Aftercoolers
An aftercooler is the first stage of compressed air treatment, installed directly downstream of the compressor. Air leaves a compressor hot — often well above 100°C — and saturated with moisture. An aftercooler cools that discharge air down to 40°C or less, condensing out the bulk of the water vapor so the filters and dryers downstream see a much lighter moisture load and the whole air treatment train works more efficiently. Automation Distribution stocks SMC's HAA air-cooled and HAW water-cooled aftercoolers, both with built-in drain separation.
Why install an aftercooler?
Most of the water in a compressed air system can be removed simply by cooling the air. An aftercooler does that work up front, so a downstream refrigerated or desiccant dryer isn't overloaded trying to handle both heat and moisture. It protects piping from the thermal and corrosion stress of hot, wet air, and it's a prerequisite for many dryers — SMC's IDFB refrigerated dryers, for example, are specified for use in aftercooled systems. Removing heat and bulk condensate early is one of the lowest-cost ways to improve overall air quality.
Air-cooled vs. water-cooled: which aftercooler do I need?
SMC offers two aftercooler types. The right choice depends on whether you have cooling water available and the conditions at the install site:
- HAA Series — Air-Cooled Aftercoolers. Compact and lightweight, using minimal floor space. The HAA requires no cooling water supply, so there are no concerns about water supply cut-off or freezing. It includes a built-in drain separator, with an optional dust-protecting filter. The straightforward choice when cooling water isn't available or you want to avoid the plumbing.
- HAW Series — Water-Cooled Aftercoolers. Built for demanding environments — high temperature, high moisture, and heavy airborne particulate — where a water-cooled design holds stable performance. The HAW uses a flower-fin tube with roughly 25 times the heat transfer area of a bare tube, creating turbulence for even, efficient heat exchange. It includes high-efficiency built-in drain separation and a thermometer for at-a-glance outlet air temperature checks.
Where the aftercooler fits in the air treatment train
The aftercooler comes first, then mechanical and coalescing filtration, then drying. After the aftercooler drops the temperature and knocks out bulk condensate, pair it with main line filters, water separators, and mist separators for oil and particulate removal, and an air dryer to bring the air down to its required pressure dew point.
Buy SMC aftercoolers from Automation Distribution
Automation Distribution is an authorized SMC distributor. Browse the SMC HAA air-cooled and HAW water-cooled aftercoolers below, or contact our team for help sizing an aftercooler to your compressor capacity, inlet air temperature, and available cooling method.