A drying system for compressed gas includes a fluid conduit, a cooler, and a precooler. The fluid conduit receives a flow of compressed gas to be cooled by the cooler and precooled by the precooler. The precooler has a gas-to-gas heat exchange section and a gas-to-liquid heat exchange section. A liquid-gas separator is coupled with the fluid conduit, and with a gas line and a liquid line. The gas line conveys gas to the gas-to-gas heat exchange section and the liquid line conveys liquid condensate to the gas-to-liquid heat exchange section.