCHE after-filter goes immediately downstream to polish the air before distribution. For applications needing dew points below freezing, a refrigerated dryer of any kind is the wrong tool; step up to a desiccant dryer instead.

Why Buy from Air Compressor Store

Air Compressor Store is an authorized Champion Pneumatic distributor. Every XCNCA ships with the full factory warranty, factory-direct freight, and access to our compressed-air engineers for sizing, submittal packages, and startup support. We can also quote the annual maintenance kits that keep the extended warranty in force.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does every XCNCA on this page include filters?

Champion publishes the XCNCA in the current price book only as an FP package, meaning the dryer plus the matched XCGP pre-filter and XCHE after-filter. It is also the configuration that qualifies for the 4-year extended warranty. If you already own suitable filtration and want the dryer alone, contact us and we will quote it as a special.

What pressure dew point will I actually get?

Under the ISO 7183 rating conditions, expect roughly a 38°F to 50°F pressure dew point. Dew point rises if inlet air is hotter than 100°F, if ambient is hotter than 100°F, or if line pressure is below 100 PSIG. It will not go below freezing; that is physics, not a product limitation.

Is the XCNCA a cycling dryer?

No. It is non-cycling, so the refrigeration circuit runs continuously and outlet dew point stays flat. That is the correct behavior for steady loads. For a plant that runs one shift and sits idle the rest of the week, a cycling dryer will use less energy.

How do I size it?

Size to the actual SCFM passing that point in the system at your real inlet pressure, inlet temperature, and ambient temperature, not to compressor horsepower. Hot inlet air and low line pressure both reduce a dryer's effective capacity substantially. Send us your conditions and we will run the correction factors for you.

What is the difference between a timed drain and a no-loss drain?

A timed drain opens on a schedule whether or not there is condensate to expel, so every cycle vents some compressed air. A zero-loss demand drain senses accumulated liquid and opens only then. On a dryer running around the clock, the wasted air from a timed drain is a real and measurable operating cost, which is why the FPE build is worth pricing out.

Does it need a special electrical supply?

It depends on capacity. The 75 through 200 SCFM units are single phase at 115 or 230 volts. From 250 SCFM up they are three phase, at 230 or 460 volts, and the 1000 and 1200 SCFM units are offered at 460 or 575 volts three phase. Choose your voltage from the dropdown above and confirm the full-load amps against your panel before ordering.