Membrane Air Dryers

Membrane air dryers remove water vapor from compressed air using a bundle of hollow-fiber membranes that are permeable to water vapor but not to air. As compressed air passes through the fibers, moisture diffuses out through the membrane wall and is carried away by a small purge stream, leaving dry air at the outlet. Because the process is purely physical, a membrane dryer needs no electrical power, no refrigerant, and no moving parts — it produces no vibration and no heat. Automation Distribution stocks the SMC IDG and IDGA Series membrane air dryers for compact, reliable point-of-use drying.

Why choose a membrane air dryer?

Membrane dryers are the right choice when you need clean, dry air at a single machine or instrument rather than across an entire plant. They install inline in a narrow footprint, run silently, and require minimal maintenance. Typical applications include analytical and measurement instruments, dental equipment, ozonizers and hydrogen gas equipment, chemical analysis equipment, and any localized process where compact, power-free drying matters.

SMC IDG Series specifications

  • Outlet air flow rates from 10 to 1,000 L/min (ANR)
  • Atmospheric pressure dew points from -15°C to -60°C, depending on model and type
  • Standard dew point options: Type Nil (-20°C / -4°F), Type H (-15°C / 5°F), Type L (-40°C / -40°F), Type S (-60°C / -76°F)
  • No electrical power, refrigerant, or moving parts — no vibration, no heat discharge
  • Non-fluorocarbon construction
  • Built-in dew point indicator for visual confirmation that air is drying
  • Compact inline design with flexible mounting orientation

IDG single unit vs. combination unit types

The IDG Series is offered in single unit and combination unit styles so you can match the dryer to the air treatment your application already has in place:

  • Single unit type — the membrane dryer on its own, for systems that already have upstream filtration in place.
  • IDG/M combination type — integrates a mist separator and micro mist separator with the dryer in one compact body, delivering filtration and drying together.
  • IDG/V combination type — adds a regulator to the IDG/M configuration for applications that need dry, clean air plus pressure control.

The IDGA Series is SMC's updated generation, with a shorter overall length, reduced purge air flow for lower running cost, and a faster time to reach the rated dew point. Membrane dryers do require clean, oil-free air at the inlet, so upstream filtration is essential — see main line filters and mist separators to complete the treatment train.

Membrane vs. refrigerated vs. desiccant

Membrane dryers are built for compact, power-free, point-of-use drying. If you need to dry an entire plant air system, a refrigerated air dryer is usually the primary choice; if you need the lowest possible dew points for critical or sub-freezing applications, see desiccant air dryers. The full air dryer range covers all three technologies.

Buy SMC membrane air dryers from Automation Distribution

Automation Distribution is an authorized SMC distributor. Browse the SMC IDG and IDGA Series membrane air dryers below, or contact our team for help selecting a model by flow rate, required dew point, and connection size.