Automotive HVAC Systems

With 50 years of experience supporting automotive air conditioning customers, Flow Dry offers a range of technologies for the industry. A majority of cars on the road in the U.S. and Europe have a Flow Dry component inside them.  

Most A/C systems depend on desiccants to keep the refrigerant and compressor lubricant dry and running in tip-top shape. Without the desiccant, water can accumulate in the system, leading to ice formation and blockages or corrosion of critical components. Water is incredibly destructive to A/C systems and must be eliminated for the life of the system. 

But how does water get inside the A/C system? Isn’t it under pressure? 

It’s a common misconception that just because the A/C system is pressurized, water can’t find its way inside. In fact, seals, hoses, threaded connections, and even the system components and fluids themselves can be sources of water. Water tends to diffuse into just about everything—including high pressure A/C systems. Including a desiccant inside the system initially dries water that was introduced during vehicle assembly and provides long-term protection against water that ultimately diffuses into the system. 

Does it matter what desiccant is used? 

The type of desiccant used in A/C systems must be carefully selected for the fluids used. Some desiccants will release adsorbed water if heated just a little, and others can act as catalysts to degrade system fluids into organic acids that attack the A/C system from the inside. 

We can help you select the right desiccant for your specific system requirements. 


Desiccant Bags, Cartridges, and Assemblies

Desiccant Bags and Assemblies

Our desiccant bags have been in production since 1974 and are highly trusted by automotive programs with high quality standards. We manufacture conventional bags for accumulators and saddle bags for receiver dryers. 

With advanced injection molding capabilities in all 3 facilities, we can deliver the desiccant bag in a complete assembly with a plug and filter, reducing fabrication time and line costs in your facility.

Some Electric Vehicle (EV) programs call for frequent replacement of desiccant components because EV systems are more vulnerable to moisture. We can also injection mold a plastic housing for your desiccant that makes it easier to swap out during service appointments.

We also offer pre-assembled and sealed cartridges for receivers, which can be installed inexpensively in one step.


IDB

New automotive programs call for reduced desiccant volumes and longer service lives.

IDB is a solid form desiccant that feels like a ceramic. It has extremely high absorption capacity.


EV automotive programs call for high cleanliness specifications that preclude the use of desiccant bags because the felt in those bags have long fibers.

Polysorb is an injection molded desiccant that feels like a plastic. You can leverage it both as a desiccant and a structural component in the air conditioning system, saving on space.

The Flow Dry Advantage

Manufacturing close to the point of installation – We maintain IATF certified operations in the U.S., Hungary, and China.  

That means that, for the vast majority of customers, we can manufacture desiccant bags and cartridges on the same continent on which they will be sealed into an air conditioning system, reducing the risk that bags will absorb moisture during transport, which would make them useless.  

This leaves our customers less vulnerable to quality risks, enabling them to eliminate incoming inspections and reduce scrap.  

Strong supplier relationships – Due to our years of experience and production volumes, we have extremely strong supplier relationships. 

In 2022, when the leading supplier of automotive molecular sieve in North America shuttered operations, we supported our automotive customers in running chemical compatibility testing on alternative molecular sieves from our broader supply network, then transitioning supply. We did this at the peak of the shipping container shortage without shutting a single customer line down or expediting any material. The elimination of this one strain of sieve from the market could have been the second chip shortage because this strain was so ubiquitous in the U.S. automotive industry – but it was not because we acted.  

Connecting with us to design the best solution for your Automotive HVAC system