Chicago Pneumatic CPX Non-Cycling Refrigerated Air Dryer

Chicago Pneumatic CPX non cycling refrigerated dryer: 12 to 4,238 CFM

The CPX is the dryer to put behind a piston or rotary screw compressor when the plant runs steady shifts and you want the simplest, lowest cost way to a 38 F pressure dew point. Non cycling means the refrigeration compressor runs whenever the dryer is switched on and a hot gas bypass valve holds the evaporator at a fixed temperature, so dew point is stable from no load to full load and there is nothing to tune. The trade off against a cycling dryer such as the Atlas Copco FD is energy: a non cycling unit draws about the same power at 20 percent load as at 100 percent. For a shop that runs eight hours and switches off, that rarely matters. For a 24 hour plant with wide swings in air demand, price out a cycling dryer.

Sizing. Match the dryer CFM to the compressor's rated output, not the tool load. CPX ratings are at 100 PSIG with 100 F inlet and 100 F ambient (77 F ambient and 95 F inlet on the smaller frames), so a compressor room that runs hotter than that or a compressor with a 125 PSI discharge and no aftercooler needs the next size up. A piston compressor with no aftercooler should get the high temperature CPXHT model, which accepts 180 F inlet. As a rule of thumb: 5 HP piston, 21 or 30 CFM dryer; 7.5 to 10 HP, 42 or 64 CFM; 15 to 20 HP, 64 or 83 CFM; 25 to 30 HP screw, 106 to 145 CFM; 50 HP screw, 230 to 272 CFM.

Electrical and connections. The 12 through 184 CFM units are 115 volt single phase and plug in; 230 and 272 CFM are 230 volt single phase; 353 CFM and up are 460 volt three phase. Connections run from 3/4 inch NPT on the small frames through 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 inch to 4 and 6 inch on the largest frames. Maximum inlet pressure is 232 PSIG on the 12 to 64 CFM frames and 188 PSIG from 83 CFM up, so a 175 PSI two stage piston system is fine on every size.

Install the dryer after the receiver, not before it, so the tank knocks out the bulk water and the dryer sees a steadier flow. Put a coalescing prefilter ahead of it on an oil lubricated compressor and a particulate afterfilter behind it, add a zero loss drain on the tank, and leave 18 inches of clearance for condenser air. Related pages: non cycling refrigerated dryers, all refrigerated dryers, Chicago Pneumatic, and the Quincy QPNC if you want a second quote on the same class of dryer.

Manufacturer description

Chicago Pneumatic CPX Non-Cycling Refrigerated Air Dryer

The CPX series gives you clean, dry compressed air without drama. It removes moisture to prevent corrosion, instrument failures, and finish defects: while keeping pressure dew point (PDP) stable and pressure drop low. Warm inlet air is pre-cooled, then passed through an air/refrigerant exchanger to condense vapor; a high-efficiency separator ejects liquid, and an air-to-air reheat stage tempers discharge air to avoid downstream pipe sweat. A proven hot-gas bypass circuit stabilizes PDP for consistent results in real-world conditions. The cabinet is compact, quiet, and built for straightforward service: true to Chicago Pneumatic’s industrial DNA dating to 1901.

You get clear, at-a-glance control. The controller displays PDP status and more dryer information, plus a service reminder and remote alarm capability. It flags high/low dew point, fan probe failure, and PDP probe failure, and shows power on, fan rotation, high PDP, or low PDP (freezing risk) so you can act before problems hit production. Condensate is handled by a no-air-loss drain that ejects water: not compressed air: for better energy efficiency and silent operation, backed by a standard 1-year warranty.

Key details

• Flow capacity: 12 to 2966 cfm @ 100 psig (CPX-10 to CPX-3000)
• Maximum pressure: 232 psig (CPX-10 to 60); 188 psig (CPX-80 to 3000)
• Reference conditions:
  • CPX-10 to 180: 77°F ambient / 95°F inlet / 38°F PDP
  • CPX-225 to 3000: 100°F ambient / 100°F inlet / 38°F PDP
• Refrigerants: R-134a (smaller models), R-410A (mid-range), R-404A (larger)
• Electricals: 115/230/60/1 on smaller units (CPX-10 to 180 also 230/60/1); 460/60/3 on larger units
• Noise level: approx. 47 to 74 dBA
• Footprint & weight (range): about 14×20×18 in., 42 lb (CPX-10) up to 40×83×60 in., 1433 lb (CPX-3000)
• High-temperature option: CPXHT models accept up to 180°F inlet: ideal for reciprocating compressors without an aftercooler.

Bottom line: CPX dryers deliver reliable air quality, simple monitoring, and low ownership cost in one industrial-grade package. If you need a straight answer: this is the non-cycling dryer that keeps production moving and maintenance predictable, without overcomplicating your air system.