The desiccant rotor used in Carousel Plus dryers from Conair have a practically unlimited operational life, as long as they are kept clean of contamination from plastic dust, fines and volatiles.  Conair Carousel Plus dryers are equipped with ample, easy to clean filtering systems that should permit years of trouble-free moisture removal service from the desiccant rotor.

Rotor Cleaning

In some instances, the desiccant rotor may be cleaned with the procedure outlined here.  The following guidelines should be followed for determining if cleaning is the proper method for correcting suspected rotor issues:

  1. Cleaning should not be undertaken if contamination is known to have occurred since cleaning cannot be relied upon to solve all contamination issues.
  2. Rotor washing requires the use of flowing water, detergent and a drying procedure.  Careful administration of these procedures is important, or the rotor can be ruined and/or put back into service without successful removal of the contamination and /or cleaning solution.
  3. Rotor cleaning should not be attempted without ample time to perform the proper steps carefully.  A spare rotor is highly recommended if rotor replacement is urgent.
  4. Rotor washing creates contaminated liquid that must be disposed of according to local and national codes.
  5. Rotors may be cleaned 1 to 3 times before rotor replacement is required.

As a guideline, rotor cleaning/washing has been used most successfully as a life-extending exercise, employed when the rotor has already been removed from its drive mechanism and might otherwise be discarded.  Rotor cleaning has been found to be an effective procedure for rejuvenating rotors up to 3 times for additional moisture removal service as long as the accompanying steps are followed carefully.

Preparation for Cleaning

The following provisions are required:

  1. Bright light for examination through the desiccant media.
  2. Wet vacuum cleaner with soft brush tool.
  3. Dry compressed air supply: maximum 30 psig.
  4. If it will be washed, the rotor must be positioned vertically, with the media exposed on top and bottom.  The rotor cannot be placed on a flat surface without protection of the media so a protection apparatus to protect the media is required.  This may be a fabricated frame attached to the perimeter of the wheel housing or rim of the rotor (if present).  This improvised structure cannot place excessive pressure on the housing or distortion of the housing could result, ruining the rotor.
  5. A low-pressure supply of water. Pressure washing CANNOT be used.
  6. Liquid detergent, commonly used for dish washing.
  7. A bucket for pre-mixing detergent and water.
  8. A run-off liquid collection method. The washing and rinse water from the washing process will contain plastic dust, fines and volatiles and should be considered contaminated.  It should be collected and discarded in compliance with local and national regulations.

Rotor Cleaning Procedure

Caution:  Once the rotor is removed from the dryer, the corrugated desiccant media inside the rotor must be carefully protected.  Avoid touching the media. Do not allow the rotor to rest on the exposed media ends.  During dry cleaning and handling, the rotor may rest on its round metal housing, but for washing, a support structure to allow the rotor to rest with the media facing up and down must be provided that does not touch the media.

Tip: Tensioning straps that hold improvised stand-offs to the sides of the rotor may be employed as long as they are not tightened enough to distort the shape of the rotor.

  1. Visually inspect the wheel for blockage from dirt. Use a trouble light or strong flashlight on one side of wheel. Light should be visible on other side of wheel. If more than 15% blockage exists, wheel should be cleaned or replaced.
  2. Use a wet vac with soft brush nozzle to carefully vacuum both wheel faces.
  3. Re-inspect, if blockage still exists, use maximum 30 psig dry compressed air, no closer than 12 inches from wheel face to blow contamination from the media. Combine with vacuum for additional cleaning.
  4. Recheck for contamination. If still present, proceed to washing.
  5. While supported as shown above, or in a similar fashion, rinse carefully with water.
  6. A small amount of liquid dish washing detergent may be pre-mixed with the water and used as a degreaser.
  7. Flush the media thoroughly with a gentle flow of water to remove all traces of contamination and detergent.
  8. The desiccant wheel should be dried out soon after the washing process to minimize the stress placed on the corrugated media structure by the weight of trapped water.
  9. The rotor may be initially dried with the wet vac, using the soft brush tool, by vacuuming carefully across both ends.
  10. The rotor may then be thoroughly dried by reinstalling it immediately into the dryer and operating it without connection to the drying hopper.
  11. Set drying temperature to the lowest possible setting (to save energy, since it will not be used) and set the regeneration temperature to 120°F (49°C).
  12. Run the dryer with the rotor to be dried in place, at 120°F (49°C) for one complete rotation.
  13. Mark the rotor housing or otherwise log the cleaning procedure for future reference.

Rotor Replacement

In the event of suspected contamination of the desiccant rotor leading to decreased moisture removal capability, replacement of the rotor module is the most trouble-free procedure for restoring moisture removal performance to the dryer.  The instruction manual supplied with your dryer contains detailed rotor removal and replacement instructions.  Replacement rotors are readily available! Visit our Parts website or contact Conair Customer Care at 1-800-458-1960.