this disclosure deals with an air cooler and cleaner which receives compressed air coming from an air compressor and removes the moisture content , lubricant oil , solid particles and other contaminants which may be entrained in the air . the air cooler and cleaner includes a tubular metal housing , an upper housing closure and a lower housing closure . sheet metal cooling fins having housing - receiving openings and cylindrical spacer and heat - conductor collars around said openings are heat shrunk onto the housing in firm thermally conductive contact therewith , the fins being in spaced relation to each other . a swirl chamber is provided in the lower portion of the housing and a cooling chamber is provided in the upper portion of the housing . the swirl chamber has a tangential air inlet for rapidly spinning the air therein . an inverted cylindrical cup - like air director is mounted within the cooling chamber for directing the air against and along the wall of the cooling chamber in a thin layer . a funnel - like member including a flange is mounted a short distance below the air director for separating the swirl chamber from the cooling chamber and has a central opening and an air riser tube extending down from said opening into the swirl chamber to a substantial depth thereof . an air outlet port is provided in the upper closure for the discharge of the cooled and cleaned air , and a filter is provided in the upper end of the tubular housing , through which the compressed air passes . a contaminant drain opening is provided in the swirl chamber and an automatic drain valve is connected with the drain opening .